novelxo Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Five years later, in Stardale City.
“Did you hear? Athena is getting engaged to the eldest son of the Bradshaw family!”
“The Athena who was tainted by some wild man five years ago and even had a kid? How did the Bradshaw family from Everglade City fall for such damaged goods?”
“Exactly, it’s been five years, and Ms. Dempsey hasn’t dared to spill who the father is. I heard it was some drifter, that’s why she’s keeping it hush–hush.”
“Don’t you ladies want to come work as maids in my house? That way, you might get the chance to hide under my bed and eavesdrop on my private life.”
A clear, feminine voice rang out, causing the gossipy socialites in the hotel lobby to turn their heads.
The woman standing behind them removed her sunglasses, revealing an unmade–up face, fair as snow, strikingly beautiful.
Athena was a celebrity in Stardale City. She vanished out of the blue five years ago and when the Dempsey family found her, her reputation was in ruins, sending shockwaves throughout the city.
And those discussing her were also well–known socialites of Stardale City.
Seeing Athena, they were far from embarrassed. Instead, they gossiped, “Mr. Bradshaw just checked into this hotel and Ms. Dempsey, you’re already here. You’sure are eager.”
Another socialite was more blunt, “Mr. Bradshaw is known for being a ladies‘ man. I wonder if he’ll actually fancy a woman like you, the one who’s already had a child.”
Athena scoffed, “I’m here to call off the engagement with the Bradshaw family”
“What?!” The ladies‘ mouths gaped open.
Her voice was teasing and bold, “What the Bradshaw family’s young master likes is none of my business. I’ve never had any respect for guys who can’t keep it in their pants!
The sleek marble floor reflected the woman’s slender, graceful figure as she stepped into the elevator, leaving the socialites looking at each other in bewilderment.
Athena jabbed the elevator button with force.
She had just returned from a business trip when she got a call from her father. The Bradshaw Group from Everglade City was looking to expand their southern business territory and had decided on a strategic alliance with the Dempsey Group.
Newman, who wielded the power in the Bradshaw Group, had pushed his nephew Zoey Bradshaw into this arranged marriage. Zoey was supposed to marry into the Dempsey family, with Athena as his partner.
Looking at her reflection on the elevator wall, Athena recalled her vow from five years ago when she returned to Stardale City- never to have anything to do with Newman again, not even with that man’s nephew!
Reaching the executive suite, Athena saw the door ajar. She pushed it open and entered, “Zoey, I’m here to tell you….”
The room was pitch dark. Before she could finish her sentence, her wrist was seized.
The scorching breath sprayed on her face. The familiar scent she hadn’t forgotten in five years made her tremble all over! “Don’t come any closer!!” Her voice was muffled as the man, like a beast lying in wait, trapped her in his arms.
He embraced her tightly, his hot breath all over her face, “Silly girl, stop squirming.”
His voice, husky and sexy, sent Athena’s head spinning! This man wasn’t Zoey. It was Newman!!
Had she been recognized?! Impossible! She looked nothing like the naive girl from years ago!
Pinned against the wall, she had no escape! The surging tide pulled at all of Athena’s senses, engulfing her wholef
After a long while, Athena stood under the showerhead, her body exhausted. The hot water splashed on her face, leaving her in a sorry state.
Meanwhile, in the living room, the rhan, now satiated, slowly buttoned up his shirt. The rising collar concealed the crisscrossed -red scratches on his chest, as if marked by a cat’s claws.
Newman sat on the crimson sofa, an amethyst bracelet on one wrist, his long, jade–like fingers holding a lit cigarette.
He heard the doorbell and got up to answer it.
“Mr. Newman Bradshaw, these are the women’s clothes you asked me to buy, and morning–after pills.”
Newman responded casually. After taking the paper bag from Kent, he closed the door. He walked to the bathroom door and hung the bag on the doorknob,
Inside the bathroom, Athena shivered as she heard the “click” from the doorknob, Newman, in a languid tone, reminded the person inside, “I’ve hung your change of clothes on the doorknob.”
After he finished speaking, he returned to the living room.
༦ འ འ ་
A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and a wet hand reached out, taking the bag from the doorknob.
After blow–drying her hair and taking a deep breath, Athena turned the doorknob and stepped out of the bathroom.
Newman’s cigarette had burned out. He turned his head slightly, casting a cool glance towards the woman behind him
“Take the pill.”
