Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Athena’s P.O.V.

Blinking back my menacing tears from falling, I was left with nothing but complete hatred. My father’s threatening words for Cristoff were hurting me far beyond what I could have ever expected. I thought that my body already died a long time ago, and being consistently stonehearted, I would never feel anything again.

But deep in my heart, I still have the same hate towards my father. Hatred was what accompanied me in my existence after that so-called death nineteen months ago. It was the fuel that drove me out of nothing and what kept my heart beating over.

Being with him, I would never be happy again. And how I wished that I should have really died way back then.

Of all people, I knew my father better. I wasn’t afraid for myself, but for Cristoff. And it was making me gradually shatter.

One thing for sure was that—the whole Quego del Mar could revolve in just a flip of Daddy’s fingers! Come hell or high water, he could execute all his threats, and no one would even suspect him out of chaos.

He killed me for Helena’s legacy to continue. How would I even expect that he would leave Cristoff alone if I wouldn’t follow his orders? And what could Cristoff do against my father when he was only a teen high-schooler?

Cristoff would never receive justice from my father’s hellish deeds. I didn’t want to, but my boyfriend’s life would be ruined all because of me.

But being Athena, I already raised the bar of being rebellious in front of Daddy. I lifted my head high, trying to save a little bit of my pride. “I-If I break up with him… w-would you let him be the class valedictorian, Dad? If I soon b-break up with him, would you leave him at peace, huh?” My voice cracked.

It was Cristoff’s dream, and I would never want to take it away from him. Being the class valedictorian was the only thing he hoped for in order to get a full-scholarship grant in college. And for him, I was more than willing to sacrifice even if it means leaving him in the end.

“Well, let me think about it. For now, let’s eat! The food won’t taste good anymore—all because of this stupid conversation. Every second counts and you’ve just wasted my time here.” His voice was still loud and demanding. He placed his dining bib on his chest and was ready to eat when I stood up, deliberately ignoring what he said and the scrumptious dinner in front of me.

“Then, let me also think about my decision. I’m sorry, but I already lost my appetite.” Who would want to eat in this barbaric situation? I wanted to add but opted not to.

My chair made a loud screech against the tiled floor as I totally removed myself from it. Carrying the envelope that Daddy gave me earlier, I immediately left in front of him and ran to the course of the elevator. I even heard him angrily call Helena’s name, but I didn’t look back at our dining hall.

As if in a marathon, I immediately locked the door when I entered my room—the finish line. I sulked on my bed while tightly embracing Mama Bear. I would love to hug her when I sleep, but not in this kind of scene.

Cuddling her felt like I was also hugging my boyfriend. I aggressively fought the urge of crying, and that was when I started to reminisce what really happened after the first time Cristoff had been here…

“By the way, I forgot to mention this earlier… nice pair of two-piece!”

My brain stuttered for a moment, floated in the air, and all it had to do was make me feel surprised by what Cristoff had said. I knew my face was getting hot already, but I still found a way to look at him.

All my life, I always had something to say. So, being dumbfounded like this showcased a high chance that I was in a complete state of awe for what a person had done to me.

It was time for him to go home, and yet, why does he have to tell that to me? I wasn’t even sure if Cristoff was praising or mocking the hell out of me. I already raised my right hand, wanting to strike him in any possible way, but he immediately ran away while waving at me like insane.

The words at the end of my tongue stopped flowing because he had shown me something I would have never anticipated. I could no longer understand what I felt right now. But I had to admit that little by little, Cristoff was making room in my heart.

Until my heart beats fast.

More than anyone else, I enjoyed being with him. Even though we were more than a dog and a cat, I would still appreciate the things he had done for me. I could say that we were celestially stirred by our non-stop bickering. A beautiful disaster, I guessed.

It was too late for me to realize that my heart was already singing. It was singing the same rhythm I unexpectedly felt the moment Cristoff first approached me.

Perplexed, I shook my head when I could no longer see him… at the same time, dismissing this kind of strange feeling. I entered the gate and locked it. I didn’t know, but I was the one who was smiling like crazy right now while bouncing at every step. One of our security guards, Chris, even mentioned that I was in a good mood, and I only smiled at him.

I went inside the house, and that was when I saw my father nonchalantly waiting for me in our huge living area. Seeing him drinking his favorite wine, I cunningly frowned.

‘Hmm… I thought Daddy was going to sleep?’ I changed my expression to neutral, decided to ignore him, and went straight to the elevator, but what he said made me stop and look at him.

“So, is it really true that he is eyeing for the valedictorian title?” Daddy asked without even looking at me.

My heart lurched as I began getting anxious. I narrowed my eyes as dubious fear pulsed through me before I cowered. “Yes, Dad. What about it?” I still asked him, even though I already knew where this conversation would go.

He disdainfully simpered as he looked at me straight in the eyes. “Two words—use him. It was so obvious that he likes you, and I irrefutably didn’t like that bastard for you. But you can use him, Helena. Make him drool on your charms! Distract him so he would never get the top rank, as simple as that!”

All of a sudden, I scoffed at him. He was sinister, and he would never change. I guessed that even a renowned artist couldn’t paint the sour expression on my face at the moment.

‘I knew it! Daddy was again up to something,’ my mind screamed as I rolled my eyes.

So, it was the exact reason why he was kind to Cristoff earlier like an angel. He even insisted the poor guy call him Uncle when in the first place, he would only bite him like a real snake. Such a two-faced!

“Is being a valedictorian really a big deal for you, Dad? I knew it! You’re just up to something, and it was the main reason why you’ve treated him that way. Please, Dad! Stop everything right now. And to tell you, your assumptions were wrong. Cristoff doesn’t like me, so stop manipulating me. Stay away from any of my school’s activities!” I almost growled at him.

Spitefully disappointed by the sudden turn of events, I couldn’t believe that I was able to voice out my thoughts at Helena’s pretense. I could say that the real Athena was still hiding inside me—bold and stiff. I turned my back on him and was about to press the elevator button to go to my room on the third-floor level when he spoke again.

“But would you say ‘no’ to this tempting offer, my precious daughter? I’ll give you your real name as a reward. How about that? I will let you live as your real identity, Athena. Is that enough?”

Daddy was undoubtedly sarcastic when he said the word ‘precious,’ but what I never predicted was when he abruptly called me Athena, and that made me stop. It would be the first time that he called me using my real name after Helena died.

Those words made my heart literally jump, but did I hear it right, or my ears were only fooling me? My real name? My own identity? That I would no longer live my life as Helena, and I would have the chance to resume my supposed to be ‘dead’ identity? I couldn’t contain my happiness that I got explosively filled with ecstasy.

But on the other hand, no one could beat my father by being clever and deceitful. He knew how to play games all along. Even at the start, he already declared himself as the winner. He knew what I had always wanted and the only thing I had always been longing for. He knew how to bait me at all.

Without any second thoughts, I stared at him fiercely and said, “Then, it’s a deal. I will surely distract him, so mark my words, Dad. It would be easy as one-two-three, so consider it done. I will get the valedictorian award, and I will live again as Athena!”