Chapter 50: Backfired

Chapter 50: Backfired Athena calmly surveyed the faces of the people in the large reception space, listening to her speak. Noting their overflowing curiosity, she vowed to totally quench their thirst with the truth. "Some of you here might have seen the ruckus that had taken place at Zane’s party a few days ago, a ruckus where I had been the center of attention..." She started, looking down at Zack in disgust. "For those of you who remember, I was labeled an adulteress by my ex-husband, who without due investigation, had believed the words of his mistress over my own words..." Athena noticed some people typing voraciously on their phones, probably to check out the old news. "There’s no need to search for it. It was taken down by him, after he suspected the truth." Zack, feeling the tides has turned for his bad, tried raising his voice to protest, to bring the people back to his side, but he was shushed by the old couple. "Stop that. Let her speak!" Murmurs of agreement broke out in the crowd. Athena smiled and continued her tale to the chagrin of Zack, who already regretted crossing her, who wished the ground would open up and swallow him immediately. He knew there was no recovery for his company after this. With his hand, he had hit the final nail into the coffin. His plan has backfired! "As I mentioned earlier, there was no concrete evidence to support the accusations, yet I wasn’t believed because my father..." Athena pointed at Zack. "Didn’t bother to investigate or hear my side of the story. His negligence of the matter prompted the council to close my case in my disfavor. But that was not all..." The murmurs in the room have gotten louder at this point. Zack, knowing where this was heading to, kept his face to the ground, not wanting the camera to catch his expressions. It was in vain. The people were very determined. One of them prostrated on the floor, directed the phone’s camera at him, and continued filming. Athena, seeing this, smiled satisfactorily, before continuing her tale. "This man here disowned me, threw me out of the house, and banished me out of the town. While at it, he told me that I was dumped at his barn, that I wasn’t his daughter, that he regretted listening to his wife’s plea to take me in. Fast forward to six years later, I’m better off, I’m educated and successful, and now he wants to fix a relationship with me because he thinks I’m rich and affiliated with Zane Whitman?" Athena chuckled drily, and shook her head to answer her own question, aware of people cussing Zack out already. "Everyone! He is only here because his company is falling to pieces and he needs my help! Daughter? He has never treated me as a daughter! For what father would arrange his daughter’s marriage to a man so that she can be a breeder?" Commotion broke out in the increasing crowd, as people tried to understand Athena’s crazy point. But Athena wouldn’t make them sweat for it. "Six years ago, my ex husband’s mistress had called me an illiterate breeder, but I hadn’t understood the term till a few days ago, when I finally heard the truth from a family friend who knew of the contract." She pointed at Zack again. "This man here, because he didn’t deem me worthy to inherit his assets, contracted Ewan Giacometti to marry me. He threatened to sell out the Giacometti’s property under his jurisdiction if Ewan refused the contract. Why? So that he can get a son through me, the unworthy daughter. He wanted to control Ewan too. It made me understand to an extent, Ewan’s unfaithfulness and hatred for me during our short marriage." Athena pointed at Zack, who was now sitting on the floor, utterly defeated. "This wicked man here wrecked my life six years ago. So, how can I forgive him?" ’Don’t forgive him! He doesn’t deserve it!’ ’His company is in pieces, so we should petition the government to shut it down completely! Such a person shouldn’t be rendering services to the public!’ ’Oh my God, I can’t imagine what she has suffered all this while! She is so strong that she has risen to stardom! She is my idol!’ ’We should petition Ewan Giacometti too! He disgraced her at Zane’s party. I watched the video before it was taken down!’ ’Really?! But I don’t think it’s his fault. He was only acting on one-sided knowledge.’ ’It still doesn’t exempt him. He should have investigated it!’ ’Would you have done the same if you were in his shoes? I’m sure he wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible, and marry his childhood sweetheart, Fiona. You can’t really blame him!’ Athena tuned out then. She would have loved to sink Fiona and her father to the mud, but she didn’t have the evidence she needed yet. And about Ewan, she believed he could take care of himself since her children would sit out on this. She would make sure of that. Noting Zack’s pitiful state, she scoffed and beckoned on the guards. "Take him out of here, and don’t let him into this company again!" The security men nodded, pulled Zack roughly to his feet, and started to take him away. Insults followed him as he went, but his hardened eyes never left Athena. He would deal with her. He promised, clenching his fists. He would make sure she regretted destroying his reputation and his company. After Zack left, the people crowded Athena; some shaking her hands, others tapping her shoulders gently in solidarity; all apologizing for speaking harshly against her earlier; all praising her for emerging victorious amongst all odds. Some even said her story had given them hope to press on despite their difficulties. In all these, Athena maintained a beautiful smile as she greeted all of them, till they were dispersed by the doctors and nurses, whose heartiness had recovered in the face of the truth. Athena was thoroughly pleased. Her smile didn’t even waver as she left the hospital. She hadn’t planned on repairing her bad reputation so soon, but since fate has thrown help on her lap, she accepted it wholeheartedly. Outside, Aiden was already waiting. It solidified the fact that the news was already on the socials. Her driver was looking so serious! Let the games begin. She thought, just before Gianna’s call came into her phone. "I’m coming home..." She spoke, before Gianna could launch into one of her worry talks. She knew the latter had heard the news too.