Chapter 6
But before her cry could even get out, Marlon slapped his hand over her mouth, muffling her voice.
He locked his arm around her waist from behind and hauled her toward a car idling at the curb.
"Scream again and I'll fucking kill you!" Marlon snarled right in her ear.
Athena fought desperately, but Marlon was just too strong. She was completely trapped.
Inside the cafe, Cullen watched through the glass, his slender fingers tightening around his coffee cup. For a moment, a flicker of hesitation flashed in his eyes.
Sasha tugged at Cullen's sleeve.
"You're really not going to help her? She's actually pretty pitiful."
Cullen turned his head, suppressing his frustration, his voice cold and sharp. "She bullied you. She had it coming."
Sasha's lips curled into a subtle smirk.
Suddenly, a swarm of reporters rushed in, their gear at the ready, cameras and microphones pointed straight at Athena and Marlon, shutters clicking nonstop.
Athena was nearly blinded by the barrage of flashes, instinctively raising her arm to shield her face.
Marlon was caught off guard for a moment, but quickly recovered. Instead of letting go, he pulled Athena even tighter against him, shooting the cameras a sleazy, ambiguous grin.
Marlon shoved her into the car, and Athena huddled in the corner of the seat, trembling uncontrollably.
She couldn't bear to think about what would happen next.
Marlon flashed a self-satisfied grin. "Ms. Morton, why fight it? Just cooperate and we'll both save face."
As they hit a red light, Athena suddenly threw herself out the car door, rolling onto the pavement.
She slammed onto the concrete, pain exploding through every bone in her body.
Ignoring the agony, she scrambled to her feet and bolted in the opposite direction.
She ran for three blocks straight, not stopping until she spotted the blue sign above the police station.
She stumbled inside, gasping for breath. "I need to report a crime... someone tried to abduct me..."
"Please, have a seat and take your time," the officer said, quickly helping her sit down.
Athena managed to piece together the story, bit by bit, between shaky breaths like how Marlon had asked her out, harassed her, and dragged her into the car.
The officer listened and took notes, but his expression got stranger and stranger.
When she finished, the officer hesitated, then handed her his phone. "Ms. Morton, are you sure you were abducted?"
Athena froze.
On the screen was the X's trending page.
Athena Morton Exposed as Having a Sugar Daddy.
There were tons of photos and videos flooding the topic.
In the shots, Marlon had his arm around her, looking all intimate and suggestive. It didn't look like an abduction at all. It was more like a couple being affectionate in public.
The marketing accounts all posted the exact same captions:
[Zavala's legal celeb Athena Morton caught dating a wealthy man, spotted getting cozy with Evergreen boss Marlon Burke right on the street!]
[Insider spills: Athena's achievements all rely on men, from stepfather to rich businessman, sleeping all the way!]
[Ice queen image destroyed? Athena's morals are trash. People in the business can't stand her anymore!]
The comment section was overflowing with nasty hate.
[Haha! I told you. No woman gets that high up without a bunch of men helping her out!]
[Her stepdad abused her when she was just fourteen. Women like that don't even know what decency is.]
[Mr Burke must really have a thing for trash. He's actually into someone this used up?]
Athena stared at the screen, frozen, her mind blank with shock.
"This isn't true... I was abducted..."
The officer looked uneasy, carefully choosing his words. "Ms. Morton, we'll investigate everything you've told us, but with all the stuff blowing up online right now..."
He didn't finish, but the message was clear.
Compared to all those photos and trending topics, her story about being abducted didn't mean a thing.
Cullen rushed in, and when he saw Athena, his eyes brimmed with concern, like he was hurting right along with her.
He pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I saw the news. Don't worry, I'll stand up for you and get justice. I'll have those trending posts wiped out right away, and I swear I won't let Marlon get away with this."
Athena looked at the concern in his eyes, the anger etched in his brow. The way he put on that earnest, righteous act was like he was truly on her side.
She felt a bitter laugh rising in her throat.
This was the very man who had thrown her into the abyss, and now he stood at the edge, reaching out his hand as if to say, "I’ll pull you back up."
It was funny and pathetic.
All of a sudden, she felt like testing him.
"Cullen, if you just make our relationship public, no one would believe the gossip anymore."
Cullen's fingers tensed for a moment, his eyes flickering, but his expression softened again as he shook his head. "No, I can't. Everyone's already against you. If we go public now, they'll just tear you apart even more."
Athena dropped her gaze.
Every word out of his mouth sounded so reasonable, so considerate. If this had been before, she probably would've teared up, thinking she was the luckiest girl in the world to have someone who always put her first.
But now, she just felt like a fool.
"Okay, I see."