Athena's Pov

“Because there's a hell lot of men here.” Ares gritted through his teeth with the fakest smile possible.

He was trying to be polite about it because grandpa was here. And I was loving how just a simple life decision of mine can annoy him enough to lose his calm.

“Then fire all of them. I'm not going to change the way I dress.”

“She shouldn't and she will not change because of your staff.” Grandpa says with finality. “If you think they’re predators, you shouldn't have hired them in the first place. Now might not be a bad idea to rethink that.”

I love seeing the three scary men nod like puppies like they just did.

“That reminds me, why aren't there any women here? Why is all of your staff male?” I asked curiously.

“We get along better with men.” Hades answers, taking a bite of his super healthy vegan bacon that tastes like vomit.

“Oh so you're gay? I didn't know that.” I say just so I could piss them off.

“We aren't in fifth grade, darling. A gay joke won't make us mad.” Zephyr scoffs, shaking his head in disappointment.

It was worth a shot.

“I was just saying. Wasn't trying to get a reaction out of you.” I shrug trying to hide the embarrassment.

“To expand your knowledge we do employ women.” Ares said. “But the ones who get to come into our mansion are the most trusted and in our line of work there's lesser women to choose from.”

“What do you mean by your line of work? What's so unique about steel and arms industries? Aren't there enough women in it?”

Zephyr cleared his throat. “He meant there weren't many women in it when we started out nearly sixteen years ago so we employed men. They became our trusted and it just went on like that.” That makes sense I guess.

“Glad to hear you don't absolutely loathe women.”

I don't even know why we're still here if all of us are done with our breakfast. Even the slowest of us; Hades is finished and so he decided to join the conversation again.

“Think about it this way, if you were employing people to be in your home for nearly the whole day, would you prefer men or women?”

I would rather just have the people I want to be around me. The only answer that came instantly to my mind was grandpa and Tristan. His parents could take a guest room if they ever come to visit us.

But why am I even thinking about this? It's a stupid question by a stupid person and I'm gonna give a stupid answer.

“I would love a house full of men.”

“Does she even think before opening her mouth?” Hades asked grandpa, irritated by my words.

“We all know she's joking.” He sighed.

“It was always us three so we never felt the need to employ a woman. If you want we can temporarily hire someone to assist you for the remaining twenty-five days of your stay.” Ares added.

“She’s fine. We’ll be out before you know it.” Grandpa said with distaste.

Of course he’s unimpressed by how they're counting days just as I am. We can't tolerate each other but for some reason I hate how bothered they are simply because I’m living here. So I say the best insult —after gay tag— that I have for fragile egoistic men.

“Between the two of us,” I lean towards Zephyr’s ear as he’s the closest to me. “Is your hatred for women natural or is it because of your mommy issues?”

I couldn't even predict his next move as he was way faster than I am. He swiftly got up and pushed me up from my chair by grabbing my arm in a death grip.

He got into my face and by his expressions I knew I just struck a thick nerve. “You think you're funny?”

Before I could beg him to leave me, grandpa had already rushed towards us and tried to push Zephyr away. But he wasn't willing to leave me.

“Get your hand off her, Zephyr!” Grandpa yelled at him.

He finally let me go and my savior instantly pushed me behind himself so I won't have to face the man out for blood. I'm glad he's here or these brothers would’ve killed me long ago.

“It's because of you that she thinks she can say bullshit anytime she wants.” Ares matched grandpa’s tone.

Now that I was in a much safer place I was more confident to stand my ground. So I tried to explain my point but unintentionally messed up more than I already had.

“Chill. It's not a big deal to have mommy issues. I have those too. Atleast your mamma wanted to be with you, mine’s an asshole.” I chuckled to lighten the mood.

“Shut the fuck up, Athena!” Hades commanded. He was visibly furious but I was glad he was still calmer compared to his brothers.

Zephyr was ready to get his hands on me but I hid myself behind his father. They're all scared of him and fortunately for me, he’s on my team.

“Dad tell her to not talk about her again or I swear I'll forget she's your granddaughter!”

I stuck my face out of grandpa’s side and glared at Zephyr. “I'll talk about her as much as I want. She's my grandmother.”

“She was our mother. She's nothing to you. Any tag of a relationship you might have had with her ended when we disowned you.” He spat the words at me.

That was cruel.

It's all my fault that I provoked the heartless men. Why would they care about my feelings? More so why do I always expect them to?

He’s right. I'm nothing to them.

I'll never be. Neither do I want to be.

“If any one of you touches her or even dares to think about hurting her, I'll kill you with my own hands.” Grandpa yells with conviction clear in his voice.

Tears started gathering in my eyes and I pushed myself further back behind grandpa. Why do I always feel like crying? Why do I feel heartbroken each time these three men show me how unlovable I am?

I hate them. Their existence doesn't matter. Then why do their statements hurt so much? Why does it make me feel like I'm not good enough to be chosen?

I should stop trying to satisfy my desire for revenge with our silly breakfast arguments. I always end up hurting myself.

