But that child wasn't even Lewis's. The thought blazed inside her, making her chest tight with anger. Lewis had chosen to lie about it when he found out. If she'd known the truth back then, she never would have given birth to a child whose father was a mystery. Still, part of her held onto the smallest sliver of hope. Maybe Lewis had lied for some awful reason. Maybe he made it all up. A storm of questions ripped through her mind. Athena had to summon every ounce of strength just to keep herself together. Her hands were knotted in her lap, her knuckles white from how tightly she clenched them. Click. The dark gray door across from her clanked open. Athena's heart seized, leaping into her throat. She automatically straightened her back, eyes glued to the door as it slowly swung open. A man in a baggy prison uniform shuffled in, flanked by two guards. For a moment, Athena forgot to breathe. Is that ... Lewis? She barely recognized him. He used to be so well-groomed and meticulous, always trying too hard to look like a gentleman. Now, he looked like he'd been drained of life, all the confidence and swagger gone. The prison uniform hung loose on his thin frame, making him look frail. His hair had been cut short, exposing his scalp underneath. The haircut made the lines and shadows of his face appear even harsher. His skin looked ashen, his eyes sunken, his mouth downturned—his face etched with exhaustion and defeat. He looked like he'd aged 20 years. She could only catch a glimpse of the man he once was when his eyes flicked up to meet hers. Almost mechanically, Lewis sat across the glass from her and picked up the phone receiver. Athena picked up her own receiver. She spoke first. "Tell me everything about my daughter—every single detail. Tell me exactly what happened. Lewis, I came as you asked, so I hope you won't keep anything from me." There was no extra small talk. No warmth, no softness. In fact, there was nothing left for her and Lewis to say. After everything he'd done, there was no tie left between them. Lewis lifted his eyes to study her face, as if memorizing every detail. He gripped the phone a little tighter. He lowered his head and spoke, his voice rough and dry, crackling through the static. "Athena ... I'm sorry. I know I wronged you. I lied to you ... " Athena cut him off. "I'm not here to hear your apologies." Her eyes were ice-cold as she frowned. "I don't care about your regrets. I just want to know where my daughter is. Where is she?" Lewis fell silent. Athena knew that the more desperate she sounded, the more Lewis would try to control the conversation. If he'd called her here, there had to be some reason behind it. There was no way he'd suddenly grown a conscience.She knew him too well. Lewis was never like that. That realization brought a sudden sense of cold clarity. She forced herself to calm down. "Looks like I came here for nothing." Athena started to put down the phone. Lewis panicked. He blurted, "Athena, wait, I'll tell you! What do you want to know?" Athena decided to start from the beginning. She asked directly, "What did you mean when you said it wasn't you that night?" Her memory flashed back—she'd gotten drunk at a party, woken up to find Lewis beside her, and he'd told her he would take responsibility. She hadn't been happy about it, but they'd been dating at the time, so it had seemed natural. "Spill!" Athena snapped, her nails digging into her palm. Lewis's face twisted. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first. "Y-your child ... " Lewis's voice trembled so much it barely sounded like him. "Isn't mine." Time seemed to stand still. The noise of the room, the guards' footsteps, even her own heartbeat—they all seemed to fade away. All she could do was stare at Lewis through the cold glass divider, watching him mouth the words that would break her world all over again. "Not yours?" she repeated, barely able to believe it. "That night after the party ... " Lewis's voice cracked, pain etched into every word. "It was complicated. The truth is, you were only drunk because I messed with your drink. I was planning to sleep with you, but then Nina called, saying she felt sick ... "