She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew)

Chapter 225 The clock struck midnight, and the city outside erupted in fireworks.

Although there were restrictions on setting them off in certain areas, the vibrant explosions lit up the sky, their sound echoing across the entire city. "Tto set off the fireworks!" Arthur, Alaric, and Maria grabbed baskets filled with fireworks and excitedly dashed outside the villa.

Josie and the elderly family members had already gone to bed.

The others, still wide awake, followed them to watch the show. As the fireworks burst overhead, their faces lit up with joy.

Even Wesley and Rufus, who were usually more serious, joined in, laughing with the younger ones as they lit fireworks and snapped photos Athena, standing off to the side with her phone clutched in her hand, watched the fireworks but couldn't shake her thoughts. of Matthew. Why hasn't he called yet? she wondered, glancing at her phone. Doesn't he miss me?' she thought. She waited and waited. The fireworks continued until about 12:30 AM, but Matthew still hadn't reached OUL Frustrated, Athena unlocked her phone. Fine, but the if he's not going to call, then I will." She might look sweet and delicate on the outside, but Athena was far from timid. When she wanted something, she wasn't the type to sit back and wait. If she missed Matthew, she'd take the first step. No overthinking-just action. Just as Athena was thinking about reaching out to him, her phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Matthew.

elted away, and a smile spread across her lips as she eagerly opened the text. Happy Christmas? she wondered.

The stern look on her face melted What could t could Matthew possibly say? But when she read his message, her eyes widened, and her heart began to race, thumping like fireworks bursting in the night sky. His message simply said: [Turn left 300 feet; I'm waiting for you A large magnolia tree stood exactly 300 feet to the left, its blossoms in full bloom.

Everyt tAthena passed by, she was greeted by the sweet, intoxicating scent of the flowers.

With a glance at the tree standing tall against the cold night, she f***d her phone away and hurried in its direction. Underneath the magnolia, Matthew waited, his tall, elegant frleaning slightly as he flashed her a smile. The son soft glow of a nearby streetlight illuminated his face, casting a warm light over the delicate red petals above him. His handsfeatures, as flawless as polished marble, seemed to shine in the dim light. His smile, cool and captivating, outshone even the beautiful flowers. Athena paused a few steps away, her hands clenched into tiny fists near her chin as she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with surprise and joy. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice barely able to contain her excitement. Dressed in a sleek black trench coat, Matthew stood as tall and straight as a pine tree, his eyes warm as they met hers. "I spent Christmas Eve with my grandfather, he replied, a smile curling at the corners of his lips. "He always falls asleep by ten, so after that, I could leave. I drove straight here." A wave of emotion washed over Athena. "Thank you for driving from Valemont City just to see me, especially this late on Chapter 225 055% Christmas Eve." Matthew wasn't the kind of guy who had a lot of free time. Yet here he was, making the trek from Valemont just for a quick visit or a simple meal. She could feel the care and attention he poured into every gesture. Matthew's smile widened, and for a moment, he even looked a bit bashful. "Oh, it's nothing. If I were in trouble. I know you wouldn't hesitate to cto my rescue. You'd probably fly across the world just to save me. Compared to that, this is a piece of cake" of cake Athena's mind drifted back to that tshe had indeed flown in a helicopter to a distant place in Asnaoya to save him. The memory-1 -filled her with a mix of pride and affection; it was a secret shared just between the two of them.

Not wanting to let her excitement spill over, Athena simply smile, her cheeks puffing up as she fought back her grin, her eyes dancing with happiness. It was a long trip for you, but secuig, you here makes it all worth it. I'm really happy." She cupped her cheeks, her face suddenly warming. Really, really happy." Just moments ago, her cheeks had been cold, but now they felt flushed with warmth.

Tm happy too, Matthew said, his gaze locked onto hers. He opened his arms wide. "Happy Christmas! How about a hug for good luck?" ΑΙ hug From him? What an enticing offer, she thought.

Athena's eyes darted around nervously, She glanced left, then right, checking to see if anyone was watching. With a playful smile, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him Matthew held her close, enveloping her in a warm embrace Sharing such an intimate moment in the quiet night felt simply perfect Athena couldn't help but think about how wonderful it was, though she wished there weren't so many layers of clothing between them. She longed to feel the warmth of his skin, to experience the comfort of his body heat..

Behind the gates of the Donovan family villa, Alaric had his face pressed against the iron fence, watching the whole scene unfold with a heavy heart.

"Is is our Athena really being stolen away by a jerk?" he muttered in disbelief.

Arthur stood behind him, resting his chin on Alaric's head, his expression mirroring the sdread. "Looks like it." Alaric sighed, "Should we go out there and stop them? Maybe find out who that guy is?" Arthur shrugged. "If you're brave enough to go, be my guest Alaric hesitated. "I'm not that brave.

"Neither am 1" 1" Arthur admitted.

Minutes passed, and the two under the magnolia tree hadn't moved.

Growing more restless, Alaric nudged Arthur again. "Maybe we should tell the older opes and let them handle this?" Arthur shot him a sideways glance. "They won't do anything. They'll just say Athena can take care of herself, and we should mind our own business." Alaric frowned, frustrated. "So, we're just going to stand here and do nothing while our little Athena gets taken away?" Arthur let out a long, resigned sigh. "You know what makes everything better? Games. Only games can cure our worries." 2/4 214 11:04 Fri, Oct 18 Chapter 225 With that, he turned and started to walk away.

"Wait for me!" Alaric called out, quickly chasing after him.

Under the sprawling branches of the magnolia tree, Matthew and Athena reluctantly pulled apart.

He gently tucked la stray hair behind her ear and asked, "Are you cold?" Athena shook her head. "Not at all" The base layer she wore, crafted from a high-tech fabric developed by her family's company, was lightweight yet warm-ideal for winter. Over that, she had a cozy coat that kept the chill at bay.

at Matthew, wondering if he might be feeling the cold instead.

She gold?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "If you are, I can grab a jacket from my place," Are you A shy thought crossed her mind. "Or, um, would you like to cover for a bit? My family wouldn't mind." Matthew chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"No, thanks. If I showed up at your house now, I'd probably scare them. I wouldn't want to disturb them." He paused d for a a moment, then suggested, "How about we

She hooked her arm through his, feeling a thrill run down take a walk around the neighborhood.i if you're not tired or cold?" Athena puffed out her cheeks, trying to stifle a giggle. "Sure! That sounds perfect!" her spine. "A winter night stroll sounds just right."

As they strolled along the quiet path, wrapped up in conversation, Athena suddenly remembered something, "Aren't you spending Christmas Eve with your sister tonight?" "Yeah, Matthew replied. "I spent the day with her. We had our Christmas dinner together this afternoon before I went to the family's house to celebrate with my grandfather. Concern furrowed Athena's brow. "How is your sister doing? Is she recovering well?"

"She's doing great, thanks to you. She can manage simple exercises and Saren't write normally now. But her memory and reaction times aren't quite back to where they were before the accident, so she can't handle anything too complicated just yet. I can't let her meet anyone from the family right now." Athena nodded, understanding the weight of the situation. "That makes sense. If she keeps improving, she should be back. to her old self in a few months..." The neighborhood stretched out before them, and even though they walked slowly, it felt like they were covering a lot of ground.

Eventually, they left the community and made their way down to the lake at the foot of the hill.

The early morning air was biting, the wind howling around the Yet, despite the chill, the warmth in their hearts burned brightly X