She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew) novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66
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“No mistake there.” Wesley chuckled. “The extra 200 thousand dollars is the interest you deserve. With a wave of his hand. he said. “Let’s go upstairs and pick out rooms. If you’re missing anything, we’ll just buy online.”
The others didn’t pay much attention to the matter and followed Wesley upstairs, laughing and chatting.
Athena stared at the figure on the IOU, her mind frozen for several seconds before a warm sensation flowed through her, and her nose tingled with a touch of emotion. Whether it was a million, ten million, or even a hundred million, those were just mumbers to her. Yet, she could deeply feel the affection her parents had infused into that number.
She understood why her parents had given her the IOU in front of the whole family. They wanted everyone to witness that they indeed owe her a million dollars. ‘Is this what it feels to be loved by your parents? Athena thought with a smile. It feels wonderful’ She sniffed, tucking the 10U into her bag before joining her family upstairs.
The second floor had a small living room at the top of the stairs. To the left was the spacious master bedroom, around 400 square feet. To the right, a hallway stretched out with two rooms on each side. Each room, about 300 square feet, came with a balcony, bathroom, and floor-to-ceiling windows, even more luxurious than a five-star hotel room.
Claire waved to her daughters. “Maria, Athena, Josie, you three go ahead and pick first.
“I have a lot of study materials and equipment, so I need a separate room for a study. I also prefer a quiet environment for reading. If you all don’t mind. I’d like to take two rooms on the second floor of the annex,, Athena said with a smile.
Everyone quickly agreed. “We don’t mind at all. There are plenty of rooms. Take as many as you want.”
Josie looked
пр and raised her hand. “Athena, can I live next to you?”
Athena patted her head. “Of course.”
Maria hesitated before mustering the courage to speak. “T-I’d like to stay on the second floor of the annex too. I promise I won’t disturb your studies.”
“Sure, it’ll be convenient for us girls to stay together, Athena replied with a gentle tone.
Maria let out a quiet sigh of relief, her eyes lit up with joy.
“The master bedroom over there is the biggest, so it belongs to Mom and Dad!” Arthur shouted, running down the hallway and stopping at a door. I’ve already got my eye on this room. You can see the front gate from here. No one’s taking it from
me
He then hugged the door with both arms and legs, pressing his cheek against it as if embracing a lover. With a blissful expression, he said, “This room is my dream room. I’ll stay here for the rest of my life. I’ve decided-I want to die in this villa. And after I’m gone, bury my ashes in the backyard, so I can stay here forever.
Everyone burst out laughing at Arthur’s exaggerated antics.
Claire smacked him lightly on the arm and shot him a playful glare. “Stop talking nonsense
Athena pursed her lips, holding back a smile. She was tempted to say, “Have you considered we might not be here for long before moving into an even bigger, more beautiful villa?”
After choosing the rooms in the main house, they moved on to the annex. Though less luxurious than the main house, the annex was still quite exquisite. The largest room on the second floor was about 300 square feet, while the others were around 200 square feet
Athena said bluntly. “Since I have a lot of stuff, I’ll take the largest room. After Maria and Josie choose their rooms, the remaining one will be my study. If you find the rooms too small suggest you stay on the second floor of the main house.”
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“It’s not small at all, Maria quickly said. “I think every room here is spacious.” She didn’t have many belongings, so a 200- square-foot was more than enough for her.
room
Josie chose the smallest room right next to Athena’s. She was so thrilled that she started singing. “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands…”
Claire seemed more interested in the backyard. “I want to plant something out there. You all should take a look and tell me what you’d like to grow.”
The backyard was almost a thousand square feet, featuring a small pond, a gazebo, and a storage room. Scattered throughout were just a few sparse flowers and plants.
Claire was charmed by the space. She explored every corner, breathing in the fresh air and taking in the surroundings. “Td like to set up a few small vegetable patches and plant some greens, cucumbers, and tomatoes. That way, we can eat freshly picked vegetables every day!”
Athena chuckled to herself. She had read in the news about older folks enjoying gardening and growing vegetables in their villas, and it turned out to be true. Although planting vegetables in the villa might have clashed with its aesthetics, ultimately, they could do whatever they wanted in their own home.
“We need flowers too! What kind of flowers do you all like? I’ll plant a bit of everything.” Claire said eagerly, already envisioning the vibrant blooms that would soon brighten the backyard. “Wesley, I know you like lilies and marigolds. I’ll definitely plant them if I can.”
I like fragrant flowers, Athena said, “Roses and tulips are nice, and I especially like péonies
Mária chimed in. “I like daisies.”
Josie said with a beaming smile, I like sunflowers.
“I like edible flowers, Arthur said with a mischievous grin.
Claire laughed. “Alright, I’ve taken a mental note. I’ll make a trip to the flower market soon.”
Everyone was in high spirits in the backyard, looking forward to living in their new home.
Arthur glanced around expectantly. “Guys, shouldn’t we start packing now?”
It was only 4:30 in the afternoon, so they had plenty of time.
“Alright, let’s head back to the old house and pack up. After that, we’ll go out for a big feast. It’s my treat!” Wesley said cheerfully.
Everyone clapped with smiles on their faces.
Josie looked at Athena with hopeful eyes, asking. “Athena, are you moving in tonight?”
Athena nodded with a warm smile. “Yes, I’ll go back now and pack my clothes.”
Though Athena enjoyed her solitude and wasn’t used to living with so many people, the warmth of the Donovan family was comforting, and her mother’s cooking was simply too good to resist. She couldn’t help but look forward to living with her family
That evening, as Athena was relishing the joy of moving into the villa with her family, Zoe received an email from her private investigator. (AS 1-delved into Athena’s records, I came across this photo. The phone screen in the picture shows the name “Lucy Graham, who happens to be Matthew’s sister and has been out of the public eye for five years. I
The email came with a photo attached. It was taken by the private investigator at Zoe’s party. There had been many reporters at the event, and the students and teachers were also taking pictures, so Athena hadn’t been particularly cautious
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of cameras.
The investigator had hidden in a corner on the second floor, using a telephoto lens to capture Athena from behind at a side angle. At that moment, Athena was looking at her phone, with her fingers and body obscuring most of the screen, but the words “Dr. Annie” and “Lucy Graham were visible.
Zoe’s heart raced as she stared at the message, almost crying out in shock. “Matthew’s sister, Lucy?”
‘It’s been five years since Lucy last appeared in public. How could Athena be connected with her? And who is this Dr. Annie?” Zoe wondered, her brow furrowing as she tried to make sense of the new information. How many more secrets is Athena hiding