Athena returned to her dorm that evening. Jaylee was lounging on the couch, watching short videos on her phone. The moment she saw Athena, she looked up and said, "Dr. Hall, you're back!" "Yeah," Athena replied. "I'll be going on a business trip tomorrow. It'll take about ten days. Keep an eye on things here. If anything comes up, call me right away." Jaylee froze for a second, clearly surprised. "A business trip? That's so sudden!" But she quickly straightened up and said, "Don't worry, Dr. Hall. I'll stay alert and keep things running smoothly. And I won't let the enemy get a single chance to make a move against you." By enemy, she obviously meant Maya. Athena couldn't help but smile. She didn't say anything else, just started packing her suitcase. Watching her walk away, Jaylee muttered to herself, "She meets her boyfriend, and the next thing you know, she's off on a trip. The man who has that kind of pull has to be Mr. Storm, right?" Jaylee rubbed her head, feeling confused again. Every time she thought Athena and Zaden were done, something happened that made her doubt it. But when she started thinking maybe they were together, something else would pop up to make her question it all over again. Ugh! What is going on here? Athena didn't have much to pack. She filled a small suitcase, double-checked her things, and then texted Kate to tell her about the trip. When Kate heard that Athena was heading overseas, she sent her a list of phone numbers. They belonged to several well-known professors. Kate asked her to visit them if she had time. She'd already called those old timers; all of them were happy to help her.Athena smiled at the message, her heart warming. It felt good to learn so many people still cared about her. ... The next morning, just as the sky was turning light, Athena carried her luggage out and headed for the airport. This trip had to stay under the radar. She picked a time when the dorms were quiet and almost empty. No one would see her leave. She had just reached the curb to call a cab when her phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed Zaden's name. She answered, and his low voice came through the line. "Are you up? I'm waiting downstairs." Athena walked to the balcony and looked down. Sure enough, his car was parked right there. He'd come earlier than she expected. Dragging her suitcase behind her, Athena went downstairs. She didn't ask Zaden for help and loaded her luggage into the trunk. Just as she opened the door to get in, she looked up and spotted Jaylee on the dorm balcony, waving at her. Athena couldn't help but smile. That nosy girl must have gotten up early just to spy on her love life. Too bad Zaden hadn't stepped out of the car. Jaylee wouldn't get the confirmation she wanted. Athena waved back, then climbed into the car. On the road, she turned to Zaden and asked, "You're coming with me? What about Teri? Will she be okay?" "I've already left Teri with someone I trust," he said calmly. "Someone you trust?"Athena looked at him curiously. Zaden chuckled. "Harriet." Athena blinked in surprise. Well, that made sense. Harriet was reliable. Since moving out of the villa, Athena hadn't seen Teri much. She just talked to her on the phone. She'd told the little girl she was busy, leaving out the truth about her argument with Zaden. The thought made her feel a pang of guilt. As the car waited at a red light, Zaden suddenly asked, "Athena, are you happy with the plans I made this time?" "I'm hap—" Athena started to say she was, but then remembered what he'd said before. If she praised him too quickly, he'd probably get smug about it. So she changed her tone. "It's fine, I guess. There's still room for improvement." "Just fine?" Zaden looked over, pretending to be hurt. "Yeah," she said, raising an eyebrow. "What did you expect?" "I thought you'd be touched," he said softly. "Maybe even forgive me for how I acted before." His expression looked so pitiful—like a puppy asking for forgiveness—that Athena couldn't bring herself to stay cold. She took a quiet breath and forced herself to stay composed. "Okay, fine," she said with a small smile. "If you want the upgraded version, then you did pretty well." Zaden chuckled under his breath. The sound was warm and low. For the first time in a while, he felt the wall between them start to crack, and things started to recover.This trip—this whole arrangement—had been his way of trying to fix things. He hadn't brought Teri along on purpose. He wanted it to be him and Athena, alone. Maybe, when they got back, everything between them would finally be okay again.