Chapter 126: Christmas Mercenaries

Words : 1258 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Chapter 126: Christmas Mercenaries With every bullet striking the car violently, Ewan felt his heart convulsing in a mixture of fear and dread. Was this the gang again? It had to be! His mind raced with dark thoughts, but the most pressing concern was that his children were trapped inside that car. He couldn’t let anything happen to them. Frantically, he scanned the surroundings, noting how his driver had joined the other vehicles in a desperate attempt to clear the area, aiming to evade the danger posed by the flying stray bullets. No one dared to approach. Who would be reckless enough to put themselves in harm’s way? At this rate, his children might die. The pessimistic thought pierced through him, and fresh tears began to burn in his eyes as he took in the chaos around them. Suddenly, the gunfire came to an abrupt halt. Ewan inhaled deeply, summoning every ounce of courage within him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he stepped out of his car, throwing caution to the wind, ignoring his driver’s shouts of ’sir, please!’. He had already fired off a text to his security team, urging them to hurry, but he knew he couldn’t wait for them to arrive. Time was slipping away. He dashed past the ’armored tank’ that had been the catalyst for this terrifying shootout and headed straight for Athena’s car, acutely aware that they had only a short window before the unknown gunmen would reload. "Athena! Open the door!" He shouted, desperation lacing his voice. Inside the car, Athena watched Ewan pound on the window like a man possessed, and her anger bubbled to the surface. Was this man truly so foolish? Didn’t he realize he was putting his life at immense risk? She reluctantly opened the window to tell him so, but before she could speak, a bullet zipped through the opening, striking the interior with a deafening crack, shocking her to the core. Fortunately, Gianna had pushed her chair back into a reclining position, lying down protectively with Kate cradled in her arms. So, the bullet hit the window and tumbled harmlessly to the car floor, but it wasn’t just the close call that left Athena breathless; it was the spiderweb crack that now marred the glass. As the severity of their predicament set in, Athena quickly wound the window back up, her pulse racing. Ewan had fled back to his vehicle, finally grasping the reality that a sniper was lurking, and she instinctively held Nathaniel tighter against her chest, seeking comfort in the warmth of her child. The car was a bulletproof fortress, thick and sturdy—Aiden had made sure of that—but it seemed those hunting her had factored that into their plan, opting for a sniper attack instead. A sniper with bullets that can perhaps penetrate bulletproof glass. Athena took a deep, steadying breath, her mind racing with thoughts. If assistance didn’t arrive soon, the consequences could be fatal. A bullet hit the window again, punctuating her spiraling worries. If it continued like this, they were as good as dead. She fought against the tears threatening to spill; how could she let her Christmas Day devolve into yet another tragedy? And If she broke down now, what hope would her children have? They needed her to be strong. The sniper fired four more shots before an eerie silence descended, wrapping around Athena like a suffocating shroud. Athena held her breath, praying that the security detail had finally arrived. Had they managed to eliminate the sniper? Her resolve shattered when a sudden thump against her window jolted her from her thoughts. "Athena!" That familiar voice belonged to Ewan. What was he doing here again? She thought he had returned to his vehicle. Yet when she lifted herself and caught a glimpse of his frantic face in the reflection, a mix of relief and confusion washed over her. "You are safe now," He repeated incessantly, gesturing emphatically at the door knob, urging her to open it. Without a moment’s hesitation, she complied. Ewan might be foolish and impulsive, but she knew he was no murderer; he wouldn’t harm his own children. As Athena stepped outside first, shock coursed through her as Ewan suddenly enveloped her in an embrace. "I thought I’d lost you and the twins... I thought..." His voice trembled with raw emotion. For a heartbeat, Athena was immobilized, the hug happening so quickly she could hardly process it. Ewan disengaged first, his focus shifting to the children. He knelt to their height, pulling them into a tight hug. Athena, regaining her senses, felt a pang of irritation as the embrace lingered longer than necessary. But then her eyes fell on Nathaniel, whose hands trembled with fear, and she decided to let it be. Her children needed comfort now, and she would not take that away from them. As the group clustered together, Athena’s gaze shifted from the strange vehicles before and beside her, to the group of four men sprawled on the floor, nursing tranq darts on their neck and coated with tear gas fumes. They weren’t killed then. She thought, watching the security detail decide what to do them. Her heart lifted slightly when she saw Mr. Thorne hastening toward her with urgency. "Thanks a lot, Mr. Thorne." She said with a grateful smile, immediately he arrived. Mr. Thorne waved it away. "It’s not necessary. You are my friend now, Athena. Your security is my concern." He turned to the four men. "My security detail has dealt with everything. They’ve handled the assailants. According to their profiles, they appear to be mercenaries hired from the dark web. I don’t think it’s the gang," Athena nodded, feeling her heart sink at the implications. "Then it would mean that Fiona is resorting to even more dangerous and wilder tactics," She took her lips in as she noticed her children tapping Ewan’s shoulders for attention. Oh well, the hugging episode was over. She heard Ewan’s resigned sigh as he finally pulled away from the embrace. Then, suddenly, he was in her face, looking very furious. "This is your fault, Athena! If you hadn’t created research that would cause havoc in the world, you wouldn’t be chased here and there—you wouldn’t be hunted by the gang!" Ewan lashed out, anger coursing through his veins. What now? Athena thought, her eyebrows knitting together in annoyance. Gianna facepalmed in disbelief. Why was this imbecile intent on digging his own grave deeper? One second he was a darling, the next he was an idiot. "What are you talking about, Ewan?" Old Mr. Thorne interjected, finally giving Ewan his attention. Ewan was too incensed to respond to the old man; instead, he continued addressing Athena. "Give them the research so that you can be safe. Stop being greedy!" Athena’s patience hung by a thread. She would have loved to defend her choices, but she had no time for Ewan’s tantrums. Instead, she turned to Mr. Thorne. "Can you take me home?" Mr. Thorne nodded reassuringly. "Of course. If you want to cancel the dinner..." "No, it hasn’t been cancelled," Athena asserted, determination filtering through her voice. "It’s even more crucial to celebrate this second chance at life." "I want to come," Ewan butted in, recalling how earlier today, Sandro and Zane had excitedly discussed the dinner celebration at Athena’s place. How could he let such an event slip through his fingers? "No, you won’t," Athena declared with finality, turning to Mr. Thorne. "Make sure the security doesn’t let him inside my building."

Chapter 126: Christmas Mercenaries

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