"Why are you home early?" Athena let out a weary sigh. "Because that 'rat' got exposed. Her plan totally backfired on her. It was chaotic at the hospital today, so I just came back first." Zaden understood that by "the rat," Athena was referring to whoever had been sabotaging her from the shadows. His eyes turned cold. "Who was it?" Athena didn't hide anything. "It was Maya." Zaden's brows drew together in a tight frown, but he didn't say a word. He had already lost all patience for Maya's schemes against Athena. And now, hearing that Maya was the culprit yet again, Zaden was seriously considering whether he needed to step in and handle her for good. Before he could say anything, Athena continued, "Elijah suspended her today. Maya's out of the hospital, so this shouldn't happen again." That actually took Zaden by surprise. But since the problem was already solved, he had nothing more to add. He looked at Athena, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I haven't been able to do anything at the hospital lately. You've had it rough." Now that Drake had handed the hospital over to Elijah, Zaden could no longer support Athena from behind the scenes. Athena shook her head lightly. "It's fine. Everything's taken care of now." She smiled. "And I'm not as fragile as you think. Don't underestimate me." Zaden couldn't help but laugh softly at that.Athena wasn't fragile, but he still wanted to protect her. She was his Mrs. Storm, the woman he loved. His gaze softened as he looked at Athena. But Athena's mind started to wander. After a pause, she said, "Zaden, I need to go somewhere tomorrow. I probably won't be able to make it home for dinner." Zaden glanced at her in surprise. "Where are you going?" Athena hesitated. "Harriet wanted to meet about something." Zaden frowned a little. He knew her well enough to sense she was hiding something, but he chose not to push her. He respected her personal space. Still, after a moment, he asked, "Want me to pick you up?" Athena quickly shook her head. "No need." She was planning to meet Lewis behind Zaden's back. If he found out, it would only lead to misunderstandings she didn't want. So, it was better to keep him in the dark. Athena didn't mention Lewis's call or her plans. She wanted to handle it herself. A sharp look flashed in Zaden's eyes, but he nodded. "All right, have fun." Athena let out a quiet sigh of relief. Nothing out of the ordinary happened that night. She put Teri to bed, but her own sleep was restless. She didn't have nightmares, but her dreams were fragmented and confusing. ... The next morning, Athena woke up early and stared at her disheveled reflection in the mirror.She let out a shaky laugh. She gave herself a silent pep talk, then called a cab to the detention center. They brought her to a metal chair. Everything was sterile and severe—the metal chair was cold and shiny, the thick glass divider spotless, and the air felt stiff and heavy. Athena sat quietly, absently tracing a tiny scratch on the tabletop with her finger, feeling the roughness under her skin. All the paperwork went smoothly. When the officer asked her what her relationship was to Lewis, she said she was his ex-wife. The officer glanced at her, his eyes hard to read—maybe he was a bit curious and surprised. Maybe he was even thinking that she was unusually loyal. After all, most divorced couples never speak again. But here she was, visiting Lewis. That was rare. She took the visitor's badge with a blank face, her fingertips icy cold. The chairs in the waiting area were hard and uncomfortable. The chill seeped through her thin clothes. The second hand on the wall clock ticked on, the sound echoing in the quiet, leaving her lost in her thoughts. Seven years ago felt like a lifetime away. That disaster had changed her entire life, and she thought she'd finally moved on. She believed her wounds had scabbed over. Maybe they still festered beneath, but at least everything looked calm on the surface. But one call from Lewis had ripped open her old wound, exposing everything beneath. Her child.The one she'd thought had died seven years ago—lost to "complications from a premature birth," a baby she barely saw and who was never named. She was told that her child was "cremated" right away. However, there was a chance that child was still alive.