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Athanasios

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

“You’re not just going to turn your back and walk away, Brooklyn. I don’t leave things unfinished. I know you married a bastard who lied to you, but I’m not him, dammit!”

The door was already open, but she spins around, shocked. “You lied to me.”

“No, I didn’t tell you about my plans. That’s completely different.”

“Maybe in your world, Athanasios, but in mine, omission and lies are the same.”

“It wasn’t an omission. We never even talked about the future.”

“ Your future, right? Febe told me you can’t have kids and that’s why you chose me—because I already have the twins.”

“What?”

“You played dirty! You even gave them a dog!”

I look at her like I’m seeing her for the first time.

I know I’m an arrogant, selfish bastard. I’m self-centered and have a deep disdain for most of the damn world, but to think Brooklyn sees me as someone unscrupulous enough to approach her because of her children hits a painful nerve inside me.

It’s not even the lie that miserable Febe told about me being unable to have kids that’s driving me mad right now. I’ll deal with her later.

This is about Brooklyn. About us.

Yes, I started my relationship with her planning to secure a marriage of convenience, but what’s been happening between us these past few days has nothing to do with that anymore.

“Look at me, Brooklyn.” She lifts her head, tears in her eyes, but I don’t let myself be moved. “I wanted a marriage of convenience because I never thought I could get involved with someone to the point of wanting to marry for any reason other than to build a family. But I would never use your kids. I would never use you.”

She looks at me, maybe trying to figure out if I’m serious, but this conversation is over.

“I’ll send a message asking security to take you home. We’ll talk, but not today. Not now. We’re both unstable, and I have things to deal with first. Don’t think for a second, though, that we’re done.”

“I don’t think we need to talk anymore.”

“A relationship isn’t just about what you think. We’re a couple.”

She doesn’t say another word and walks out of my office.

Everything in me screams to follow her, but I know we both need space right now.

Besides, I’m furious. There’s someone who needs to hear from me far more urgently than Brooklyn does.

I grab my phone almost immediately after the door closes, and it rings only twice before my mother answers.

“Athanasios, what a surprise!”

“Never interfere in my life like this again.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your manipulation is going to cost Febe her job, Mother. There isn’t a soul on this planet who will dictate my future. Your favorite isn’t the woman I want to marry.”

“She’s perfect for you.”

“Get this into your head: even if Febe were the last woman on Earth, I wouldn’t marry her. If the survival of our species depended on me sleeping with her, humanity would end. Do you understand what I’m saying, Mother? Brooklyn Foster is the one I want. Nothing will change that. I’m going to marry her. I’ll have children with her, and it’ll be by her side that I'll take my last breath.”

“She’s different from us.”

“Yes, she is. She’s so much better. Stop interfering, or I swear to God I’ll cut you out of my life.”

I hang up, wanting to break something, but before anything else, I have a mission.

Just as I place my hand on the doorknob, though, the door opens, and my partners walk in.

“What’s going on?” William asks immediately, looking at me.

“Febe’s out. I don’t care if I’m mixing personal and professional issues; that woman is not stepping foot here again.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” L.J. says, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. “But I want to know what happened.”

I quickly explain the fight with Brooklyn and how I know this whole mess was orchestrated by my mother and her protégé.

“Damn! Medeia really went too far this time, man.”

“I’m going to deal with it.”

“Deal with what? The situation with Brooklyn?” William asks. “I know you’re angry, but you need to see things from her perspective too. Look us in the eye and tell us honestly that even with everything you’ve been through with your girlfriend, the whole marriage of convenience thing wasn’t part of the equation.”

“It started that way. Not anymore. She’s the one I want. I’m not giving up. Brooklyn is mine, and I’ll make her see that.”

“Maybe you need to change your strategy,” L.J. says.

“What do you mean?”

“She’s hurt, Athanasios. That bastard Jordan hurt her. Brooklyn won’t believe words; she’ll believe actions.”

William steps aside to take a call while Lazarus continues, “I think you should give her some space. A few days, at least.”

“That’s not my style.”

“You don’t have a ‘style’ when it comes to a woman like her. What past relationship of yours even compares to what you have with her?”

I don’t answer, but the tension in my jaw speaks volumes.

“Febe’s coming,” William says, hanging up his phone.

“Are we firing her now?” L.J. asks.

“Yes,” William says, “but I’ve also called one of our lawyers. I want him here to witness the termination.”

Febe Georgiou has been waiting in the hallway for about half an hour. We’ve been meeting with the lawyer to make sure everything is handled properly.

“I don’t care if we have to pay her compensation. I don’t want her here anymore,” I say.

“There’s no just cause for the termination. You’ll likely have to pay a substantial amount since her contract isn’t up for another two years,” the lawyer explains.

“I don’t give a damn. She’s out.”

“I understand, Dr. Pappakouris, but I ask that when she comes in, you let me handle the termination. It’ll be better if we don’t bring personal issues into this.”

I nod in agreement. All I want is to never have to see her face again.

William gets up to call her in, and about ten minutes later, it’s all over.

Febe didn’t protest or even ask why she was being fired. She stayed impassive, which irritated me even more.

However, as everyone says their goodbyes, she makes a request: “Athanasios, may I have a word with you in private?”

The lawyer is gone, leaving only me and my two partners. She’s no longer our employee, so anything that happens now falls under personal matters.

“If you want to talk to Athanasios, it’ll be in front of us,” L.J. warns. “We don’t trust you, Febe. You won’t get a chance to pull anything.”

Normally, I’d dismiss their protection, but considering her desperate behavior when she confronted Brooklyn, I don’t doubt she has something up her sleeve.

“We have nothing more to discuss, Ms. Georgiou,” I say.

“You can’t treat me this way,” she protests, losing her composure for the first time and seemingly forgetting about my partners. “We’ve been friends our whole lives. We could’ve been so much more.”

My anger erupts like a volcano. “We’ve been acquaintances , Febe. I’ve always made it clear that we would be nothing more, and your refusal to accept that I never wanted you . . . that I never will want you . . . has cost you your job.”

“It would’ve been worth it if I could’ve made you see that I’m perfect for you.”

“Brooklyn is perfect for me. She’s the woman who will stay in my life forever. Our professional relationship is over, Febe, but unfortunately, you’ll still be around because of our parents’ friendship. So make a mental note: if you go near my woman again, I swear you’ll regret it. That’s not a threat—it’s a promise.”