She Outshines 3
Chapter 3
Isaac shook his head, disappointment clear in his eyes. “Was all that obedient, considerate behavior
just a damn act?”
“Absolutely.” Regina scoffed, her expression twisted with disdain. The affection she once had for the
girl she called her daughter had long since vanished.
She added, “When Zoe was here two days ago, she couldn’t stop admiring this diamond ring. I was
nning to give it to her once she and Andrew got engaged. Who would’ve guessed Ather would
swipe it right from under our noses!”
“Maybe you didn’t know, but Zoe and Athena went to school together-from.elementary all the way to
high school. Zoe told me Athena was popr with the boys, and they used to shower her with
expensive gifts. She never hesitated to ept them
“Let’s not dig into this.” Isaac cut her off, unwilling to tarnish the memory of the girl they had once
cherished.
“She’s leaving soon. We raised her; we should just let it go, Isaac said, trying to push past the
bitterness.
Tm warning you,” Regina said sternly. “Don’t give her a damn cent. Poor people are like bottomless
pits. The moment they get a taste of easy money, they’ll keeping back for more. We can’t let
that happen.”
Isaac nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep it cordial, but she won’t see a dime from me
As the couple schemed to keep Athena away, she stood in her almost empty room, staring at her
packed luggage, nearlyughing.
Five suitcases were stacked by the door-two filled with clothes, one with shoes, another with bags,
and thest one with skincare products and jewelry, none of it worth more than five figures. All the
really expensive stuff was gone, but she didn’t
She grabbed a few clothes and her tablet, packing them into a smaller bag. Scribbling a note, she
read it aloud to herself, Tm gone. Don’t worry, and don’t miss mel” She ced the note on her desk
and quietly slipped out of the room.
Athena left behind everything the Kennedy family had ever given her. As she made her way through
the dark, empty living room, she ced her keys and house card on the cab by the door.
Without a second nce, she stepped outside and headed toward her modest ck car-the one
she bought with her own money, not a penny from the Kennedys.
Once inside the car, Athena pulled out her phone and dialed a number. When the call connected,
she said, “As of now, cancel all contracts with the Kennedy Group.
There was a moment of stunned silence before the phone erupted with excited cheers. “Finally!
You’re done being their
doormat!”
Athena chuckled softly. I’m sorry for the trouble I caused. But starting today, I’m officially out of that
family. They’re no longer our problem.”
Laughter rang out on the other end of the line. “Everyone’s here Come celebrate with us!”
The sound ofughter and cheers poured through the phone, flooding Athena’s ears.
The noise grew louder. “Hell yeah! Congrats on making the right call and cutting ties with the
Kennedy Group! First thing tomorrow, I’ll contact them and terminate all their partnerships with
Vission Group
“Even if theye begging, we’re not backing down,” they added, their excitement clear,
Athena grimaced at the noise, rubbing her temples. T’m driving, Let’s talkter,” she said, putting
the car in gear,
1/2
Chapter 3
She had no idea that, across the street from the vi, an SUV was parked under the trees, lying in
wait like a predator, silently watching her every move. It was Matthew.
Moments after she drove off, Matthew in the SUV issued a curt order. “Follow that car. Keep out of
sight.”
“Yes, sir,” his secretary Louis Connor replied, smoothly tailing Athena’s car from a safe distance,
confident she wouldn’t
notice.
68%會
After a while, curiosity got the better of Louis. He nced into the rearview mirror and asked, “Mr.
Graham, you came back home and flew all the way to Kitmore City. I remember your goal is to meet
Isaac in person and check out how he snagged Vission Group’s exclusive West End distribution
rights,
“But as soon as that girl showed up, you switched your focus to her. Are you interested in her?”
Inwardly, he mused, ‘If Mr. Graham ever showed interest in a woman-hell, whether she’s eighteen
or thirty-eight-I’d be so damn grateful. I’d probably sing hallelujahs.
Matthew stayed silent, arms crossed, eyes closed,pletely unfazed by the question..
But Louis, persistent as ever, couldn’t let it go. “She used to be the Kennedy family’s golden girl.
Now, she’s changed her name to Athena Donovan. Two weeks ago, she took the SAT;st week
she found out she wasn’t Isaac’s biological daughter, and today, she’s supposed to meet her real
family.
“From what I’ve heard, she’s well-behaved, educated, and pretty low-key. Other than being drop-
dead gorgeous and a top student, there’s nothing else that stands out. So, why the sudden
interest?”
Matthew remained silent, only fueling Louis’s curiosity.
He said, ‘I don’t mean to be nosy, but the Kennedy Group’s exclusive distribution deal with Vission
Group is about to expire.
“If we don’t lock it down now, we’ll have to wait another three years. And we can’t dy Lucy’s
treatment any longer. We need to find Dr. Annie through the Kennedys.”
Finally, Matthew spoke, his voice cold. “You’ve been with me for years, and you still don’t see what
makes her different?”
-Louis blinked in surprise, taking a moment to realize Matthew was talking about Athena. He
reyed her actions in his mind, trying to figure out what might make her stand out. Despite his
best efforts, he couldn’t pinpoint anything and had to admit defeat
“Besides her looks, I don’t see anything special. Please, enlighten me,” Louis said, a hint of curiosity
creeping into his voice.
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