CHAPTER 2: BETRAYAL OF LOVE

m bright morning, Aries went to see Athena, but to his surprise, he found someone else inside their house talking with her.

He was shocked to see Dimitri there.

"That can't be. Why is He here?" he wondered to himself.

Trying to get some answers, he approached Athena's servant.

"Good morning. Do you know why Dimitri is here?" he asked politely.

"I'm not sure, Seniorito," the servant replied. "But I heard that Dimitri has been captivated by Seniora Athena's beauty and has been here a few times already."

Aries felt his heart sink, a wave of betrayal washing over him. He had been seeing Athena for a long time, yet she had never accepted his love.

To Athena's surprise, she hadn't seen Aries for weeks, which was unusual for him. Concerned, she decided to pay him a visit.

As she approached his home, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She knocked on the door, her heart racing a little. When Aries finally opened it, she was taken aback by the sadness in his eyes.

"Aries, I was worried about you," she said softly. "Is everything okay?"

He hesitated, the weight of his feelings pressing down on him. "I’ve just been... busy," he replied, trying to mask the turmoil inside. But Athena could sense there was more.

Tell me Aries", Athena said.

Aries took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before speaking.

"Athena, I know about Dimitri," he said, his voice steady but laced with pain. "I know I don’t stand a chance against him."

Athena's expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and sadness crossing her face.

"Aries, it’s not like that," she replied, her voice softening. "You have to understand, I don’t have a choice in this."

His heart sank further at her words. "What do you mean you don't have a choice?" he asked, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "Dimitri... he has connections, influence. It complicates things. I never wanted it to be this way."

Aries felt a surge of frustration and hurt. "So you’re just going to let him take you away?"

Athena stepped closer, her eyes pleading.

"It’s not that simple. I care about you, but I can’t ignore the reality of the situation."

Aries looked at her, feeling the weight of their unspoken feelings hanging in the air between them. "I wish things were different," he said softly, his heart aching for what could have been.

"I'm sorry, Aries," Athena said, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes. "But our wedding is near, and I can't see you again."

Aries felt as if the ground had been pulled from beneath him. "What do you mean, 'wedding'?" he asked, disbelief flooding his voice. The reality of her words crashed over him like a wave, leaving him breathless.

Athena wiped her tears, her heartbreaking at the pain she saw in his eyes. "Dimitri and I... it was arranged. I never wanted this, but my family has made decisions for me. I feel trapped."

Aries struggled to process her confession. "You don’t have to go through with it. You can choose your own path!" he urged, desperation creeping into his tone.

"I wish it were that simple," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have responsibilities, and my family's honor is at stake. I can't just walk away."

Athena shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I never wanted to hurt you, Aries. You mean so much to me, but I can't change what's already been set in motion. I have to go through with this, even if it breaks my heart."

Aries stood there, feeling utterly powerless. "I don’t want to say goodbye," he said, his voice breaking.

"I know," she replied, stepping closer and placing a hand on his cheek. "But sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the sake of others. Just know that I will always care for you."

With that, she turned away, leaving Aries standing in the doorway, his heart shattered as he watched her walk away, knowing he might never see her again.

To be continued..

End of Chapter 2.

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