Chapter 74: Safe

Chapter 74: Safe "Mom!!!" Athena jerked, or rather tried to jerk away from the bad dream she was entrapped in. Tried, because the pain that shot through her body prevented her from doing so. Yet she struggled to accomplish the task, because she couldn’t bear to see her children tortured by Heron. When her eyes finally fluttered open, she thought she would see the twins, but who she saw was Aiden. He was checking her drip, probably gauging how long it would take for the liquefied treatment to be over. A soft chuckle broke out from her lips when he scrunched his face impatiently. He looked at her, wide-eyed. "Athena! You are finally awake..." Athena managed a nod. That alone was painful, but she had to exercise her body parts as soon as possible, so they wouldn’t get dull. "How long have I been out?" "A day and half." Athena wasn’t surprised. Her body needed thorough rest after the hell it had been subjected to. "So, how do you feel? All over... On the scale of one to ten." "Ten." She muttered. Aiden laughed, shaking his head. "It’s good you still have your humor." He sat on the bed. "You know you had me worried back there. Even Ewan has refused to speak on what he had walked into. The young man is traumatized. I doubt you want to talk about it?" Athena sighed softly. "Just a man trying to abuse me. Who informed him of my abduction?" Aiden piqued an eyebrow. Of course she would try to downplay it! It was good Ewan had returned! He had been so busy dealing with the gang that he hadn’t thought of sending one of the men, at least, to retrieve Athena. But... the kidnappers had been more than he had foreseen. It wasn’t entirely his fault. "Aiden..." Aiden shrugged his shoulders. "I’m sure you must have figured it out already. The watch you wore had a tracker. That’s how we found you. But I’m only one man, and there’s only so much I can do, even with my skills; so Gianna called Ewan and Zane for help." Athena nodded in understanding. "What about the children?" "They are waiting outside with Gianna and Zane. Should I call them in?" Athena nodded. She needed to hold her children, to confirm they were okay. The dream had been so terrible and real. However, when Aiden got to the door, she stopped him. "It’s them. The people behind this assault are the gang from before. Worse, Fiona hired them." Aiden turned around immediately, shock mixed with anger, visible on his face. "Fiona? Ewan’s Fiona? How does she know them? Isn’t she supposed to be some spoiled brat?" "Beats me, Aiden. They call her the lady Morgana of their boss. I knew because they mentioned that I was stupid for offending Ewan’s fiancee. They actually pitied Ewan more. It really made me wonder." As it should. Aiden thought, not believing what he was hearing. Fiona, affiliated with one of the worst gangs in the continent? That was interesting. "Do you think she has anything to do with the killing at the restaurant..." "I’m not sure." Athena paused. "But it’s an expensive restaurant; so it’s possible a story might be there. Do you mind checking it out? CCTV and all?" Aiden nodded. "That will be a pleasure." "You can call in my highly esteemed visitors. I’m sure they’re sick with worry." Aiden laughed and walked out of the room. Once he was out, Athena tried sitting up on the bed; she didn’t want her children seeing her this way. Pain ransacked her entire frame as she did, but she bit it down and kept pushing herself. When she succeeded at the task, she sighed heavily, splayed her hands on the bed, and waited. A smile broke out on her lips when the hospital door was pushed open, and her children with Kendra came barreling inside. "Don’t hug her, she’s still sore all over!" Gianna screamed from behind them, causing Athena to laugh. "Don’t fret, Gianna. I think I can handle a couple of hugs." But the children didn’t hug her. They each squeezed her hands rather. "Mom, how are you feeling?" Athena bobbed her head, still smiling. She rubbed Kathleen’s cheek softly before answering her question. "I’m fine." She patted Nathaniel’s head, laughed at the faux cold gaze in his eyes, before touching Kendra’s cheek. Kendra blushed beet red. "I’m glad that you’re okay, Aunt Athena. I think the drunk driver should be sued." Athena held back a laugh after she saw the stiffness on the faces of her children and Gianna. Knowing them, she knew they were holding back a laugh too. "Thank you, Kendra. Of course, the driver will be sued accordingly." She rubbed the latter’s cheeks again. The little one beamed, pleased with being the center of attention. Just then Zane stepped into the room. Without giving anyone a glance, he walked straight to Athena, and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Gianna looked away, pain keeling in her eyes. "I’m sorry, Athena. I’m so sorry." Athena furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Zane, you’re not at fault." But Zane knew what he was apologizing for. He dropped another kiss on her forehead, and asked her how she was doing. "I’m fine. Thank you for coming around. Aiden mentioned you giving up your esteemed security detail for my sake." Zane chuckled bitterly. "But Ewan was still wise enough to come back for you. I should have done the same instead of waiting in the house as Aiden had ordered." Ewan had disobeyed Aiden, and come for her? A flutter began in her belly before she could stop it. "Where’s he? Where’s Sandro?" "Sandro returned to the company to handle some things. They have a press conference in the next two hours. I’m sure Ewan will be there too, after checking on Fiona." "Fiona?" Athena’s rising anger at Fiona’s evil scheme promptly killed the flutter in her belly. "Yes. She attempted suicide two days ago."