He kissed her with the same mouth that had kissed another woman!

The thought disgusted Athena deeply.

"It hurts!" She turned aside, resisting Byron's punishment for the first time.

Byron froze at her defiance, but he soon grabbed her chin tightly, forcing her to look at him. "You dare to resist me?!"

"Why can't I? I'm no longer your toy!" Athena retorted as she glanced at Ruby, who was completely shocked by the sudden turn of events. "Clearly, someone else can't wait to have you play with her!"

Ruby was too dumbfounded to utter a word.

One moment ago, Byron was suffering from a headache; she never thought he would suddenly push Athena down and kiss her!

But… What did that bitch say?

Athena might have been Byron's toy, but Ruby believed that she was different.

She was the one who would marry Byron!

"How dare you talk to me like that, Athena?!" Byron gritted his teeth. "Fine! You're here to teach Ruby, then teach her well! Teach her everything!"

Byron seemed to be losing control of himself. He removed his tie and tied Athena's wrists under her surprised gaze. Athena was all too familiar with this.

"Byron! Stop!" Athena screamed.

"Your most fundamental role for me, have you forgotten already?!" Byron asked coldly.

Athena shook her head in disbelief, staring at Byron with shock. She couldn't believe that he would humiliate her to such an extent.

"What?" Byron taunted, pinching her chin and smirking. "Need me to remind you? You're quite skilled at it, remember?"

Knowing him all too well, Athena realized that Byron had completely lost control. She shouldn't provoke him any further.

"Byron, please calm down! I didn't want to take that man’s card. He was annoying, and I just wanted to shake him off. I threw the card away soon after that! A-and, there's nothing going on between me and Gabe. Byron... Please don't be mad." Athena's eyes were full of tears, and her body was trembling.

Byron felt like his heart was being cut by a knife.

Athena had never been so resistant to and afraid of having intimate contact with him all these years. She always used to obey him.

Byron looked at Athena with his deep eyes, feeling her becoming more and more distant from him. As if all the intimacy they shared in the past five years was fake.

How could she do this to him?!

Byron's rage intensified. He gripped Athena's chin even tighter, sneering, "Athena, this is not how you have been lately. Trying to act all soft and helpless now? You think I'll buy it?"

The next second, Athena's dress was torn, exposing her long legs.

"Byron!!" she screamed, trying to push him away with her knees, but her strength was feeble against his force.

Byron held her firmly in place and kissed her again, despite her resistance.

Athena bit him, the taste of blood filling her mouth, but Byron showed no signs of stopping.

From the corner of her eye, Athena could see Ruby still standing there, frozen, her eyes filled with disbelief and resentment. Athena felt a crushing sense of humiliation.

She had believed she knew Byron well, but this side of him shocked her to the core. Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.

In her moment of despair, Byron suddenly halted.

He released Athena's lips and looked at her. There seemed to be a storm raging inside his eyes, ready to destroy everything.

Athena, with her lips stained by his blood, trembled all over.

She was crying… because she was desperate.

Seeing this, Byron felt that his soul seemed to be hit hard by something. All his rage and jealousy slowly dissipated.

After what seemed like an eternity, Byron stood up from the sofa, his disheveled appearance contrasting with his usual elegance and composure.

"GET OUT!"

Athena, coming to her senses, hurriedly got up and stumbled away from the room, almost like fleeing.

Ruby looked pale. She absolutely hated what had happened just now, but she also hoped that Byron's unfulfilled desire might work in her favor...

"Athena is just a silly woman, don't be angry, Byron..." Ruby approached him, her hand reaching for his chest.

But Byron sidestepped and headed straight to the bathroom. "I'm not in the mood. You may go."

Ruby couldn't believe she was rejected. She was convinced that she was more beautiful than Athena! Why would Byron show no interest in her?!

No way!

Ruby stepped forward and hugged Byron from behind, "I can do better than her, Byron!"

Yet Byron pushed her away with such force that she fell directly onto the sofa.

"What are you doing?" Byron scolded, his disgust evident.

"Byron, I-I just want to help you get comfortable..." Ruby managed to speak, but she couldn't help but stammer a little.

Byron had always kept his distance from Ruby, even when displaying occasional tenderness. But this was the first time he actually became angry at her.

"Don't flatter yourself. Get out!" With that, Byron went straight to the bathroom.

Ruby sat on the sofa, feeling dejected. At her feet lay a pearl earring that belonged to Athena.

In her frustration, Ruby picked it up and flung it aside.

This was all Athena's fault!

If Athena hadn't come here tonight, Byron would've wanted her instead!

***

Athena ran all the way to the elevator, finding solace in the empty surroundings. Leaning against the wall, she slowly slid down to the ground in distress.

But just as she settled on the floor, the elevator door opened.

The man in the elevator was surprised by Athena's appearance.

Her curly hair was in disarray, her beautiful eyes red and watery, and her lips slightly swollen. Her dress was torn, revealing a glimpse of her long legs.

Gideon hurriedly stepped out of the elevator, taking off his jacket and offering it to her.

"Miss Newton! What happened? Who did this to you?!"

Athena refused the jacket, standing up with a cold expression.

"Byron," she replied, her eyes filled with coldness. "Are you going to avenge me, Mr. Hale?"

Gideon's eyes widened in shock. "By-Byron?"

Athena entered the elevator without another word, leaving Gideon bewildered and trying to process what he had just heard.

Gideon couldn't believe that Byron would do such a thing to Athena.

Everyone who was close to Byron knew how proud he was.

Athena had always been just a substitute to him, someone he used to fill the void left by Freya when she left him.

Back when Freya left Byron, he would rather find a substitute than chase her out and bring Freya back to his side.

So how could Byron have wanted to force himself onto Athena?

But as Gideon made his way to Byron's room, he encountered a distressed Ruby.

"Miss Holland! Is everything okay?"

Ruby looked at Gideon, her eyes also red. "Mr. Hale! Can you believe it? Athena is already dating someone new, yet she just came to Byron's room in the middle of the night to seduce him again! Byron got so angry he even kicked me out!"

So Athena was really in Byron's room just now!

Gideon's amazement grew at the unexpected turn of events.