Chapter 131: Keeping Up Appearances

Words : 1016 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Chapter 131: Keeping Up Appearances "You’re going out to collect more evidence? Gianna asked Athena, incredulity ringing in her voice. "Haven’t you collected enough?" She eyed Athena as the latter donned a sleek black leather jacket over matching pants. The image before her resembled something straight out of a spy thriller, reminiscent of a CIA agent gearing up for a high-stakes mission. "Honestly, I think you’ve gathered more than enough," She continued all the same, gesturing toward the mountain of files meticulously arranged on Athena’s work table. "You even have video files, Athena. So, take a chill pill best friend. I think it’s high time you take a break and spend some time with the kids. I’m sure they’ve missed you." Gianna believed that after the whirlwind of Christmas festivities had subsided, Athena had transformed into an evidence-seeking zombie, neglecting her own well-being. Every morning, when Gianna prepared for work, she always saw Athena diligently working; and every evening she returned to see her best friend still buried in her investigations or rushing off to meet another witness, leaving the children to entertain themselves. Sure, the kids occasionally visited Kendra and Stella, sometimes even Old Mr. Thorne, but Gianna couldn’t shake the feeling it was too much. She had seen the evidence collected; it was more than enough to keep Ewan and Fiona away from the children. There should be no more meetings with witnesses. No more research or articles to scour. Standing up from the queen-sized bed, she approached Athena as the latter dabbed powder on her face, trying to conceal the weariness etched on her features. "No more of this, Athena. You can’t keep leaving the children to fend for themselves." Athena bit her lip to stifle a chuckle. Leaving the children? No, it was the other way around—her children were the ones leaving her! What Gianna saw wasn’t neglect; the kids were just keeping up appearances. They were more than capable and they worked harder than even she did, whenever Gianna was out, careful not to alarm her with the extent of their intelligence. Luckily, the kids could handle their tasks remotely while Athena handled the witnesses they uncovered. Those meetings rarely took longer than fifteen minutes before she was back, cooking, playing, and working alongside them. But at that moment, she couldn’t explain it all to Gianna. So instead, she nodded with a look of guilt. "I know, Gianna, and I’m really sorry about that. This will be the last witness I meet, and then I’ll spend the rest of the evening and tomorrow with them." Gianna pouted, scrutinizing Athena with furrowed brows, searching for any hint of deception. When she was convinced of her friend’s sincerity, she nodded. "Alright then. Who is the witness? Should I follow you?" Athena raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You don’t have any backbreaking work to do?" Gianna shrugged nonchalantly. "I told my boss I’d be taking the rest of the year off. I’ll resume in the second week of January. The company has closed for the holidays, and the clients under me can wait until then to collect their orders. It’s not my fault they placed their orders late." Athena chuckled lightly. "They weren’t late, Gianna. They submitted well before your deadline. It’s your fault for being too greedy—you should have pushed up the date." Gianna stomped her foot in frustration. "How was I supposed to know they would all suddenly want that design?" "Well, humans are unpredictable. Deal with it," Athena retorted with playful exasperation. "And don’t worry about your request; I’ve got it covered. I won’t be wasting any time, and I’ll be back before you know it. You can use this time to wrap up your orders." Gianna nodded, giving Athena’s stomach an affectionate pat. "If you say so. And those leather pants look great, by the way! If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were off to do some underground shit..." Athena didn’t respond, instead she slung a crossbody bag over her shoulder that held all her essentials, gave Gianna a wink, and stepped out of the room. Gianna followed closely behind. As they entered the living room, the twins leapt from the floor where they had been playing and rushed to their mother. They shot Gianna a sidelong glance before speaking up. "Mom, where are you heading to?" Nathaniel asked. "I want to check out a witness..." Athena began. "But we didn’t send—" Nathaniel started, only to pause at Gianna’s pointed look. "Okay then. Good luck. Will you be back early?" Athena held back a laugh, her heart warming at the kids’ concern. "Yeah, I will be. Take care of your sister; Aunt Gianna will be home today." Their faces lit up with wide smiles, melting Gianna’s heart, while Athena couldn’t help but feel amused. Her children were better actors than most stars out there. Dropping soft kisses on their cheeks, she stepped out of the apartment. Downstairs, Jake was already waiting for her. "Good morning, ma’am. Where to today?" He inquired, a hint of curiosity in his voice. Athena shook her head, a smile forming on her lips. "Don’t worry, Jake; you won’t be driving me today. They will." Jake furrowed his brow, glancing in the direction his boss was facing at that moment. He pursed his lips when he saw a sleek black Cadillac with tinted windows parked nearby. "They can be trusted," Athena assured him, catching the look of concern etched on his face. Jake swallowed hard but ultimately nodded. "If you say so, ma’am. Have a good day." Just as Jake turned to leave, Athena called him back. "Take a break, Jake. Enjoy a Christmas holiday. I’ve already spoken with Aiden, and he’ll call you later about your bonus." "Ma’am, I haven’t even worked for—" Jake began, disbelief flashing across his face. "It’s okay, Jake. You’ve been a good driver," Athena interrupted gently, shaking her head decisively before heading toward the Cadillac alone. This particular witness didn’t need to be seen by anyone except her and her team. Even the location was confidential.

Chapter 131: Keeping Up Appearances

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