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

Athena dropped her phone on the table harsher than was necessary, her frustration beating against her head, pulsing through her fingers.

She clenched them into fists, then struck the table forcefully and cursed under her breath. "Damn!"

She had just gotten off the phone with a cluster of government officials regulating the medical aspect of the state. They were convinced the hospital had been careless—reckless even—endangering the lives of patients.

Where was Herbert? Athena wondered with irritation, snatching her phone back up. He should have been the one fending the bulls away, not her. Why had he left her to shoulder all of it?

She dialed his number. No answer. She tried again—this time, his phone was switched off. Her brows drew together. Was he in a meeting?

She tried Zane's line instead. He picked up after two rings.

"Athena, how are you doing?" His jovial tone carried an ease that told her Ewan hadn't yet updated him on the current situation.

"I'm fine, Zane. Or rather… I think I will be. How are you doing?"

There was a pause. A worried one. "What's going on? Did something happen with Spider?"

Athena shook her head instinctively, then remembered she was on the phone. "No, not Spider…It's the secret lab. I found it."

The silence that followed was heavy, curious, and charged.

"It was in the storage unit, Zane," she continued with a tired exhale, ruffling her hair in frustration. "How could I have missed it?"

"No, no, no." Zane's voice sharpened. "Don't do that, Athena. There was no way you would have known. Did you find anything else? Have you told my father?"

"Yes. He called the police and revoked the contracts with the twins—not that they're anywhere to be found…"

"What do you mean?" she heard the faint sound of a door closing on his end. He had probably stepped into his office or another private space.

"Mary and Matthew have disappeared. From the data Susan sent me a few minutes ago, they're completely off the radar. Cairo too… I've never even seen that girl before in my life."

The last words slipped out more like a mutter to herself.

"Who is Cairo again?"

Athena sighed heavily. "Mary's daughter."

"That's—" Zane's voice faltered, clearly as stunned as she was.

Mary and Matthew never gave the impression of being people with family ties, unless those ties involved evil and experiments.

"The lab was almost empty," Athena went on. "They must have left in a hurry—probably tipped off when we raided the gang's location. But I was lucky enough to find a vial. I'll check out its components in my lab before I return home."

"Maybe we can work with that. I'll try to find a computer genius who can help with the tracking while we wait for Spider."

"I'll appreciate that, Zane. Thank you."

He snorted softly. "Not necessary, Athena. Not necessary at all. Have you spoken to Ewan?"

She shrugged even though he couldn't see it. "I sent him a text."

A pause followed. "He must already be working on it. I'm sure he'll give you feedback soon."

Athena nodded slowly. She was about to say her goodbyes when she remembered the reason she had called Zane in the first place.

"Do you have a second number for your father? I've been trying to reach him, but to no avail. Is he in a meeting?"

"No. He actually told me he'd be spending the day at the hospital. Maybe something else took his attention?"

Something more important than the chaos tearing the hospital apart? Athena inhaled deeply, forcing calm, saying her goodbyes finally to Zane.

It had taken her more than a few minutes to settle the doctors, nurses, and even the frightened patients, reassuring them that everything was under control. She had done that too for the officials calling her here and there. But this was Herbert's hospital, not hers really.

If only she had found that second secret exit—the one Matthew and Mary had used to escape…

Since the CCTV hadn't captured them leaving, only entering the storage unit at different times, the police had been left with no choice but to follow the elevator, which had put everything in public glare.

If she'd tracked the exit earlier, they might have found better transportation for the remaining equipment. Maybe even found a clue.

Another sigh escaped her. What else could she do?

She had already set Aiden and their team of geniuses to work, even sending requests through the dark web. Nothing useful had come back. That could only mean one thing: whoever was backing this madness was powerful. Government-level powerful.

With each passing second, she was beginning to see Ewan's point—his deep distrust of the president. The possibility that the man himself was behind it all was uncomfortably high. But hadn't the president helped them the night before with the captives?

Would he do that if he wasn't on their side?

Athena dragged in another heavy breath, trying to gather herself. Her eyes fell on the files stacked on her desk, but she had no energy to deal with them. She decided she would head straight to her lab.

She pushed back her chair, and was reaching for her bag when a sharp knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," she called, sinking back into her seat.

The door creaked open and Ciara stepped in with her usual briskness. "Mr. Ewan Giacometti is here."

"He is? Please, let him in."

Ciara gave a curt nod and exited, but not before sneaking a quick, thoughtful glance at her boss. She couldn't help but wonder about this new dynamic between Athena and the handsome billionaire. Had they resolved their differences?

Barely a minute later, Ewan walked in with his signature composure, one hand casually tucked into his pocket.

"Athena…" he began even before reaching the guest chairs. "I got your message, and I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I wasn't in town—I had a business engagement in the next city."

"It's okay, Ewan. I'm not angry with you. Please, have a seat."

He obliged, lowering himself into the chair and crossing his legs. "So, what's happening? Have they been apprehended?"

Athena shook her head, her frustration sharp. "They're nowhere to be found. Off the radar. Our team is on it, but nothing has come up yet."

The same thought crossed both their minds, and it showed when they exhaled at the same time.

Spider.

"This was the wrong time for him to be unwell…" Athena muttered, picking up a pen from her desk only to drop it again.

Ewan nodded grimly. "But we have to work with what we have. Have you contacted your old man?"

"Not yet. I'll do that now."

Ewan watched her, anger flickering across his eyes as she sent a message to her grandfather. The stress and pressure etched across her face made his chest tighten. If there was a way to take it all from her shoulders, he would.

"He said he'll put men on it," Athena reported.

"That's great," Ewan murmured. "We need all hands on deck." A pause. "But how long do you think before Spider wakes up? We need his expertise."

"To be honest, I don't know." Athena folded her arms loosely across her chest. "I don't even know what poison he injected himself with. I've never seen anything like it. His tongue has this strange silver-blue coloration. But I swabbed his mouth this morning before coming here. I'll test it alongside this…"

She stopped and lifted the small cellophane bag holding the vial.

"What's that?"

"That's the only reasonable thing I found in their secret lab. The other papers and scraps were useless—just the basic mechanics of making a drug."

"Making a drug?" Ewan's brow arched high, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes. I think they're making an advanced virus, like a variant of the Grey. But at the same time, they're developing a cure. Their goal seems clear enough: make money off people's sickness."

She shook her head wearily and returned the vial to the desk. "I'm hoping I'm wrong."

Ewan's jaw tightened. His hands pressed against his thighs, knuckles white, anger coursing through him in waves. If he ever got to the people behind this, he would make them pay with their miserable lives.

"But if you are right," he said, leaning forward, his tone low, "you'll be able to make the drugs, won't you?"

When Athena's gaze flicked up to him, almost flat, he pressed on. "Whatever you need, we'll provide it. I'm sure Herbert will also want this virus wiped from the streets for good. You have help—plenty of it."

Athena sighed, her shoulders slumping. "But what if I don't get it in time? What if thousands die before I'm done? You know it takes time…" She bit her lower lip, voice trailing off.

Ewan looked away, jaw clenching. "You're not at fault, Athena. Matthew, or whatever he calls himself, is. You're doing your best, and that's enough. I believe in you. We all do. You conquered the Grey Disease once, and I'm sure you can do it again. I'll give you all the support you need."

Athena exhaled again, lifting her phone almost absently.

"You want to call your boyfriend?"

Her frown snapped up to him instantly, eyes mildly confused. "What?"

Antonio hadn't even crossed her mind.