His voice, cold as ice cubes, hit Athena’s face. Her eyes dark and lusterless, she stepped forward and picked up the pill from the table.
Washing it down with warm water, Athena had just set down the glass when she saw Newman lifting his arm, holding a charge card between his index and middle finger.
“There’s 30 grand on the card.”
Newman didn’t even glance at the woman in front of him, his cold voice mingling with the scent of sandalwood.
Seconds later, Newman noticed that the woman made no move to take the card, He raised his long, deep eyes, his chilly gaze falling on Athena’s face.
Not
“Not enough?” The man’s pretty brows furrowed, clearly he was not interested in prolonging their interaction.
Hearing this, Athena snapped back to reality, her lips curling into a mocking smile, “What do you take me for?”
Newman thought she was talking nonsense.
“Aren’t you the fresh–faced model Zoey hired?”
Newman glanced up and caught sight of the woman’s face, as delicate and flawless as fine jade. Remembering the recent chaos, his breath once again grew heavy.
He’d been medicating for ages and never lost his cool, but the moment he caught her scent, his reason was swallowed whole by Instinct.
Meanwhile, Athena’s face was ghostly pale, her heart hammering within her chest, wrapped in a surge of heat.
Newman, true to form, didn’t recognize her. Back when she was poisoned by that wretch, her face swelled up and was completely disfigured; even her figure had gone to pat. Even after sharing an intensely close moment, Newman still hadn’t clocked who she was!
Five years back, Newman called her “silly girl” and now, five years later, he mistook her for Zoey’s fresh–faced model, just another plaything for his amusement?!
A sharp pang of pain coursed through her, as if her flesh was being sliced apart. She reached into her pocket and fished out a few banknotes
“Zoey said he’d hooked me up with a top–notch gigolo. I was planning to fork over 50 bucks for your time, but you didn’t live up to the hype. I can only give you half now!”
Athena flung 25 bucks in his direction. The notes fluttered down in front of Newman.
She took a deep breath to keep her cool in front of him, not letting on a single clue. With that, Athena turned and strode out, her dark eyes icing over.
Before she could reach for the doorknob, the door swung open from the outside, “Newman, we’ve got trouble!” Kent’s voice rang out. Catching sight of the dazzling beauty before him, he paused, instinctively stepping back Athena walked past Kent without a sideways glance, his conversation with Newman drifting into her ears.
“The kid’s been taken out of the hotel by Zoey! Zoey lied to me, said they were just going for a stroll around the hotel. I couldn’t And him anywhere, so I checked the security footage and saw he hopping into Zoey’s car and leaving a while ago!”
Kid?
Athena instinctively guessed Newman had a child. She remembered Yolanda being pregnant back in the day, treated like royalty
Chapter 2
by the Bradshaw family, the kid must be Yolanda’s.
Newman’s expression was ice–cold as he slipped on his suit jacket and stepped out of the room. Athena quickened her pace, scrambling to escape.
As the man watched her slender figure vanish into the elevator, he let out a disdainful Tsk.
“Boss.” Kent asked timidly, his voice low, Who was that lady?”
Newman glanced aside, his eyes frosty, “Probably some chick Zoey brought over for a bit of fun.”
Kent was taken aback, feeling something was off. Zoey hiring a girl for himself but ducking out early to hit the bars himself? ht didn’t make sense for Zoey to stand up such a stunner. Could it be that the woman was specially picked out for Newman by Zoey?
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through Kent’s head. After five years, Newman was finally warming up to women. Kent felt a secret joy for him.
As Athena left the hotel, she checked her phone and realized the housekeeper had called her a dozen times. Nora had also
texted her.
“Ms. Dempsey, it’s bad news; Kevin is missing! Kevin heard you’re getting married and wanted to find the Bradshaw family’s young master you’re betrothed to, to give him a piece of his mind! I thought it was just talk and didn’t pay it much mind. After I finished cooking and went to look for him, he was nowhere to be found. I checked the community’s security footage, and he took off in his kids ATV!”
Athena gasped, this little devil was a handful – if he wasn’t kept a close eye on, he’d be up to no good!
She quickly texted Nora back, telling her not to panic, and opened up the tracking app to check Kevin’s smartwatch location.
Kevin’s current location was near the Rainbow Bar, Athena dashed to her car in an instant.