Chapter 60

Two days after, Athena couldn t take it anymore, neither Fred s gentle voice nor TB s or any of the nurses could keep her in the hospital again. Also, Leo was always coming to the hospital and no one knew what he was coming to do but she has a feeling that he must be coming for medical supply. The question is, for whom? Athena could feel it in her bones that Leo knows where Sean is but he doesn t want to say it and she made up her mind to get it out of him. He can burn her in hell for all she cares but it s not going to stop her.
She left her room in the early afternoon and went straight to the elevator, praying that no one would see her and that neither TB nor Fred would come to check on her. When in the reception and seeing the nurse there, she could feel her heart beat rising, she needs to get out of there, even if Sean doesn t want to see her, she has to at least try, so sucking in a deep breath, she picked a race to the front door.
"Excuse me, ma am, ma am," the receptionist called, running after her but she didn t even bother to listen, all she had in her mind was that if she could make it out of the gate, then she would be free. The hospital s gate was always open because of emergencies, so as she ran, she kept praying in her heart that the security won t block her way. When she made it out the gate, she started hailing down every car she passed.
"Miss," she heard the security behind her and her breath left her, she was already tired and there was no way she could outrun a male security. She was crying and begging God to please send a cab her way, her legs were throbbing and she knew she would collapse anytime soon if she doesn t rest but she couldn t. Finally, she saw a cab parked around, just about to take off and she boarded it and shouted her address at the shocked driver who was staring at her through the rearview mirror in worry because of how she was panting.
"Go, go, go," she screamed when the security man started knocking on the window and the driver picked a race then. Looking at the security who stopped chasing them, she couldn t believe she did it, she escaped! She felt like jumping and rejoicing then she looked at the front to catch the driver s eyes in the mirror checking her out. She looked at her hospital s gown and hugged herself, then ignored him. As they drove along the streets, she wondered how she was going to approach Leo while also praying in her heart that he would see her sincerity and allow her to meet Sean. She was so glad TB had mentioned his address to her at some time, she just hope she got it right.
Staring at the big gate in front of her, she felt the same fear she felt the first time she went to Sean s mansion, she gulped and climbed down from the car, her eyes not leaving the gate.
"Um, ma am, money?" the cabdriver asked and it was only then that Athena realized that she didn t have any money. She had tried getting some from TB and Fred but they figured out her plan and refused to give her a penny. She looked at the driver apologetically and he sighed, "I have a family to feed, you know?"
"Just tell me your name and your address, I promise I will bring the money to you," she said.
The man looked her up and down, seeing her hospital gown; he just sighed and hissed, then started the car and drove off.
"Thank you," Athena yelled after him but if he heard it, he didn t show it. She turned to the big gates and gulped once more before reaching to ring the bell. The camera poked out and then back in. After some minutes, the small gate opened and a man in all black stood there, something about his posture reminded her of Rodger and she gulped once more. "I-I-I m looking for Leo?"
"Come with me," he said and shifted aside for her to enter. When she did, he closed the gate and walked ahead while she followed him, deep in her heart, she was asking herself if it was that easy to get into the house? But that thought ceased when they went into the mansion and saw Leo sitting lazily on the couch and she heard his words.
"Here I was thinking of how to get you alone and punish you, and you deliver yourself to me," he looked at her then, a lazy smile hanging on his lips, "tell me, Athena, what best punishment do you think suits you?"
The man that brought her bowed and stepped aside, Athena stared at him and then at Leo, "I don t care what you do to me, I don t care whatever punishment you put me through, in my own words, I deserve anything you do to me but all I ask," she paused and licked her lips, "just give me a few minutes to see Sean, I want to know how he is, I want to know if he is okay. If I can see that for myself, if I can see that he is perfectly fine, then I will go with you and you can do whatever you want to me. You can beat me up, lock me up, starve me to death, cut off my skin piece by piece, set me on fire, I won t mind, I won t complain, I deserve it, but just let me see Sean, let me talk to him, let me make sure he is okay. I know you are mad at me, Leo, I know you are disappointed in me and I don t blame you, I am disappointed in myself as well. I let my mother s wish cloud my sense of judgment, I regret that now and I am not asking for a chance to make things right. I just want to apologize for everything and make sure Sean is okay, after that, if you let me, I will go away, and I will reflect on my mistakes and try not to repeat it again."
Tears were trailing down her cheeks and she didn t care that the bodyguard was there; neither did she care about Sean s lessons that no matter what, she should never cry in public. Everything was thrown aside as she went down on her knees, "please, Leo, just let me see him, I need to thank him for everything, I need to thank him for looking after me, even running into a fire to save me, please Leo, just me see him, that s all I ask, please."
Leo watched her, it was only then that he noticed she was still in her hospital gown and he needed no one to tell him that she ran away and came there directly. Listening to her pleas, he heard something she didn t say and it was only those unspoken words that made him smile, "you love him," he stated, rather than ask.
Athena closed her eyes, so that s what it is? It wasn t infatuation? It wasn t mere attraction? It was love? She had been asking herself what she really feels for Sean and she has to hear from Leo to know what it was? She sniffed and opened her eyes, she didn t say anything but she knew she didn t need to. A man like Leo wouldn t just blurt anything out.
Leo sighed then looked at the man standing beside him, "go call Anesthesia for me." The man bowed and left and returned two minutes later with a white haired lady. "Get her freshened up and feed her," he said and the woman nodded and approached Athena.
"Come with me, dear," she said with a smile and helped her up, Athena looked at Leo not understanding what was going on but he ignored her and picked up the magazine beside him. Athena followed Anesthesia into a room, "here, have a shower while I find some clothes for you. Then after, come down for a meal, okay?"
She nodded and the woman smiled and closed the bathroom door while Athena stripped and stepped into the glass to have a shower.
While eating, she kept looking at Leo who hasn t said anything to her since she came down, he mostly treated her like air. Finally, after her meal, she couldn t take him ignoring her again and went to him, "Leo, Sean…"
"What makes you think I know where he is?" he asked without looking at her.
"Well, you have been coming to the hospital and you are the only one not bothered about his disappearance."
"Says who?" he looked at her and after, he smiled, that was the smile she knew him with, "alright, enough of that, let s just hope he would love to see you too," he stood up and started walking towards the door, she didn t follow him and he turned and said to her, "well, don t you want to see him again?"
"Oh," she said and ran after him.