From Betrayal to Brilliance Her Rise to a New Life novel Chapter 350

**TITLE: Her Rise 350**
**From Betrayal to Brilliance: Her Rise to a New Life**

**Chapter 350: Zaden Bakes?**

Athena could feel the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her. The answer she sought was just around the corner, and she was resolute in uncovering whether Teri was truly the child of Maya or not.

As dawn broke the following morning, Athena stirred from her slumber, the soft light filtering through the curtains. She blinked a few times, shaking off the remnants of sleep. Almost instinctively, she glanced over to Teri, who was still wrapped in her dreams. The sight of her daughter brought a smile to Athena’s face, but it was soon replaced by a sense of urgency.

Once she had washed her face and brushed her teeth, she made her way downstairs, Teri trailing behind her. As they entered the dining room, the familiar aroma of coffee wafted through the air, and there sat Zaden, cradling a steaming mug in his hands.

“Morning, Daddy!” Teri chirped, her voice bright and cheerful.

Athena hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by Zaden’s early presence. After a brief pause, she mustered a smile and replied, “Good morning.”

A twinge of guilt gnawed at her insides. The previous night had been a whirlwind of emotions. Teri had spent the evening with her, and once the little one drifted off to sleep, Athena had heard Zaden’s footsteps as he entered their home. She had feigned sleep, her heart racing, terrified at the thought of confronting him. What if he wanted to discuss the topic that loomed over them like a dark cloud?

Fortuitously, Zaden had chosen not to awaken her.

As he lifted his gaze, their eyes met briefly, and Athena instinctively turned away, her heart pounding. *Please, let him not figure it out.*

Last night, Zaden had intended to check on her, hoping to coax her back to their room. But upon witnessing the tender sight of Athena and Teri cuddled together, he had hesitated, fearing that waking them might disturb Teri’s peace and make her think he was intruding on their bond.

Once they were seated at the table, Teri piped up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Daddy, Mommy promised to come to the school event today!”

Zaden turned his attention to Athena, who was momentarily lost in thought. She snapped back to reality, nodding slightly. “Yes, I promised Teri last night.”

Zaden’s expression shifted as he continued, “Every parent is expected to bring a dish for the event, whether it’s homemade or store-bought. Have you prepared anything?”

Athena felt a wave of panic wash over her. *A dish? Teri never mentioned that to me.* All she had asked for was her presence.

*What should I do? Is there still time to whip something up?*

Zaden seemed to sense her distress and reassured her, “It’s perfectly fine if you didn’t manage to make anything. I took care of it.”

Athena’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. *He made something?* Had he really risen early to bake?

As Zaden stood and headed toward the kitchen, she followed him with her eyes, curiosity piqued. He returned moments later, proudly holding a baking tray.

Maya’s expression darkened upon spotting them, her eyes glinting with a calculating look.

For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze as both women regarded each other in silence.

Then, with a quick flicker of her gaze, Maya masked her thoughts and approached them with an air of nonchalance. She scrutinized Athena, her lips curling into a smirk. “Well, well, Athena. What a coincidence running into you here.”

“It certainly is a coincidence, Professor Rice,” Athena replied, her tone cool and collected.

This was the first exchange they’d had since their last confrontation. Their previous encounter had been tense, stemming from Maya’s visit with Ariana, where Athena had chosen silence over engagement. Despite their animosity, they were bound by their professional ties at Storm Group’s hospital, necessitating a facade of civility.

Maya’s smile was faint but laced with an underlying tension. “I’ll head in first. I guess I’ll catch you later.”

With her head held high, Maya strode toward the school entrance, exuding an air of arrogance that made Athena’s skin crawl.

Athena squinted, still grappling with confusion. *Why is Maya even here? She doesn’t have a child with her, so she must not be here as a parent.*

Unable to unravel the mystery, Athena decided to brush it off. She was there solely as Teri’s mother for the event, and she wouldn’t let Maya’s presence intimidate her. She had no reason to fear her anymore.