Chapter 1

"Mrs. Locke, I'm so sorry to bother you so late at night."

In the private room, Justin Locke slumped over the table, completely drunk. Joey Porter, the new assistant, apologized profusely to Athena Reed.

"Mr. Locke drank way too much. I'm new here and don't have your home address…"

Athena gave her a polite smile. "It's fine. My car is parked downstairs. Help me get him there."

"Of course," Joey responded promptly.

Together, they maneuvered Justin to the restaurant lobby. As the elevator doors opened, they were met by another group of people.

"Mr. Miller?" Joey exclaimed in surprise. Athena instinctively froze, her back stiffening.

Justin, who had appeared unconscious moments ago, suddenly became alert upon seeing the person in front of him. He shrugged off Athena's supporting hand and strode forward with unexpected enthusiasm.

"Mr. Miller! What a coincidence!"

"And you are…?"

The words reverberated in Athena's ears like a thunderclap, sending a chill through her.

Meanwhile, Justin launched into an animated introduction, his earlier slurred speech all but forgotten. He extended his business card with flourish, but Zander Miller interrupted abruptly.

"Who's that?"

Justin followed his line of sight and spotted Athena. "Oh, that's my wife! Athena, come here!"

Justin's excitement rang in his voice, drawing attention to her. Athena's throat tightened, her breath catching as Zander's eyes locked onto her.

Reluctantly, under Justin's urging, she stepped forward, keeping her head low.

"Athena, this is Mr. Zander Miller, general manager of Nexus Group!" Justin announced proudly.

Athena kept her gaze fixed downward, her bangs shielding her face. In a barely audible voice, she murmured, "Hello."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Locke," Zander greeted.

To her shock, Zander extended his hand.

Athena hesitated, her nails digging into her palm as she fought to steady herself.

It wasn't until Justin nudged her gently that she finally reached out.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Miller," she said softly, her voice faltering.

As the words faded, she lifted her head.

Zander wore a dark-tailored suit, the fabric pristine and complemented by a crisp white shirt. The soft lighting accentuated his sharp features, making them appear almost unreal. His poised smile carried a magnetic charm that commanded attention.

His hand was dry and warm, a stark contrast to hers, damp with nervous sweat. Her fingertips quivered slightly as their hands met.

Barely two seconds passed before Athena withdrew her hand in a sudden motion.

Justin, oblivious to the tension, seized the opportunity. "By the way, Mr. Miller, my father-in-law is a professor at Sierra University! He specializes in renewable energy—the field you're so passionate about."

"Is that so?" Zander's smile deepened, though his gaze lingered on Athena.

"I see Mrs. Locke comes from an academic family," he said, his tone carrying a subtle edge of sarcasm that only Athena could detect.

He accepted Justin's business card and added, "I have other matters to attend to. Hopefully, we'll have the chance to collaborate, Mr. Locke."

"Oh, absolutely! It would be an honor to work with you!"

Justin was practically buzzing with excitement after running into Zander. He talked incessantly on the ride home, too wrapped up in his joy to notice Athena's frequent, sharp presses on the brakes.

By the time they reached home, Justin was so drained that he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep instantly.

Athena had just turned on the kitchen light when her phone rang. The sight of the caller ID sent a jolt through her chest.

She hesitated, letting the call go unanswered. But it came again. And again.

On the third ring, she gave in.

"Mrs. Locke," Zander's voice came through the line. He faintly chuckled and added, "You finally answered."

Chapter 2

A single voice echoed through Athena's dream, sharp and relentless.

"Your father's debts are now yours to repay, Ms. Reed. How do you plan to settle them?"

It continued, colder this time.

"Three years. No more, no less. You've got it all figured out, Ms. Reed."

Then came the final, chilling words.

"Athena, you'd better hope I never see you again."

Athena jerked awake, the last echo of the voice still lingering.

The air conditioning in the office was set a little too low, and the blanket she had draped over her shoulders had slipped off at some point, leaving her shivering.

As Athena rubbed her eyes and sat up straight, she noticed her colleagues had already started working. Glancing at her phone, she saw a message from Justin that had been sent half an hour before.

"Are you getting off work on time today? I'm hosting a dinner for Mr. Miller at Evergreen Restaurant. Why don't you join us?"

