Athena fell back onto the bed, exhausted and satisfied. The intense sex with Ewan had left her breathless, and her earlier smoldering rage had subsided significantly.
Athena knew if she prolonged campaigning for her separation from Ewan, that she might never really leave him.
Yes, the sex was that good. It was one thing she wouldn't fault Ewan for. He was good in bed, so good that it numbed her of her thoughts most times, probably why she had remained in this marriage this long. But no more.
As she looked over at Ewan, she saw that he had already pulled away, lying on his back with his eyes closed.
His words still lingered in the air; words that were an always event after beautiful moments of intimacy; words that made the sex tasteless afterwards.
"Give me a son, Athena..."
They hurt, and she knew they always would. She realized that she had been fooling herself for these three years, thinking that things would change. That's why she had to be strong and say the words she needed to say.
They were words that had been on the tip of her tongue since he had met her in the bedroom after sending Fiona home two hours ago; words that had coated her mouth when he had plunged into her; words that she could no longer swallow back, no matter how much it killed her to say them.
Athena sat up, her body still shaking, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She watched Ewan, waiting for him to calm down.
When she couldn't hold it in anymore, she spoke, her voice also shaking. "I still want a divorce, Ewan. I won't ask for anything else. Just let me go." Let me and your child go.
Ewan's body tensed, and he turned to look at her. His eyes were cold, and his voice was mocking. "But I thought you loved me, Athena. You used to say it all the time..."
Athena felt a pang of pain, but she pushed it away. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "Not anymore. Things change."
Ewan raised an eyebrow. "What things?" He asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Athena took a deep breath. "Feelings. I've changed."
Ewan chuckled, a cold, cruel sound. "Maybe for you, but I don't care. Like I said, no son, no divorce. It's simple."
Athena felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "Fiona would be happy to have your son," She said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Why don't you marry her? You seem to love her."
Ewan shrugged. "I wish. But Fiona doesn't hold the treasure I need. This is the last time we'll discuss this."
With that, he got up and walked into the bathroom, leaving her alone.
Athena heard the shower start and took a moment to collect herself. She wiped away her tears and put on a light robe. Then, she headed to the kitchen to make herself a hot chocolate, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
While she was sitting on a bar stool, sipping her hot drink fifteen minutes later, she felt Ewan's presence behind her and the hairs in the nape of her neck stood on end. His aura was colder than usual. What happened now?
"What is the meaning of this, Athena? Who is this man?" He asked with a voice of steel, gently dropping a phone in front of her, before fisting his hands by his side.
Athena furrowed her eyebrows as she stared into his phone. Her eyes widened in unbelief when she saw herself, no, definitely not her, in the arms of a naked man on a bed. It looked so intimate, so real, that she almost baffed.
Her eyes then strayed to the sender of the message. It was Fiona. She scoffed.
"That's not me. It's edited. Nice work though, by Fiona, the best friend."
She commented flippantly, about to take up the cup for a sip of hot chocolate, when Ewan gently stopped her midway—by placing his hand on the cup, or rather, on her hand on the cup.
Athena jerked involuntarily, her hand leaving the cup, as if his touch had burned her, causing the cup to fall to the ground and break in pieces. Ewan never touched her, unless they were in bed.
Her eyes traveled to Ewan, when he took the next stool to hers, confused when she saw the whirl of emotions there.
There was anger, there was confusion, and there was…she didn't want to believe it, didn't want to admit it, but there was hurt too, and jealousy—if she wanted to humor herself.
But why would he feel that way? Ewan hated her; he reminded her of that on a daily basis, either by his sparse words, or his cold actions.
"You can talk to me, Athena. For one, I know this wasn't edited. So, tell me, Athena, who is this man?"
"That is not me, Ewan. I have never cheated on you before. You should ask your best friend where she bought the image from rather." She stated, her hand flying to her stomach, when Ewan pounded his right fist on the table angrily.
She had never seen him like this, had never seen him crack like this. Seeing her with another man must have unsettled him greatly. If she had known about this secret earlier…she might have gone out often with her best friend, Gianna.
"Do you take me as a fool, Athena? Fiona can never lie to me! Why would she? I gave you a chance to redeem yourself, either by a truth or a lie, yet you chose to deny the picture completely. You think it a joke to taint my reputation? Do you know this is all over the socials??" Ewan shouted at Athena in rage, losing control of himself for the first time, not understanding why she would cheat on him, not understanding the exact reason why he was shouting.
Didn't she love him? He queried himself for the second time today. What has changed?
Athena stood up then, drawing strength from the baby in her womb, not believing that he would believe such farce, yet knowing that he would always choose Fiona over her, at every turn. "Ewan, that is not me."
"I think I have seen enough of your body, Athena, to know if you are the one. Put on a dress, wife. We are going to see your father. Seems you will be getting that divorce after all." Ewan spoke, his voice re-attaining its cold and aloof quality, his emotions congealing once more into ice.