Ivan looked focused as he finished the rest of the work for the day, it was already a few minutes past five, and he did not want Vera all alone in the house when it was dark.Putting some files away, Ivan picked up his jacket and key and headed for the door.The parking lot was almost empty, as the majority of his staff had already retired for the day.He stopped in his tracks as he felt eyes on him, turning to look around, he found no one in sight.Taking a brief look at the back seat of his car, he opened it, stepping inside, and calming himself down.Now he understood what Vera meant when she said she felt like she was being watched or followed.Someone was up to something, and he was going to get to the bottom of it all, he thought as he zoomed off.The evening traffic was hectic as people struggled to get back home, the hustle, and bustle of the surrounding streets made him feel less aware of the eyes that were following him.On second thoughts, Ivan stopped at a pizza place for
Ares walked back out to join them, something was oddly fishy about their attitude, and he knew his instincts never lied to him.Which was why he had insisted on going with them, Sara looked a little too happy for this to just be a little girl’s day out.Considering her recent moods and behavior, it was almost impossible.“Okay, ladies, I got it. Shall we?” He asked, gesturing towards the door.Both women exchanged knowing looks before turning to the door and walking out.Ares tried to read Anna's aura but could not, she had built a strong protective wall around her, and it was impossible for him to read her.Sara, on the other hand, had a clear aura, he could not read anything from it, and it was frustrating as he did not know whether she did that purposely or it was just how she was.The walk to the car was quiet, as neither of the women uttered a word, and I just followed behind.“So, what exactly were you girls planning today?” Ares asked, just to be certain he was not just jumping
Ivan stalked back into the house after a while, his hands looking bloody, walking in and heading straight for the kitchen.Running his bloodied fingers under the water, he rinsed off quietly. He had broken his promise of not taking the god form until he told Vera. But he could not help it, that needed to be dealt with, and he did just that.Slipping the ring back onto his fingers, he took back his human form.Tearing the shirt off his body, he threw the bloody material into the bin.On second thoughts, he took it out, shuffling through the bin and putting it at the very bottom.And fishing for bleach, he scrubbed at the sink to get rid of the smell of blood, Vera was very observant and would probably notice if he left things carelessly.He walked back upstairs after staring at his work and nodding his head in satisfaction.Vera was still curled up on the bed in a deep sleep, her hands around herself and one left outside the duvet.Ivan scooted her properly on the bed, throwing the co
Sara stood still in his embrace, he felt very familiar, everything about him did, his smell, his touch, and even his voice.When he finally let go of her, she did not say a word, she just stared at him intensely and took her seat beside him.“We have been looking for you for so long, you have no idea.” He said, gazing at her.“We?” Sara asked, her eyes lighting up.“Yes,” Hermes answered. “Me, Ivan, and the entire sect of the old gods.” “You all have been looking for me?” Sara asked again to be certain she heard right, all this while she had thought she had no people or family, the whole time she had a whole one looking everywhere for her.“I am glad we finally found you,” Hermes said with a smile.“I am glad you did,” Sara said, getting emotional.“I told Ivan about you, he was so happy and wanted to come too, but I did not know. If that was okay seeing as it was our first time meeting.” Hermes said. “Oh,” Sara exclaimed.“Yeah, so I asked her to let me come first, and maybe some o
Vera slowly opened her eyes to meet a dimly lit room, she tried to move but realized she was tied to a chair and, her back and her legs both fastened to the chair.She sat still and surveyed her environment, squinting her eyes to adjust to the darkness.She hoped her plans with the alarm had worked, so Ivan would get her out of here.Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door, and she traced herself to whatever.The same men from earlier walked in, but this time they were not alone. Vera gasped at whom she saw behind them.“Artemis?” She called out in surprise “This can't be” Vera said, laughing.“It is being Vera,” Artemis said, walking to stand in front of Vera and crouching down to her level, ok the seat.“Is this some kind of joke?” Vera asked surprised.“No Vera, I wish it was, but it is not,” Artemis said in a strict tone.“Does Ivan know what you are up to?” Vera asked her.“I won't tell if you don't tell,” Artemis said, cocking her head to one side and staring up at her.“He is
“We need you back, Ares”“This company needs you back”“The sect needs you back”“Get your shit together before it is too late” Everything Athena just said resounded in his mind as he paced the floor of his office.Ares thought about all that Athena said before she left, he could make sense and meaning out of it. He had slowly let himself go because of the whole Eve and Sara issue.Picking up his keys, he dashed out of the door, he needed to clear his head and get his shit straight like Athena had advised.He glanced at his watch as he waited for the elevator to stop, contemplating if he should get some whiskey.“It's a little too early for whiskey.” He whispered to himself as he walked out of the building.Ares decided that coffee was a better option than whiskey since it was still too early in the day.Ares sighed as he sat in his car, shaking his head to clear off his thoughts as he drove away.The ride to the café was a short one, which Ares was grateful for, and he was there in