Reading his message, Athena suddenly felt lightheaded. Zander's words from the phone call that night echoed in her mind. "Athena, do you think you can just wipe the slate clean and erase your past? I told you. I don't want to see you again."

Word by word, like a demon's murmur, Justin's text message dragged Athena into a waking nightmare.

"Athena? Athena!"

A voice from across the room snapped her back to reality. Lifting her head, she found a colleague looking at her with concern.

"Are you okay? Feeling unwell?"

"N-No… I'm fine."

"Could you show me the expense report from last month? I need to check some numbers."

"Sure."

Athena fumbled for the report sitting right beside her and handed it over. Then, she turned her attention back to her phone and began typing a reply to Justin. "I think I'll pass. I usually stay out of your company's affairs."

Justin's response came almost instantly. "You have to come. Mr. Miller is really interested in your father's research. If we get to work with Nexus Group this time, it could completely change the future of our company!"

He used the word "we", but Athena knew nothing about his company's financial state. Justin had never involved her in any of his business matters before.

Athena replied to Justin after taking a deep breath. "But I really don't feel like going. I…"

Before she could finish typing, Justin called, "What's going on, Athena? Do you realize what it means to meet Mr. Miller? Others would kill for this chance. As my wife, you should support and help me with my career. I'm not asking for much. Just join me for dinner. Is that so hard?"

His words came rapid-fire, leaving her no room to refuse.

"You have to come. I'll send you the address and time in a bit. If you really don't want to go, I'll have your dad call you."

With that, Justin ended the call.

A chill crept down Athena's spine as she gripped her phone tightly.

Slowly, she deleted the unfinished message on her screen. She knew that even if she escaped this time, there would always be another.

…

That evening, at Evergreen Restaurant, a waitress in traditional attire led Athena to a private room.

After several deep breaths, Athena finally pushed the door open.

"Sorry, I'm late—"

Her voice faltered. The room was empty except for one person—Zander. Justin was not there.

Zander sat alone in that spacious private room. He was casually dressed in a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his pale, toned forearms. He looked at her, a smirk curling his lips—a predator watching his prey step willingly into his trap.

Chapter 3

"Mrs. Locke," Zander began. "You're late."

"I… I'll go call Justin," Athena stammered, her words tumbling over each other as she turned hastily toward the door.

However, the door to the private room was locked. She twisted the handle with force, but it refused to budge.

Zander's chuckle echoed behind her. "What's the matter? Are you afraid I'll eat you alive?"

Athena froze, her back stiffening. Slowly, she turned around. "Mr. Miller…" Her voice trembled, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "What do you want from me?"

"What do you mean by that, Mrs. Locke?"

She fell silent, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as seconds stretched into an unbearable eternity.

"We're starting a new project at Nexus Group, and we need some technical assistance. I heard your father is an expert in this field, so naturally, I was curious.

"But when did your father resume his position at work? It's quite the miracle, isn't it? A man convicted of corruption and embezzlement suddenly back in action."

Zander's voice was deliberate, his smirk growing more pronounced. "Or were you… lying? Does Mr. Locke know he's married to a liar?"

"Zander Miller!" Athena cried out, her emotions spilling over in an uncontrollable surge.

Zander raised an eyebrow in response.

Athena's lips quivered as she lowered her head, her voice reduced to a hoarse whisper. "Mr. Miller, please… just let me go."

Zander studied her bowed head for a long moment before speaking again. "Come here."

The simple command sent a chill racing down her spine. That tone—it was the same as it had been during those three years, laced with authority and arrogance.

After a brief hesitation, Athena clenched her fists and walked over. "Mr. Miller, what's in the past is in the past. Let's part on good—"

Before she could finish, Zander seized her wrist, yanking her down onto his lap. His fingers gripped her chin. "Part on good terms, huh?" he sneered.

His smile grew eerie, and his gaze was ice-cold. "Did you consider that when you stabbed me in the back? Speaking of which, I should thank you. You taught me exactly how it feels like to be bitten by the dog I raised myself."

Athena's jaw tightened, her teeth grinding together. She knew all too well who he meant by "the dog".

"I told you. I never want to see you again."

Athena didn't want to see him either. If she could, she would erase every trace of him from her life.

She thought she had been careful—changing jobs, moving cities. The world was vast enough to avoid him. Or so she had believed.

But she hadn't expected him to come to Jetstone, nor had she anticipated to see him again like this.