As I subtly wipe some tears away, my eyes connect with Hades who’s standing behind grandpa while both of his brothers are in front of him, unable to see how pathetically I’m crying over something that I shouldn't be affected by.

He keeps looking at me, not bothering to save me from embarrassment by pretending he didn't see anything. He knows I don't want to look weak but he still doesn't look away.

I gulp with his undivided attention. His face turns neutral from a raging one and he breathes more calmly as he looks at me like he's considering something.

I glare at him through the tears but he still doesn't drop his gaze. He wanted to see me breakdown. I'm sure he's enjoying every second of it.

“I'm going to my room.” I whisper to grandpa. He nods in response and I rush out of the dining room.

There goes another sobbing session with Tristan, telling him all the events in detail with each dialogue almost exactly interpreted as it happened.

———

Zephyr's Pov

Twenty-three more days and that brat will be out of our mansion.

Out of our lives.

I purposely took the stairs so I won't have to see her as I pick up some files and leave for office again. I know where she'll be and I really don't want to get into another useless argument when my day’s going fairly well.

Apparently, she's developed a fondness for staying in the elevator. She would take her phone and some snacks and sit in their for hours. She's even made it comfortable by adding some cushions and a small carpet for herself.

She's so immature.

I grab the files I had to specially come back for —since we don't trust people to go into our offices. But to my surprise she's in my way again. She really has the worst timing.

Before she can notice me in the hallway and possibly try her best to annoy me —which she’ll do in a limit because dad isn't around to come to the rescue— her phone rings.

Her eyebrows furrow looking at the caller id and she immediately takes notice of her surroundings. I hide from her view and when she sees the coast is clear, she picks up the call.

I know something is up and I'm obviously gonna stay to find out.

“What?” She asks, irritated. She doesn't wait for the other person to talk and speaks again. “I told you not to call me.”

By how cautious she is, I know it's someone she doesn't want us and dad to know about. This could only mean one thing, she’s in the wrong company. Again.

These teenagers think they're smart but end up in the worst situations by their own poor decisions.

After waiting a few seconds, possibly hearing from the other side she speaks again with equal rudeness. “Stop begging me! I don't have a single cent.”

My mind races with all the possible reasons someone would call a sixteen year old to borrow cash. I hope it's a friend. But considering how she's mad about the call, she doesn't like the person on the other end.

Could it be that someone is blackmailing her?

“I haven't left this bloody place for a whole week so grandpa thinks I don't need money and hasn't spared me anything.” She explained with frustration.

“Don’t baby me! I'm not a bank you can call anytime to withdraw from. You're well over forty, if you’d stop wasting all of your salary in casinos then maybe you'd be financially stable by now.” She harshly whispered in the microphone and dropped her voice even more. “Any relationship we had is in the past. I’ve moved on so you better get a life too.”

I suck in a harsh breath as everything makes sense now. She's talking to an ex. He doesn't wanna leave her alone even after they've broken up. When they were together she definitely used to spend her money on him which makes him believe he can ask for more whenever he needs.

A strange feeling of… saving someone surges through me when I consider a forty year old man thinking he could mess with our- our father's granddaughter.

If he thought she doesn't have anyone to save her from a pedo like him, he’s mistaken.

I'm glad she's left the mother fucker but the rage doesn't end there. I have to get some blood on my hand before I forgive the man who tricked her.

Dad hasn't given us any names saying we don't deserve it —but we’re positive he will before leaving— so I'll get what I can for the time being.

That bastard can't talk her back into whatever he convinced her for.

She hears the other person for minutes before she shakes her head. “ I can't promise anything right now but…” She sighs. “Give me twenty three days, once I'm out of here I'll come meet you.”

She waits again. “Okay. And don't call me again, I'll call you. If grandpa gets to know about this, it's over. He won't ever let me meet you again.”

Once I hear her mumble a ‘bye’ and cut the call, I exit without making a sound. I clench and unclench my hands the whole drive to the office.

I wanted to stay home and tell her how dumb it is to get with a guy so old. She shouldn't date in the first place. But I knew the scolding was useless because the worse had already happened now.

And she would never take my advice —no matter how useful it might prove for her.

The sudden urge to throw fists at someone's untouched face is getting harsher with each minute. I nearly kicked the door open before I reminded myself I had an image to keep up —as this was our corporate office— and composed myself.

I enter the meeting room and close the door behind me. Whenever we want to work together, we choose this room and both of my brothers are waiting for me to be back with the files so we can finalize the proposal for a project.

“Get Athena’s call records.” I tell Ares.

He’s the best at socializing and forming one-sided loyal connections. Any problem we might have, he knows just the right person to solve it. I'm sure he must have contacts in the phone company too.

“Something happened?” He asked, concerned.

“I heard her talk to a forty year old man who she had an affair with. I want all his details. I’ll disassemble him myself.”

“Are you sure she was talking to a guy? And that too of a specific age?” Hades asked.

“Yes. I'm sure.”

“Ares, get the records.” Hades tells our eldest brother then turns to me. “I think we should still ask Athena's side before doing anything.”