<h4>Chapter 298: Not Superman!</h4>
"When was thest time you took your medication?" Athena’s voice crackled with barely contained anger as she questioned Ewan, who had just regained consciousness.
Ewan hesitated, taking a moment to assess his body and surroundings. A crease formed on his forehead as he realized he was in an unfamiliar ce, the dim light casting shadows around him.
His gaze darted left, eyes widening as he spotted an array of machines and tools. Had Athena brought him to aboratory? For what purpose? Where was this ce? It didn’t seem to be above the ground, considering the earthy smell he was perceiving.
"Where is this ce?" He managed, the anxiety creeping into his tone.
"My personalboratory. Now answer my question, Ewan!" Athena snapped, impatience ring within her.
Ewan pursed his lips, trying to suppress a smile that threatened to surface as realization dawned on him. He was in Athena’s secretboratory!
He recalled reading reports from Spider about the government and foreign nations trying to uncover its location, only to draw a nk every time. How had Athena managed to keep this ce off the radar?
The nature of the chemicals and substances she worked with should have made it too hot to hide. The enormity of what she was entrusting him with filled him with gratitude so potent he felt teary.
"Why does your face look like that? Do you want to cry?" Aiden’s voice broke through Ewan’s thoughts, pulling him back to the moment.
Of course, Aiden would know this location.
"Are you that happy to be here?" Aidenughed, ncing at Athena. "Athena, you’ve made the man speechless."
But Athena was in no mood for humor. She gave Ewan a light smack on the thigh. "Get up!"
Without hesitation, Ewanplied, sensing that Athena was in a foul mood. "I’m so—"
"Don’t even finish that stupid statement!" She cut him off, giving him a hard knock on the head. "I’ve told you to stop ying with your health!"
Ewan remained meekly quiet, though internally he mused about the logic of her hitting him while he was already in a fragile state. Wouldn’t that only aggravate the situation?
"What’s wrong with you? One minute, you want to be friends—then you’re slumping into unconsciousness! Do you want to die? What about the children?" Athena’s voice rose,ced with concern and anger at the same time.
Ewan shot Aiden a re as thetter struggled to suppressughter, covering his mouth to avoid Athena’s wrath.
Aiden’s breath caught however, when Athena cussed, shot a frustrated nce toward him, and then stormed out of theboratory.
"Man!" Aiden pped Ewan on the back,ughing boisterously. "You’ve barely begun your friendship with Athena, and you’re already making her veins bulge! Are you sure you’ll survive at this rate? Friendship with her isn’t always easy; she can fuss like a mother hen."
Ewan sighed, shifting on the bed forfort and leaning back against the metallic headboard. "I think I can manage." A soft smile crept onto his lips.
"You... wicked man..." Aiden teased, pointing yfully at Ewan’s grin. "But you’ve been chipping away at her walls little by littletely. At least you’re out of the enemy zone now. The friend zone is something, yeah..."
"Yeah," Ewan muttered, his smile fading as he considered the implications.
"Or are you expecting something more?" Aiden took a seat on the high stool next to the bed, gaze contemtive.
"Is it bad if I want more?"
When Ewan received no immediate answer, he turned to Aiden. "What? Is that a bad aspiration?"
Aiden shrugged. "I don’t know if you’re stupid or just courageous. You really think you have a chance at snagging her heart more than Antonio?"
Ewan’s lips pressed into a thin line as he considered Antonio’s presence in Athena’s life. He sighed and turned his gaze to the ceiling, deliberating on his inescapable reality. "So, there’s no chance at all."
"No," Aiden replied without hesitation. "You should be grateful she chose to overlook your past mistakes and forgive you. I think that’s enough."
Ewan nodded slowly, even as he grappled with a lingering sense of longing. How could he live without the taste of her lips again, without touching her intimately again? The thought made his hands twitch with restless desire.
"Ewan..." Aiden spoke, sping a hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes love means letting go. Trust me, I know from experience."
Ewan looked at Aiden, shifting slightly. "You let your wife go?"
Aiden shrugged his shoulders. "It was the best decision at the time."
"Best for you or for her?" Ewan inquired, with a raised eyebrow.
Aiden frowned, taken aback, not expecting such a thought-provoking question. "What do you mean?"
Ewan raised his hands in defense. "I’m just asking. Don’t take it personally. She doesn’t look happy. She can’t even bear to look at you. If letting go was a mutual feeling, why is there such a tension? Something’s off..."
"A rtionship therapist now?" Aiden asked, the gruffness in his tone making Ewan almostugh.
Before he could respond, Aiden huffed, stood up, and walked out of the room. Ewan was left gobsmacked. What the hell just happened?
Just then, Athena stepped back in, ncing between him and the now-closed door. "What happened? What went up his ass?"
"Well, I mentioned his ex-wife..."
Athena furrowed her brows, confusion crossing her features as she considered why that name hade to light. But rather than probe further, she red at Ewan, who shifted ufortably under her scrutiny.
"You have the nerve to gossip about someone when you haven’t even taken care of yourself. Come to think of it, you never answered my question..."
"The drugs ran out." Ewan cut in, giving a deep sigh.
"And why didn’t you tell me?" Athena pressed while mentally calcting. Anxiety washed over her when she realized the drugs should have run out around two days ago. She had been too involved in the case that she had forgotten to send him a refill.
"A lot was going on... didn’t want to set us back..."
"You would have set us back even more if you had died on the mission, Ewan! You need to stop ying with your health. You’re not Superman!"