"It's my fault," Athena said, her head bowing lower. "I shouldn't have done what I did back then, and I shouldn't have appeared in front of you again. It's all my fault. Please, Mr. Miller, let me go."

Before she could finish, a voice called from outside. "Mr. Miller, Mr. Locke has arrived."

Athena's face turned pale. She instinctively tried to stand, but Zander's hand clamped down, keeping her in place.

"You…" Athena's voice faltered, her eyes widening in shock as Zander's hand found her waist, a familiar pressure that reminded her of how well he knew her, even after three years.

Her body betrayed her, trembling as her knees buckled. Her hands instinctively clutched Zander's shirt.

"Mr. Miller—"

Zander interrupted her. "What if I dealt with you right here?"

Chapter 4

As Zander finished speaking, Athena's expression shifted immediately. She knew him too well—this was exactly the kind of thing he was capable of.

But she was trapped, and her struggles only made things worse. The hem of her skirt, once gracefully falling to her calves, was now lifted higher.

Zander's palm rested against her calf, sending a wave of heat through her body.

She recoiled from the sensation, trying to push him away with all her strength. "Let go of me! Let go!"

"Go ahead and scream louder," Zander said casually, completely unbothered.

His words felt like an invisible grip tightening around her throat, choking her voice into silence. He watched her with pure amusement, clearly entertained by her distress.

"Don't…" Athena shook her head repeatedly, tears already streaming down her face.

At the same time, she could hear voices from outside of the room. "Apologies, Mr. Locke. Mr. Miller is still occupied. Please wait a moment."

"No problem at all!" came Justin's reply.

Athena's body stiffened, her teeth sinking into her lip until it bled.

Zander looked at her.

"Mr. Miller, please… let me go. You've already achieved success and fame. Don't you have countless women to choose from? I'm married!"

Her words seemed to spark something in Zander's mind. He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "Good point. In that case, why don't I call your husband in here?"

He turned toward the door. "Mr. Locke?"

"Yes, Mr. Miller!" Justin answered enthusiastically.

"Please come in."

Athena's eyes went wide with terror. She began struggling frantically, but Zander held her firmly in place.

"No!" Her voice broke, a sharp cry filled with raw desperation.

Her cry made the turning doorknob pause mid-turn.

"M-Mr. Miller?" Justin's voice came hesitantly from the other side.

Zander glanced at the door and then back at Athena. Her neck was tense, and her skin stretched tight, exposed like tender flesh awaiting a bite.

Without hesitation, Zander lowered his head and sank his teeth into her neck. Athena squeezed her eyes shut, tears flooding down her face.

Zander, unfazed, continued speaking to Justin outside, his lips and tongue still against Athena's skin. "I'm sorry, Mr. Locke. I need to handle a few things here. Please just wait a little longer."

"U-Uh, alright," Justin stammered.

Athena's tears fell even faster at that.

"After all these years, Ms. Reed, you're still as sensitive as ever."

Athena didn't respond, keeping her eyes shut tight. Of course, Zander wouldn't let her pretend to be numb for long.

"Show me what you've got in ten minutes. Otherwise, I'll have the door opened right now," he ordered.

Athena pressed her lips together, remaining perfectly still.

Zander let out a cold chuckle and was about to call out to his assistant when Athena suddenly stood up.

Chapter 5

When Justin entered the private room, only Zander was there. Zander sat composed and unbothered, though his shirt had a faint crease. The indistinct woman's voice from earlier still lingered in Justin's mind.

"Apologies, Mr. Locke, for keeping you waiting," Zander greeted, his voice slightly hoarse.

Justin forced a smile. "Not at all. I'm the one who's late. Apologies—traffic was awful…"

"It's fine. But… where's your wife? Didn't you say you'd bring her tonight?"

As soon as Zander finished speaking, the figure hiding under the table trembled, her arm pressing tightly against his calf.

Zander's lips curled into a deeper smile. "Perhaps you should give her a call?" he suggested.

"Oh, right. I'll call Athena now. Just a moment, Mr. Miller."

Justin promptly took out his phone. Under the table, Athena immediately gripped Zander's calf tightly. Her soft, trembling hand made his throat tighten. Lowering his gaze, he caught a glimpse of a pale blue skirt pooling on the floor.

