Dark Revenge Of An Unwanted Wife: The Twins Are Not Yours!

The first knock came like a ripple against the fragile cocoon of Athena's sleep. She stirred but did not wake fully, her body sinking deeper into the silken embrace of the sheets.

Morning light crept in thin slats through the half-drawn curtains, pale and hesitant, as though the sun itself feared disturbing her. It painted her pillow in faint gold, touched the loose strands of her hair with fire, and pressed a promise of peace she wasn't sure she trusted.

A second knock followed, firmer this time, more insistent.

Athena groaned softly, pulling the sheet over her head for a heartbeat, tempted to surrender back into the darkness. The room was cool, filled with the hushed quiet that followed long nights of worry, and her body longed for one more stolen hour of rest.

But the knock returned, polite yet unyielding, the rhythm of small hands against heavy wood.

With a quiet sigh, she forced herself upright. Her hair tumbled loose around her face, catching the beams of sunlight like strands of bronze. She pushed them back, eyes half-lidded, and let her feet slide from the bed onto the polished floor.

The boards were cold beneath her skin, grounding her. Every step she took across the room carried the reluctant heaviness of someone caught between the safety of dreams and the demands of reality.

When she pulled open the door, two small figures stood waiting, bright as sparks against the solemn morning.

"Mommy!"

The voices chimed together, high and unrestrained. Before she could kneel, Kate and Nate threw themselves forward, tumbling into her arms with the unstoppable force of their affection.

Their warmth pressed against her,comforting her. Athena folded around them instinctively, pressing her cheek against the crown of Kate's head, breathing in the faint, clean scent of soap.

"You're up early," She murmured, her voice softened by the weight of love and fatigue. She pulled back just enough to look at them, her hands framing their small faces. "Did you sleep well?"

Both nodded eagerly, faces lit with that uncomplicated brightness only children carried.

"Yes!" Kate replied, her hair bouncing as she moved. "Susan said she'll take us to school today."

"We just wanted to say goodbye before we leave," Nate added proudly, tugging at her sleeve as though afraid she might miss the point.

Athena's gaze lingered on their uniforms. They looked too ready, too grown for her liking, the years slipping away faster than she could hold. A pang tightened in her chest as she smoothed Kate's collar.

"And your aunties? Gianna? Chelsea?" she asked gently, though she already suspected the answer.

"They already went to work," Kate said, her tone casual, her little shoulders lifting in a matter-of-fact shrug.

Athena gave a faint smile, squeezing their hands in both of hers. "Then come," she said warmly, though the firmness in her tone revealed the habit of command she could never shed. "Let's greet your grandparents before you go."

The twins fell into step beside her, their chatter spilling like music into the corridor as she led them down. For a fleeting moment, Athena let herself drown in the rhythm of their voices, the way Kate and Nate's laughter softened the edges of her own thoughts. In their presence, the heaviness that haunted her mornings loosened, if only slightly.

But as they entered the sitting room, the air shifted.

Florence, her grandmother, sat by the wide-paned window, her frame still regal despite the years. She cradled a porcelain cup with both hands, steam curling faintly upward, carrying the sharp fragrance of dark roast coffee.

Her expression was calm, but Athena, attuned to the smallest changes in her family, caught the way Florence's fingers tightened on the delicate handle.

The second sitting room stood nearby, its carved oak doors drawn closed. From beyond them came low voices, muffled and heavy, the cadence of strategy and foreboding. The weight of it seeped even here, clinging like smoke.

Athena hesitated. The children didn't belong in that atmosphere.

She crouched to their level, brushing a stray braid back from Kate's face. "Go on," she whispered, her voice tender yet edged with urgency. "Say goodbye properly, then wait outside for me."

Kate and Nate nodded, obedient in the way children were when they sensed their mother's seriousness. They darted to embrace Florence, murmuring their sweet farewells, before allowing Athena to guide them toward the door.

On the front steps, Susan waited by the car. Her posture was steady. Athena bent low, planting kisses on each twin's forehead, lingering a moment longer than necessary.

"Listen to your teachers," she reminded them, her voice caught between maternal affection and the shadow of dread. "And behave."

"We will!" Nate promised, puffing out his chest like a little soldier.

Athena's throat tightened with both pride and ache. She straightened, reaching for Susan's hand. "Take care of them."