“No!” Ivan yelled when he saw the dirty booth marks on the clean wooden floor.They were not Vera's, they were big and looked like they belonged to men about their size.“It's still a little wet.” Hermes pointed out, bending to inspect the marks properly.“They were here not too long ago, and they took Vera with them.” Ivan guessed.“Let's check outside the house,” Hermit suggested.“Okay,” Ivan said, following him. “How did they get in here,” Ivan mumbled to himself.“We will never know,” Hermes said, leading the way out of the house," only one way to find out.” “There are tire marks here,” Ivan said, squatting down to get a better look.“ Looks like it belongs to a van,” Hermes said, staring at the tire marks.“Where do we begin the search?” Hermit asked, “Should I call for backup?” He asked again.“No, not yet.” Ivan said, getting up and dusting himself, “Keep them on alert, though, we might need some backup.” He said walking to inspect other parts of the house.“We should involve
“Sara,” Anna said looking at her with tear-filled eyes, “you don't understand, Ares trusted me, with almost everything.” “I know that, Anna,” Sara said, wiping the tears that threatened to fall from the corners of her eyes.“We had a plan and everything but I… I just could not watch him keep you away from your people.” She continued, “I had to choose between doing what was right for you and keeping my loyalty to Ares.” “Look at me, Anna,” Sara said, shaking her shoulders gently and urging her to look. “You did the right thing, and it is not your fault if Ares does not see that, okay.” “Okay,” Anna said, nodding, and wiping at her face, trying to gather herself before they walked in.“Ready?” Sara asked. “Ready” Anna answered, exhaling long and loud.Sara knew he was in, she expected him, his car was parked carelessly outside and one of his headlights was still on, it was daytime so she wondered why he had it on in the first place.Ares raised his head when he heard the door open,
Chapter 190Ivan peeked at the back from where her seat every two seconds, he was a nervous wreck but tried his best to conceal that fact.His bride was yet to come, and with each passing minute, he wondered if she had changed her mind.Hermes patted his shoulders in reassurance, but his mind still was not settled.Ivan turned to look at the door again, this time his eyes met with Ares, who was beside his fiancé, Sara.Ares gave him a curt nod and a smile, while Sara waved enthusiastically.Ivan returned the item Ave and a nod before turning to face the judge.He and Vera had decided on a simple court wedding with close friends and loved ones. She had adamantly refused to have a big wedding as according to her, she was already too heavy, and organizing one would drain her.She was a perfectionist, so organizing a big event would mean going all out, and she was already too heavy for that.Ivan understood her more than anyone, they were expecting their little one anytime now, as Vera w
Chapter 189Sara sighed in relief when they all walked out of the Hamilton's house and headed for the car.This was the happiest she had been in a long time, it seemed like she had found a missing piece of herself in that little girl.They looked alike in so many aspects, and Sara would be lying if she said she did not see fragments of herself In that little girl.Her eyes, just like hers are big, brown, and Beautiful. Ushering on win into its beautiful depths.Holding so much emotion even for someone as young as her, and Sara felt like she had the trophy when she held her in her arms.When she had let Sara hug her, Sara had sobbed holding her in her arms, she smelt like heaven, felt like paradise and when she smiled, Sara compared the brightness on her face to the stars in the Galaxy.And although Sara had not told her who she was, she felt Aria could sense it, from how much they looked so alike to each other and something deeper The girl had her eyes trained on Sara the whole time
Chapter 188Catherine was glad that she was able to convince Marilyn, otherwise. The other woman, while she may seem like a softie, was a hard nut to crack.But Catherine had done it all, all by herself. Slowly, Marilyn was becoming her usual cheerful and outgoing self.Catherine could remember when Marilyn had started therapy a few days ago and had told her she had an idea.Her genius idea was to reopen the case of Steve Anderson's death and the missing of her husband.Catherine had stopped in her tracks while staring at Marilyn with surprise.This was the same woman who had argued with her when she recommended taking the case further.Catherine had disagreed the very minute the words had left Marilyn's mouth.She could not let her friends go ahead with a plan, a very dangerous one that could endanger her.What if whoever killed Steve was out there, what if they watched her take them internationally, and then she became their new target?She was unable to let it, and will not let it
