Kill for Love

Chapter 53

“For sure that now Gaus unofficially confessed to you Lemnos will be next,” Athena said in a matter-of-fact tone like she already knew that would happen.

“Oh, stop it, Bestie. I don’t think he will. You are just overthinking.” She stood up and went to the bed where her new PJs were. She took it and in front of Athena, she wore it. They both did it a lot of times to each other so it was just a normal thing. Sometimes they even skinny-dipped together.

“I was right with Gaus. I told you that before but you didn’t believe me. Just wait and see, I’ll be right with Lemnos too.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what to feel. I mean I’m such a mess right now and I don’t know if I will be able to handle another relationship. Besides, there’s still Astilbe that the police are still looking for. So, I don’t know,” she explained. She took the towel from the dresser and sat beside Athena. She continued drying her hair using the towel.

“Why don’t you just let Gaus in? I mean by looking at him, he is a wonderful person. He helped you in those times when I’m not by your side.”

Cytherea stopped drying her hair and stared at Athena who sounded sad after saying those words.

“Bestie,” she softly called. “Don’t think about it, okay? What’s important is that you’re here with me now.”

Athena forced a smile and got up and sat on the bed facing Cytherea. “I’m really sorry, Bestie. You just don’t know how sorry I am. If only I could turn back the hands of time, I will.” She bit her lips, trying to control the tears that were about to fall from her eyes.

There are so many things that she wanted to ask for forgiveness, but she doesn’t have any courage yet to do that. She bet that if Cytherea knew about her deepest, darkest secret, she would never forgive her.

“Bestie, quit saying sorry, okay? I understand. I’m just so happy that you are here. I was so worried that Astilbe will use you.” Cytherea smiled at her gently and got up. She went to the bathroom to put away the used towel in the hamper. She went back and saw Athena looking at her intently like she was about to say something but was hesitating to spill it.

“What?” She chuckled.

“Ummm, I was just wondering, did Astilbe contact you again?” Athena asked.

“Nope,” she answered, popping the p. “Haven’t heard anything from him yet. The last contact was when Ares died. Didn’t I tell you that he called me?”

Athena sat up straight and her forehead creased. “No, spill it,” she commanded.

“I think it was a few days after Ares died. I was already staying here in Gaus’ penthouse, I already told you why right?”

She nodded.

“So,” Cytherea continues, “I received a phone call from him and she keeps on saying sorry and that he didn't do it. It’s actually weird because it sounds like a recorded message and it got distorted at the end before he hangs up.”

“He said sorry?” She asked. Astilbe also contacted her and said the same thing. That he didn’t do it. But she saw him!

“Yes, if I’m not mistaken he said that all he thinks about is my happiness and that he didn’t kill Ares. He said that he just wanted to talk to him and that Ares is a very bad person. It keeps repeating the same exact words over and over again,” Cytherea stated. She sat on the bed again beside Athena. “The thing is I don’t understand, why would he say that Ares is very bad? It doesn’t make sense. Is there something that he knows that I don’t know about Ares?”

Athena’s hand started to get sweaty. Her blood ran cold. She keeps on rubbing her hands on her PJs, trying so hard to be casual.

“Why would you think about that? You’ve known Ares for years. You should know him better.”

“I know and something’s bugging me when he says that,” Cytherea wondered. Then suddenly her face lit up when she remembered something. “Oh, by the way, that was not the last time he contacted me. It was actually when I met Lemnos in a coffee shop together with Gaus. I still have the text message he sent me. Wait.” She went to the closet where she put her bag. She opened her LV bag and took her phone. She opened it and scrolled through the messages till he found Astilbe’s message.

“Her look,” she said, handing her phone to Athena. She sat again on the bed while waiting for Athena to finish reading it.

Athena accepts it and reads the messages.

I'm still watching you, My Queen.

Go ahead. Tell them, I’m back.

Athena handed back the phone to Cytherea after reading the messages which the latter accepted and put the phone beside her.

"Are there any messages aside from those?" Athena asked curiously.

"Nope, to tell you honestly I don't know if I should be grateful that I didn't receive another message from him or I should be nervous about not receiving anything."

"Why did you think of that?"

"I don't know, Bestie. You know that feeling that something isn't right? It's an irking feeling that I can't just shove away. And I don't know I just have this feeling that he had something to do with Carlos' death."

Both of them got silent. They were both in deep thoughts. The silence was so defeating. They both got surprised when Cytherea's phone beeped, indicating that there's a new message.

Cytherea grabs her phone and opens it. Her eyes widened when she saw the sender.

"Speaking of the devil," she muttered.

"What did he say?" Athena curiously asked and peeked on her phone to read the message. "Oh, s**t!" she exclaimed.

'This time I really did it,' the message says.