The fabric appeared so cheap that even using it as a hand towel would feel like an affront. He shifted his attention to the man across from him—dressed in well-tailored clothes, looking polished.

So… Justin didn't treat her all that well either.

"Sorry, Mr. Miller. Athena isn't answering."

"That's fine," Zander replied, swirling his wine glass. "By the way, how did you meet your wife?"

"We met through a matchmaker," Justin said, picking up his own wine glass. "I knew her boss, and since we were both at the right age, we just ended up dating and getting married."

"Oh."

Zander seemed to lose interest quickly, his question having been asked out of idle curiosity. He smoothly shifted the conversation back to business, discussing the project with Justin.

As the two clinked glasses and exchanged toasts, Justin naturally ended up drinking quite a bit.

Meanwhile, Athena remained hidden under the table. Her legs had long since gone numb, and her back was drenched in sweat. She had no idea how much time had passed when Justin's voice began to fade into a dull hum.

Thinking he might be drunk, Athena cautiously lifted her head to check. But as she moved, Justin suddenly stood up.

Startled, Athena quickly ducked back down, but in her haste, she banged her temple against the table's edge.

The sharp pain made her let out a soft whimper.

Justin, who was about to propose another toast, froze. His blurry eyes narrowed as he looked toward the table. "Mr. Miller, did you… hear something just now?"

"Hear what?" Zander chuckled lightly. "Let me check."

He reached down, fingers brushing the edge of the tablecloth as if preparing to lift it. But before he could, a cold, trembling hand from beneath the table grabbed his wrist—silent and pleading.

"What is it?" Justin was growing impatient and was ready to investigate himself. But Zander stood abruptly, cutting him off. "I think that's enough for tonight. Once the plans are finalized, we can discuss the specifics further."

"Of course!"

Justin's attention shifted instantly. He raised his wine glass with both hands. "Thank you, Mr. Miller, for trusting me and giving me this opportunity. I'll drink to that!"

Zander picked up his own glass but only sipped lightly. He then called his assistant, who had been waiting outside the door, to come in and escort Justin out.

The drunken man, clearly having forgotten about his wife's absence, staggered away while showering Zander with endless thanks and flattery. His behavior was nauseating, but Zander had gotten used to it.

After settling his wine glass down lightly, Zander finally said, "Come out."

Chapter 6

There was no movement beneath the table.

Zander lifted the tablecloth impatiently, and there Athena was, sitting beneath the table with her knees drawn to her chest. Her hair was slightly disheveled, a thin sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her eyes were red. Yet, her expression was unexpectedly calm.

Zander narrowed his eyes. It was only then that Athena finally lowered her head and crawled out from the other side of the table.

She ran her hand through her hair and met Zander's gaze. "If there's nothing else, Mr. Miller, I'll be leaving now."

She turned to leave without waiting for a response. Her composed and dismissive demeanor left Zander momentarily stunned. He quickly recovered, chuckling darkly. "Mrs. Locke, you don't think this is over, do you?"

Upon hearing his words, Athena froze with her hand on the doorknob. She didn't turn around, but after a brief pause, she opened the door and walked out as though she hadn't heard him.

Zander didn't stop her. He simply watched her leave with a cold smirk. Soon, his assistant entered the room and handed him a folder. "Mr. Miller, here is the information you requested."

...

Athena had expected Justin to be drunk and nursing a hangover after drinking so much that night. To her surprise, when she entered the house, she found him sitting at his desk, working on his laptop.

"You're finally back. Where were you? Didn't we have plans? Why didn't you answer your phone?"

Athena froze for a moment before replying, "I… I had to work overtime."

"Overtime? Why didn't you let me know in advance? Never mind. Luckily, Mr. Miller didn't seem to mind. Be sure to call your father tomorrow. Mr. Miller seems very interested in the field he's researching. I'm planning to set up a meeting for them."

Athena clenched the hem of her shirt. "Let's not bother him. My dad doesn't like getting involved in these things."

"You haven't even called him yet. How do you know he wouldn't be interested?"

"I…"

"Athena."

Justin's tone suddenly deepened, and his sharp gaze made Athena's heart race. She unconsciously clenched her fists.

"Why do I feel like you've been acting strange these past couple of days?" Justin finally asked.

"No, I haven't," Athena replied quickly. After a pause, she added, "Justin, how about we… move to another city?"