Chapter 187Ares smiled into the mirror as he buttoned the last part of had shirt, carefully tucking it into his pants.He had been smiling since he left Sara's, it was like that one kiss with Sara had brought back the spark in his life back to him.His eyes were not so dull, his skin looked revived, and the bags under his eyes were less visible.Running his fingers in his hair to smoothen it down, Ares picked up his key and dashed out of the room.Ares drove out of the driveway with a new-found hope, meeting with Sara had given him a strength he never knew he lacked.They had agreed to meet Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton again, but this time with Sara in their company.He hoped she would keep the same energy as she had before they parted ways last night.Parking the car, he walked into the house you get Sara, they were already running late, and he still had to fetch Anna before they left.“Hey, I am here for Sara.” Ares said when he saw Hermes stepping out of the house just as he went in to k
Chapter 186Sara sighed as she looked around the hospital room one last time. As much as she hated it here, she would miss these walls.These blank white walls that she had stared at all those nights when she could not sleep from all the pain that coursed through her, body and soul.Tuning to a waiting Hermes, she gave him a curt nod to signify she was ready to leave.Hermes patted her shoulders in reassurance, guiding the wheelchair out of the room and into the Hallway.Sara smiled and waved at the few patients whose faces she could remember, she would miss them.Not so much, though, but they had contributed one way or the other to her journey of recovery.As they wheeled out of the hospital, she sighed in satisfaction as fresh air hit her face, greeting her and the sunlight cast its warm glow on her skin.The fresh air she felt was a giant contrast to the sterile air inside the hospital, one she had slowly grown accustomed to but was now leaving behind.The scent of fresh air mingle
Eve stared into the evening sky, smiling as she gazed at the stars that glittered in the distant galaxies.She felt she had every reason to smile, things had surprisingly been working out for her and Gede.They finally moved into their place all with the blessing of his family, and she had made peace with her friends.Carmen had not taken her decision to settle in Bali very lightly, threatening to come get her every day.But Eve knew that they knew not to come and get her, she liked it here, scratch that, she loved it here.Oliver, on the other hand, had been the last person to forgive her. Eve could not blame her, she loved her more than anyone else in the friend group.Of course, she was the most hurt, it broke Eve's heart when she thought about what she did to her or how she might have felt.But what had been done had already been done, she had made the mistake, and it could not be taken back.Kira, sweet old Kira was the least disturbed, she had just shrugged and said she knew and
Chapter 184Keeping her little family private was not exactly a choice that Athena had chosen for herself, but it was what seemed to be right at the time.She had made a family, a small, beautiful one with a mortal whom she had bared herself to.Alex was the one man who had seen beyond her mortality, and even more understood her when she explained who she was.They had met downtown when Ares had sent her on an errand. They had bumped into each other while she was trying to cover her tracks.Something had clicked between them ever since, and Athena could not resist it.Of course, they had met again, and again, and again. By the third time they met, they were stumbling into his little apartment.Lips locked, hands all over each other, and clothes flying off their bodies. Stumbling and quickly, they had found the bed and Athena was unable to remember a more passionate night for her.They had made sweet love, with his hands and mouth on every inch of her body.Athena knew then that she wo
Chapter 183The rest of the ride was quiet, and soon they were there, parked in front of the house, with Ares too skeptical to walk up to the door.“You know we can't just sit here in the car and stare at the door all day,” Anna said, sighing in frustration.“Yeah, I know, it's just… I don't know Anna.” Ares said, his fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly, Ares exhaled a long breath.“Ares, we should go.” Anna urged him, “Let's go, come on.” Anna said, stepping out of the car and peeking in to give him a stern look.“Come on Ares,” Anna said as she walked towards the door.It was evening already, and Anna hoped with everything in her that they were in and would be willing to let them see the child.Ares finally gathered enough courage to step outside the car and all towards the door.Anna had already rang the bell, so she stood aside and waited for the door to open.Walking over to stand behind her, Anna turned to give him a reassuring look before ringing the bell again.This ti
Athena sighed as she rolled over in bed, it was one of those days when she would rather not in bed than get up for any reason But she had plans, and with the company being her sole responsibility now since Ares embarked on the journey of finding his child, she needed to be at the office.Rubbing her eyes for a few minutes, Athena finally rolled out, sitting at the edge of the bed and contemplating if all this was really worth it.Or perhaps she could ditch work and everything else for the day, fall back into her bed, and pretend none of it even existed.Scolding herself, she pushed off the bed and headed for the bathroom to get ready.Getting right into it, she did her morning business. Brushing her teeth lazily as she sat on the toilet bowl.Tearing her pajamas off her body when she was done, she trudged into the shower Putting on and letting the cold shower cascade down her back. Exhaling sharply as the cold cut through her skin, giving her goosebumps. It was precisely what she n