Chapter 454
Chapter 454
“That familiar prickle at the back of my neck-someone was watching me again, Athena thought.
She spun around abruptly, only to find the branches swaying. No one was in sight.
‘Ferris Mcgee!’ Athena thought in disbelief, surprised that his name was the first to cross her mind.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been ages since I last saw Ferris, Athena mused.
Athena felt a pang of loss tug at her heart, leaving her feeling inexplicably empty.
Xander seemed to read Athena’s thoughts. A bitter pang settled in his heart, though he maintained a composed expression as he asked, “That three-year promise you made back then-does it still stand p>
Athena nodded firmly. “Of course it does p>
“If you still can’t get His Majesty to revoke his decree after three years, may I have a chance with you then?” Xander asked softly.
After much deliberation, Xander decided to bare his heart to Athena.
He had waited far too long, and endured far too much.
Xander thought anxiously, ‘She, the woman I love, is right here, yet I must keep my distance. Even taking a single step closer is fraught with hesitation p>
‘Nelson is right. If I keep waiting like this, someone else might snatch Athena away from me again p>
‘I need to take the initiative.
‘Doesn’t the saying go that constant dripping wears away the stone?
‘I just need to be more patient. In time, Athena would come to see my true worth!
Athena looked at Xander, a bit flustered. “No one can say what the future holds, can they? Why don’t we just take things as they come p>
She preferred to let things unfold naturally, certainly not right now.
Upon hearing a hint of concession in Athena’s words, Xander’s mood instantly brightened.
An unguarded smile of pure joy, one Xander had never shown before, broke across his face.
Athena stared at Xander in astonishment. Perhaps her expression was a bit too exaggerated, which only made Xander laugh even harder.
Laughter was infectious, and soon Athena couldn’t help but laugh along, too.
They simply gazed at each other, comfortable as if they were old friends.
Completely at ease and in perfect sync, they ended up laughing uncontrollably.
In a shadowy corner not far away, a pair of tormented eyes, brimming with heartbreak, were fixed on Athena.
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Chapter 454
Ferris’s fists clenched, a suffocating pain gripping his chest.
He clutched his chest, as if struck by a sledgehammer. The searing pain left him gasping for breath.
Upon seeing Ferris in such distress, his trusted aide cried out in alarm, “My lord, the poison is flaring up again p>
To be a shadow was to forfeit control of one’s own fate.
To maintain control over Ferris, Arthur had forced him to ingest a lethal poison.
The poison flares up monthly, and only Arthur possesses the antidote.
If Ferris failed to take the antidote in time, he would bleed from all seven orifices and die a gruesome death.
Ferris wiped the corner of his mouth with his slender fingers. Crimson blood, already faintly tinged with an ominous black, stained his fingertips.
But instead of rushing back to the palace, Ferris stood transfixed, and his gaze stubbornly fixed on Athena.
Just one more look at Athena, even if it’s the last,’ thought Ferris.
Lately, Ferris had been secretly procuring numerous rare treasures for Arthur. Only when Arthur was in a particularly good mood would Ferris be granted even half a day’s respite.
Ferris hurried to find Athena. Hidden in the shadows, he watched her treating patients tirelessly. Her face haggard from exhaustion.
Ferris watched as Athena smiled, then frowned, then relaxed again.
Ferris thought, ‘That vibrant spirit is something Athena had never shown before.
“This is the real Athena, her true self at last p>
Ferris’s heart swelled with relief. Athena was thriving now, finally free from the hardships she once endured.
Waves of excruciating pain wracked Ferris’s body, nearly bringing him to his knees.
“My lord, we must return to the palace immediately!” his trusted aide urged frantically.
Clutching his chest in pain, Ferris was about to leave when his gaze inadvertently met Xander’s ice-cold stare.
No matter how well Ferris tried to conceal himself, Xander could always find him with ease.
‘Prince Xander is truly formidable,’ Ferris I thought.
Ferris glared back with hostility, but was surprised to see Xander just exchange a few brief words with Athena before walking
away.
With Athena now alone, Ferris’s heart surged with wild elation.
With a graceful leap, Ferris landed silently behind her and finally called out the name he had yearned to speak for so long. “Atheny p>
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Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.