"What?"

"I… I haven't been doing well at work lately, and living here feels too exhausting. The cost of living is too high. Maybe we could—"

"Athena, what are you talking about?" Justin laughed. "My company is finally making progress, and you want to move back to our hometown?"

Athena fell silent; her lips pressed tightly together.

Justin felt annoyed, but for the sake of avoiding an argument, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently said, "Don't overthink things. If work stresses you out, take a few days off or quit altogether if you want. I'll support you. But this matter is really important to me. You and your father need to help me."

"I was just kidding," Athena said, forcing a smile. "About my dad… Let's talk about it later. I'm tired. I'll go to rest now."

With that, she shrugged off his hand and headed toward the bedroom.

"Don't forget to call your dad!" Justin's voice trailed after her, but Athena didn't respond.

As soon as she shut the bathroom door, her phone rang. It was a video message from an unknown number. When she opened it, she saw the footage of herself and Zander. She screamed, flinging her phone away in terror.

Chapter 7

Pervert! Psycho! Maniac!

The words screamed in Athena's mind as the video played.

She had flung her phone aside, yet the footage continued, twisting her stomach with waves of nausea.

"Athena? What's going on? Are you okay?" Justin's voice came from outside the bathroom.

For a brief moment, Athena remained still before her shaking hands reached for her phone. She turned it off just as Justin stepped inside.

"What's wrong?"

"I… I just saw a cockroach." Athena forced herself to stay composed, but her voice still trembled slightly.

"Where?" Justin stepped in without hesitation.

"In the cabinet."

He searched the cabinet twice but found nothing.

"It must've run off. It's fine now," she said, barely suppressing her emotions. She assured Justin she was alright before he finally left the room.

As soon as he left, Athena locked the door behind him. She then turned her phone back on and dialed the number from the video message.

"Hello."

"What do you want?" Athena demanded, clenching her fist tightly. She bit her lip so hard that it began to bleed.

"Majestic Hotel, Room 6 on the tenth floor. You have 30 minutes."

"What?"

"30 minutes. If I don't see you, that video will be sent to your husband."

Athena's pupils contracted in shock. The line went dead before she could respond.

Instinct took over as she dashed out of the house with her phone.

Justin was still in the living room. His brows furrowed as he saw her frantic state. "What's going on now?"

"I… Lauren said her house was broken into. I'm going over to help her."

"A break-in? How?"

"I'm not sure. I'll go over and have a look. Don't stay up too late, okay? Get some rest," she said, slipping on her shoes.

Justin called something after her, but Athena was too distracted to hear.

Once inside the cab, she composed a message to Lauren Tucker. Naturally, she didn't mention she was going to see Zander. Instead, she claimed her father had stirred trouble again, and she needed to handle it, asking Lauren to cover for her with Justin.

Lauren replied almost immediately, even asking if she needed money.

Seeing Lauren's replies, Athena felt a lump in her throat. Money was no longer the issue with Zander. To him, she was nothing more than a toy for his amusement.

The humiliation reached its peak as Athena stepped into the hotel room and found him staring at her. She was soaked in sweat, her hair a tangled mess, while he stood there, immaculate in a perfectly pressed shirt, a glass of red wine effortlessly poised in his hand.

A satisfied smile crept onto his lips as his gaze locked onto hers, as though her misery delighted him.

"What exactly do you want?" Athena demanded, her voice trembling on the edge of breaking. The urge to snatch his wine glass and shatter it against the floor nearly consumed her.

But before she could act, Zander said, "Take off your clothes."

"What did you say?"

"You asked what I wanted, didn't you? Start by taking off your clothes."

"No way!" she snapped, her refusal immediate.

Zander arched an eyebrow, a low hum escaping his lips as he casually pulled out his phone. "I wonder what Mr. Locke will think when he sees this video of his wife."

His fingers moved swiftly across the screen.

Just as he was about to make the call, Athena lunged forward, grabbing his hand to stop him.

Despite the summer heat, her fingers felt like ice, but even that coldness paled in comparison to the tears that fell onto the back of Zander's hand.

Zander glanced at the tears, then at her face, his expression unreadable.

"Please," Athena whispered, her voice hoarse. "I was wrong before. I should have left you the way I did. But, Mr. Miller, you're on top of the world now. You can have any woman you want. I'm begging you… just let me go."