41. LORENZO
The moment stretched, unbearably heavy, as I watched the way her eyes widened, the pain flickering through them. I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of her suffering seep into the air between us.
"It’s nothing," I said softly, but there was an edge to my voice I couldn’t hide. I was trying to calm her, but my own rage simmered just beneath the surface. How foolish was my nephew? How dare he taint this moment I had with Athena? His constant meddling, his relentless torture of her—what did he want from her? What more could he possibly take?
Athena’s voice broke through my thoughts, shaky, almost guilty. "It’s something." Her words cut the space between us, laced with sorrow.
Her pain was palpable, etched into every line of her face. I hated it—hated that she felt responsible
