Ch. 107: A Steamroll Ride


    The tension in the room was palpable as Apollo''s words hung in the air like a sharp de, cutting through the already thin veneer of civility. Aphrodite rolled her eyes at him, casting a nce that mirrored his earlier disdain for me, though hers carried an edge of practiced indifference.


    "How many times do I have to tell you, Apollo? I am a maiden goddess. I''m not meant to have any intimate rtionship with the opposite sex," she said, her voice steady yet cold.


    Apollo''s smirk faltered for a moment, his golden eyes narrowing before he shrugged, trying to y it off. "Who said anything about sex? A bit presumptuous, don''t you think?" He chuckled, though itcked warmth. "Not that I''m against the idea, of course, but I don''t rush my women." His words dripped with arrogance, and it was clear he thought of himself as the apex of desirability.


    Aphrodite sighed, cupping her hands beneath her breasts in a gesture that was equal parts dismissive and confrontational. "I''m no one''s woman, Apollo. And I know exactly what you''re aiming at."


    He flinched, if only slightly, the briefest break in hisposure. "Oh? And what''s that supposed to mean?" he said, though the smugness in his tone wavered just enough for it to be noticeable.


    Aphrodite, always sharp, leaned back against the sofa. She wasn''t sitting too close to me, but it was enough to make her point. I could see the shift in Apollo''s gaze, the way his lips tightened in a poorly disguised grimace. He hated me— whether out of jealousy or some perceived event from the past— but for now, his focus was on her.


    She was ying the game well, keeping him in suspense, while I sipped my wine, taking quiet delight in the unfolding drama.


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    Her voice cut through the thick tension like a de. "I''ve been hearing rumors, Apollo. Aphrodite''s Fashion District is thergest in the god realm, and your so-called empire, Apollo''s Concept Enterprise, is second to mine. I know the real reason you want to ''merge'' with me." She paused, letting her words sink in. "It''s not love. It''s business.


    You want to surpass me."


    I raised an eyebrow. Aphrodite wasn''t usually this direct, but her tone was rich with suspicion and insight. I could see Apollo''s jaw tighten, the practiced smile faltering for a second before he regained hisposure.


    "Well, you''re not wrong," he said, his tone shifting to one of false humility. "I''ve always been destined for greatness, you know. Second only to Zeus himself." He said it as if it were a fact written in stone. "But along the way, I found myself… intrigued by you. Everyone else is so easy to conquer. Goddesses, nymphs, they line up to be in my bed, in my arms, yet you— you''re different.


    Coveted by all, yet untouchable."


    He let the words hang, his eyes gleaming with a dark mixture of desire and arrogance. Aphrodite''s silence, though calm, was heavy with fury. She wasn''t impressed— rather far from it. And Apollo, in his hubris, didn''t even notice. Or perhaps, he did, and just didn''t care.


    She shot a nce my way, and I caught her expression— a sh of frustration that she quickly masked. I tapped my fingers lightly against my ss, a silent signal for her to continue. I wasn''t intervening, not yet. I wanted to see how she''d handle this on her own.


    "Apollo," she began, her voice dripping with a forced calm, "if you want to surpass me in fashion, you''ll have to work harder than this." Her words were sharp and deliberate. "I am not a ything for you to use and discard and I am no one''s woman."


    I could see the veins pulsing at the side of his temple, his hand twitching as if he were fighting back the urge tosh out. His face remained neutral, but the seething anger was palpable. His pride was taking a beating, and I could tell he wasn''t used to it. Not from her.


    "You—" he started, his voice tight, "—will be mine. One way or another." His words carried a thinly veiled threat. "And when I''m done with you, I''ll toss you aside, no matter who''s backing you."


    The air in the room grew heavy, like a storm building on the horizon. Hisstment was clearly directed at me, though he didn''t dare acknowledge me directly. I watched Aphrodite closely, intrigued by how she''d respond.


    Aphrodite''s voice, steady and cold, cut through the charged silence. "There''s the door, Apollo," she said, her hand gesturing toward the exit. "Leave now. If you return here again to spout such nonsense, you won''t be leaving so easily next time."


    The shift in her tone was dangerous, a promise of retribution hidden beneath the calm surface. It was exactly what this moment called for— a quiet, controlled disy of power. She was more than just the goddess of beauty; she was calcting, dangerous in her own way.


    Apollo chuckled, though it sounded hollow. His golden eyes red briefly, the arrogance returning in full force. "Don''t think this is over, Aphrodite. Apollo''s Concept Enterprise is on the verge ofunching something new. Something that will dethrone you from your high horse." He nced at her, then at me, his eyes narrowing. "You''ll soon be forgotten."


    Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself. "What are you talking about?"


    Apollo''s smirk widened. "Our new model will rival even your beauty. Prepare yourself, Aphrodite. The new face of fashion ising, and her name is Pandora."


    For a brief moment, the room was silent. The name echoed in the air like a whisper of something sinister, something inevitable. Pandora. The name stirred something deep in my memory, a faint flicker of recognition.


    "And so, Pandora enters the story," I muttered under my breath, already piecing together the puzzle. It seemed fate had a twisted sense of humor, bringing her into y without me having to lift a finger.


    Apollo rose, his face twisted with suppressed rage. He cast one final nce my way, his lips curled into a sneer. "You think you''ve seen the worst, Hades? Olympus has changed. The gods have changed. Your time is over."


    I sat there, finally meeting his gaze. My voice was low, but it carried an undeniable weight. "The change I will bring to this world… you won''t evenprehend it."


    He faltered, his confidence wavering for just a second before he turned on his heel and stormed toward the exit like a steamroller on fire, leaving only his parting words in the air. "Pandora will be a name you hear everywhere soon. Mark my words."


    I watched him leave, a smile curling at the corners of my mouth. This world was shifting, and the yers were moving into ce. All that remained was finding Epimetheus, the missing piece in this intricate web of fate.


    Aphrodite''s voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Pandora…" she whispered, her eyes narrowing.


    I turned to find her face a bit tense. It was clear to me that my adventures were going to take a wild turn soon...