Susan squeezed firmly. "Always," she replied with quiet assurance.

Athena stood in the driveway, arms folded loosely, and watched as the children clambered into the car. Doors shut with hollow thuds, engines rumbled to life. The vehicle rolled forward, its shine fading as it moved toward the gates, flanked closely by the convoy of escorts.

Athena didn't turn away until the last red flicker of taillights vanished down the road. Only then did she inhale deeply, forcing steel back into her bones.

Inside, Florence was waiting. She set a fresh cup of coffee on the low table.

"Good morning, grandma…"

"You'll need this,my love…" she said softly. Her voice carried the weight of experience, and her lined face betrayed both wisdom and worry.

"Thank you." Athena wrapped her hands around the porcelain, letting the heat soak into her palms. She took a sip, the bitterness grounding her senses, then rose. She pushed the door of the second sitting room open.

The air inside was dense, saturated with tension.

What went wrong in her absence?

Ewan stood by the hearth, arms folded across his chest, eyes dark as storm clouds. Old Mr. Thorne sat stiff in his chair, his cane resting nearby, every line of his face carved deeper by age and strain. Others lingered in the shadowed edges of the room, their gazes sharp and weary.

Even cheerful Zane wasn't cheerful on that cheerful morning.

Athena let her eyes travel over them before fixing on Ewan. "What happened?"

Ewan didn't flinch. "Kael knows."

The words landed like stones in her chest. Her breath stalled. "Knows… of our involvement?"

"Yes." His tone was grave, clipped. "He sent a message last night. How he learned, we don't know. Perhaps the mission wasn't a victory at all, but a snare. Perhaps he was stringing us along from the beginning."

Athena's hand curled around the back of a chair, knuckles whitening. "Then what do we do?"

"For now," Old Mr. Thorne rasped, his voice heavy with age but unbent, "we do what we have always done—remain alert. Our agents are already searching, keeping their eyes on the gang's movements. We will not be caught blind."

Ewan shifted his stance, gaze trained on Athena. "And the lab. Should we go today?"

Athena paused. Her mind ran through the possibilities like pieces on a chessboard. If Kael knew of their involvement, then his sponsor surely did as well. Any movement, any misstep, could draw suspicion.

"No," she said at last, calm but unyielding. "Not we. Just me."

Ewan frowned, his jaw tight. "Alone? That's reckless."

"It's necessary." Athena's eyes held his, steady as iron. "If I arrive with someone else, suspicion follows. Alone, I am only another doctor. I can take care of myself."

Before Ewan could argue further, Athena's phone buzzed against the table. She picked it up, scanning the message. The president.

Her eyes flicked to the room as she read aloud: "The matter has been contained. Two more gang locations have been identified. They'll be hit today."

A murmur rippled across the chamber, surprise threaded with unease.

Aiden frowned, the words unsettling. "Two more? How did this come out?"

"Spider," Ewan answered grimly. "It must have been him. He must have shared it to the dark web, before logging off. Whatever the case, the attacks will provoke Kael further. Everyone stays alert."

Later, when the tension settled like dust, Athena turned to her grandfather. "Are you comfortable with the number of people here, Grandfather? With Margaret and her family, the mansion feels fuller."

Old Mr. Thorne gave a slow nod, his voice firm. "This house is vast. Their presence is no burden."

But Athena caught the crease in Ewan's brow. She narrowed her gaze. "What is it?"

He slid his phone across the table.

Athena picked it up, her pulse tightening as she read.

Kael's words glared back: Return Spider. If you do not, someone important to you will pay. Don't think I can't find what is missing.

The silence after was heavy, suffocating.

Sandro's voice broke it, low and grim. "Does he know Spider betrayed him?"

Athena's expression hardened though her heart beat faster. "We won't assume anything. Not until Spider wakes. Then we'll have our answers."

Ewan sighed and straightened, his voice clipped. "No one speaks of this outside this room. Not a word. We won't risk leaks."

Muted chuckles stirred, a release of tension, as all rose to get to their business for the day. None of them were foolish enough to share such news.

Athena lingered though, her hand brushing the forgotten cup of coffee, now gone warm. Her gaze fell to the dark liquid, her reflection fractured in its surface.

How far can Kael go?