Chapter 46

Henry shot a cold glare at Matthew and snapped, “Shut your mouth.”

Matthew let out a disgruntled snort and turned his head away.

Only then did Henry turn to Athena and ask, “Athena, do you understand what you did wrong?”

“I don’t see that I’ve done anything wrong.” Athena’s expression remained calm. She met Henry’s gaze without a trace of guilt.

To Henry, that was pure arrogance—open defiance. He took a deep breath, forcing down his anger, and tried to reason with her. “Did you ever stop to think how Willow might feel about you calling off the engagement? After this mess, how is she supposed to marry into the Osborne family? Athena, she’s still your sister. How could you be so selfish?”

Willow began sobbing again. Her eyes rimmed red, she looked up at Henry and choked out, “Father, please don’t blame Athena. I was the one who took her engagement. If she resents me, I understand—it’s only natural.”

The pitiful act made Athena’s temper flare. “If you know I resent you, then why are you still standing there crying?”

Clearly caught off guard by Athena’s bluntness, Willow froze, momentarily at a loss.

She sniffled and hurried to explain, “Athena, no, it’s not like that. I just… just—”

“You’re just pretending to be pitiful to win sympathy, using Father and Mother to pressure me. But I’m afraid that won’t work. The engagement is over. That’s final. And besides, Lady Kelsey has already agreed to it.” Athena rattled off her words in one go, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

She slowly looked around at the stunned faces in the room and asked, “Anyone else have something to say?”

Henry’s face turned an ominous shade of dark. Even Eloise looked utterly stunned.

Athena had always been quiet and reserved. Even if she had grievances, she’d never lashed out like this.

Eloise thought, “What has gotten into her today?”

Nicolas was the first to recover, his voice heavy with disapproval. “Athena, how can you speak like that?”

“I told you—she’s climbed the social ladder, and now she looks down on the rest of us,” Matthew said with a bitter sneer. “No wonder she’s acting so high and mighty. Someone’s obviously backing her now.”

He just didn’t understand. ‘Why is my own sister no match for someone who isn’t even related by blood? Oh, right. Athena has been lost and raised elsewhere. She must’ve gone bad from the start.’

Athena ignored Nicolas entirely. Instead, her gaze calmly swept toward Eloise. “Lady Eloise, what do you think I should do?”

She pulled the gold hairpin from her hair, staring straight at her. “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

Eloise’s expression soured. Avoiding Athena’s eyes, she forced herself to speak. “Athena, everything I did was for your own good. No matter what I may have done, I did it for you. I just wanted you to have a good future—how could that be wrong?”

“If you had truly acted with my best interests at heart, I’d be grateful. But is that really the case?” Athena’s voice turned icy. “You used Grandmother’s name to hand me off to Lady Gale, tricking me into accepting a favor from the McGee family. How is that any different from selling me off?”

Her heart grew colder with every word.

She was Eloise’s own flesh and blood. Yet every one of her actions had only brought harm.

Athena didn’t need her affection. She didn’t even want her pity.

But she wondered, “Why—why does even the barest thread of family love have to be twisted and used against me?”

Eloise could only sob softly in response to Athena’s accusations. Clutching a handkerchief, she dabbed at her eyes, unable to offer a word in defense.

Willow, clearly distressed, leaned in to comfort her. Then she turned tear-filled eyes toward Athena, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her face. “Athena, why must you be so harsh with Mother? She truly meant well. When Lord Ray came with a proposal, she was afraid you’d refuse. That’s why she took such desperate measures.”

“Oh?” Athena tilted her head, her tone dry. “If the match is so wonderful, why didn’t you accept it?”

Willow froze, speechless. Athena’s voice turned sharper, laced with mockery. “I get it now. Lady Eloise wasn’t worried about what I wanted. She was afraid I’d keep entangling with Lord Osborne, so she rushed to marry me off. She says it was for me, but let’s be honest—it was all for you.”

Willow looked completely stricken. Her eyes were red, her lips trembling, but no words came out.

“Athena, how could you think that way about me…” Eloise gasped, overwhelmed. She clutched at her chest, short of breath, nearly fainting from the shock.

Willow rushed to her side, gently patting her back, trying to help her catch her breath. Eloise’s face was deathly pale as she looked at Athena, eyes filled with hurt. “I never tried to use you… Athena, you’ve misjudged me…”

Seeing Eloise in such a state, Nicolas finally snapped. “Athena! Look what you’ve done!”

He pointed straight at her, face dark with fury. “Apologize to your mother. Right now.”

But Athena didn’t budge. “I’ve done nothing wrong. The ones who should apologize… are all of you!”

She slowly swept her gaze across the room. Everyone looked at her like she was the villain.

But Athena couldn’t understand. “How could they act so righteous when they are the ones who have hurt me, used me? And now they hide behind virtue and filial duty, expecting me to bow my head?”

She had never asked for much—just a quiet, peaceful life. “Why is that too much to ask?”

“She’ll never change. What’s the point in even talking to her?” Matthew growled. He’d long had enough of Athena’s cool, superior air.

She never respected him. She looked at him like he was beneath her.

He suddenly jumped to his feet, jabbing a finger in her face. “Who the hell do you think you are? Without your title as Henry’s daughter, what are you? Just another used-up whore. You spent three years in a military camp—don’t act like you came out clean.”

“Matthew!” Eloise and Nicolas shouted at the same time, trying to shut him up.

Even Henry’s face darkened in fury. He hadn’t expected Matthew to say something so vile—and so stupid.

Willow was horrified. Those filthy words tumbled out of Matthew’s mouth in front of everyone, shameless and loud.

She frantically shook her head, silently pleading with him to stop.

But when Matthew caught the flicker of fear in Athena’s eyes, a twisted sense of satisfaction surged through him.

So she could be scared. That only encouraged him.

“Oh, what? Did I hit a nerve?” he sneered. “Tell me, what decent family would take someone like you back? Only our duke’s estate is dumb enough not to care. Any other woman who’d ended up in a place like that would’ve hanged herself by now.

“The fact that you’re still alive? Just proves how thick your skin is—”

Smack. A sharp slap cracked through the hall.

Matthew’s head snapped sideways. He stared, wide-eyed, completely stunned.

He blinked hard, a lump swelling in his cheek where his tongue pressed against it.

His eyes went cold as he glared at Athena, his voice low and full of menace. “You bitch. You actually hit me?”

Athena didn’t reply. She just raised her hand—Smack. Another slap, louder, harder.