Chapter 137
hapter 137
Ferris thought, ‘Athena is a sheltered noblewoman who’s spent her whole life in the manor. How could she possibly get
these?
‘And to have so many? It’s simply unbelievable p>
Athena glanced around the room, giving Ferris a meaningful look.
Catching her silent cue, he waved his hand dismissively. “Leave us,” he ordered.
Within moments, the room had emptied completely.
Ferris fixed Athena with a grave stare. “Now, speak p>
Athena pressed her lips together, hesitating before she spoke. “I was raised in a hunter’s family. When poor folk fell ill, they had no choice but to accept their fate. I nearly died myself when I was three, until my mentor saved me. Seeing my potential, he took me in as his apprentice and passed his medical knowledge on to me…
Ferris listened quietly, the look in his eyes toward Athena slowly shifting as he took in her words.
“How could this be?” he murmured under his breath. “You never mentioned this to any of us after you returned to the
manor p>
But then, on second thought, his brows furrowed again.
Ferris had always despised Michael. Back then, Athena was constantly trailing after him, wherever Michael appeared, Su would immediately turn away.
Because of Michael, he treated Athena with equal disdain.
Naturally, he never noticed anything else about her.
Athena gave a wry little smile. “Actually, I did mention it before, just that none of you believed me p>
She had mentioned it to them before, saying she knew medicine, she’d healed a rabbit’s leg, cured Nicolas’s chronic headaches and freed him from pain, and even treated Matthew’s injured horse, helping it stand again.
Nicolas believed it was Willow’s head massages that cured his chronic headaches.
Little did he know, it was actually Athena’s medicine that had truly healed him.
When Matthew’s horse was injured, it was Athena who secretly administered medicine that helped it stand again.
Yet Matthew claimed it was Willow’s tender care that brought about the miracle recovery.
But all Athena got in return was their mockery.
No one believed her. Instead, they insisted all the credit belonged to Willow, accusing Athena of jealousy.
After being dismissed time and again, Athena eventually stopped mentioning it.
Ferris’s gaze flickered with emotion. “But… why tell me this?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
A flicker of happiness rose in his heart. ‘Could this mean Athena trusts me enough to confide her secret?‘ he wondered.
1/2
Chapter 137
Yet Athena’s next words hit him like a bucket of ice water, instantly dousing the flicker of hope that had just sparked in his heart.
In a completely emotionless voice, Athena said, “I want to make a deal with you p>
The words struck Ferris like a sledgehammer to the chest.
He felt the warmth drain from his body, leaving him chilled to the bone.
Like a puppet on invisible strings, Ferris asked mechanically, “What deal p>
Athena took a deep breath and said calmly, “ I’ll cure your illness, and in return, you do me a favor. Can you help me find Thalia and Macy? You should have met these two maids before p>
Ferris stared blankly at Athena, a flicker of anger surfacing on his face.
He thought, ‘She’s actually making a deal with me… just for two maids? What does she take me for? Am I just some disposable tool to be used at her convenience? ”
Overwhelmed by anger, Ferris broke into a muffled coughing fit.
Crimson flecks bloomed in his palm. Athena stood frozen, momentarily at a loss, unprepared for his sudden outburst.
The room held only Athena and Ferris.
She used to be naturally caring, but three years of hard labor had left her almost incapable of normal human interaction.
Snapping out of her brief daze, Athena stood up and tried to gently pat Ferris on the back, hoping it might help him feel a little better.
Athena leaned forward slightly, her gaze inadvertently landing on Ferris’s partially open collar. To her surprise, she caught sight of a patch of creased, scarred skin.
The scars were still pinkish–red, clear evidence they had only recently healed.
Athena looked at Ferris, surprise flickering across her face. ‘What horrors has he been through to end up like this?‘ she wondered.
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.