Chapter 5 5.

The next morning, Athena, tired of the monotonous routine in the mansion where she spent most of her time alone, decided to invite her friend over to share a soda in the living room and chat.

While Layla was engrossed in her phone, swiping her finger across the screen, Athena calmly filed her nails, occasionally looking at her friend who seemed more interested in chatting than paying attention to her. However, Athena finally broke the silence.

"Last night I had an argument with Valentino," she confided, and Layla immediately looked up. "Again, because of that woman named Lirio," she let out a sigh of disinterest.

"Doesn't that guy ever get tired?" Layla exclaimed with discontent. "What's the problem? It's just a marriage by contract; no one is stopping him from keeping that woman with him."

"It's because his father complained to him, since he didn't want to grant me the place that belongs to me in this mansion." Athena yawned, then looked at her friend. "Do you think I should have canceled everything? This is getting a bit boring."

"I already told you, you should talk to your parents. If I were you, I wouldn't put up with that bitter guy; he can keep his mistress and his factory can fall apart. After all, it's not your problem," she commented, shrugging.

Athena smiled broadly, shaking her head, and her friend looked at her with narrowed eyes, recognizing that malicious laugh as a sign that she was planning something, although Athena did not reveal her plans, and Layla chose not to waste time asking her questions.

At that precise moment, the main door opened, breaking the tranquility of the two young women enjoying their space. Two unwanted presences made their entrance: Valentino, who had just arrived from the company, accompanied by Lirio Moretti, who was holding his arm with a triumphant smile on her face.

"How are things going with your 'friend,' Layla?" Athena suddenly asked, ignoring the newcomers. "You haven't told me anything since we arrived."

"Oh, about that..."

"Apparently, your parents didn't teach you good manners," Valentino cut in, interrupting the conversation. "Can't you see that we just arrived?"

"And what do you want, for me to kiss your feet or something?" Athena inquired without looking up from her nails. "Do what you have to do and leave us alone, is that too much to ask?"

"You're still an arrogant and ill-mannered brat," her fiancé replied coldly. "Lirio will stay for dinner tonight."

"Perfect." This time, Athena looked up with a smile on her lips. "I think that's excellent, because it seems that Miss Lirio has quite limited resources to afford the luxury of tasting the exquisite dishes prepared in this splendid mansion. My parents taught me to help others."

"Valentino, I think it would be better if I left..." Lirio murmured in a low tone, lightly squeezing Valentino's arm as if she were embarrassed.

"No, you're not going anywhere; this is my mansion," he dictated, wrapping his arm around her as Lirio discreetly smiled. Layla exchanged glances with Athena, who maintained an impassive expression. "Athena, you'd better treat Lirio with respect; even though you will be my wife, she is the woman I want."

"I know, darling, I know," she sighed in response. "Isn't it charming? The mistress and the future wife under the same roof and at the same table; I only used to see those things on soap operas." She laughed maliciously, while her friend felt like letting out all the curses stuck in her throat. "Alright, as far as I'm concerned, go ahead, I have no problem with that; after all, the mistress will only be that, a mistress."

"Valentino, my love," Lirio spoke to him in a sweet and apparently calm voice, although he looked noticeably disgusted. "Why don't we go to your room? You must be a bit tired; I'll give you a massage."

"Of course," he replied, turning to her, taking her face in his hands, and kissing her on the lips in front of Athena and Layla. "Come on, I want you to rest too."

Thus, Valentino retreated upstairs, giving Athena a harsh look before disappearing from her sight. Once both of them were gone, Layla put down her phone and stood up, heading towards her friend. She grabbed her arm tightly and looked her in the eyes.

"We are getting out of this shit," she said severely. "Are you going to tolerate these humiliations from that man? Look at what he just did in front of us: he brings his mistress here, says she'll stay for dinner, kisses her in front of his fiancée, and now takes her to his room, surely to do I don't know what kind of filth. I can't let you stay here."

"Don't give it so much importance," she pulled away from his grip, sighing. "Don't you know me, Layla? Do you think something like that even tickles me? Let them be; they're laughing now, and later it will be me."

"You really are hopeless, Ate." Her friend ran a hand through her straight hair in frustration. "If I were in your place, I would have poisoned both of them. Those damn people are doing this on purpose."

"What can I tell you, I'm not a complicated woman who wastes her valuable energy on insignificant things like that."

"Hey," Layla looked at her with interest. "Why don't we go to the pool?"

"What's that all about?"

"The weather is good for getting a tan. You've been spending all this time looking at your wedding preparations and putting up with that idiot, and I've been busy with some work stuff. We deserve to relax," she proposed, approaching her while giving a crooked smile. "Besides, show that cockroach that you're not going to give up."

"Good idea." Athena smiled with complicity. "Let's go, I need a relaxing massage."

The decision made, both women excitedly went upstairs and entered the room in search of their bikinis to enjoy the sun by the pool. Athena chose a rather revealing two-piece set, just like her friend Layla, who chose a yellow one. Athena, for her part, opted for a red bikini, modern and simple. Both sets had triangle-shaped tops that highlighted their figures, and the high-cut bottoms elegantly and boldly revealed the curve of their hips.

Once ready, they wrapped themselves in sarongs and headed for the pool. There, they ordered some refreshing drinks that were placed on small tables next to each lounge chair. In addition, they requested sunscreen and sunglasses to fully enjoy the day.

"Scott, please apply the sunscreen on my body," Athena kindly requested to one of her subordinates present.

The man, pleased, proceeded to carry out the order. Athena lay on her back on the lounge chair, her head slightly tilted to receive the sun, while Scott rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to gently apply the cream to his hands and spread it on Athena's back.

She smiled maliciously, while her friend was engrossed in reading a magazine with her sunglasses on, enjoying a fruit juice. On the other hand, Athena was aware that, in the distance, through one of the mansion's windows, other eyes were watching her.

"Please, spread it all over my back and also on my legs," she instructed him, noticing Valentino standing near the window of his room, watching her as he brought a glass of liquor to his lips.

Scott, following Athena's instructions, began to apply the sunscreen all over her body, delicately massaging her bare back, as well as her legs and thighs. He made circular movements, relaxing every muscle while Athena let herself go and kept her eyes fixed on the window. The male silhouette of Valentino continued to watch her closely, his jaw clenched tightly and anger silently consuming him.

"What are you planning, you bitch?" her friend asked her, who noticed her intentions. "Do you want to make a man who hates you jealous? Don't waste your time, believe me."

"Only I know what I'm doing," she replied calmly, as the man continued with his work. "I want him to be filled with rage, to see another man touch the body of his future wife, and not out of jealousy, but out of pride. My intention is to hit his ego directly. To make him realize that nothing he does with his mistress affects me at all."

"What a way," her friend murmured without giving it much importance.

Valentino went up to his room with Lirio and took off his jacket, leaving it on the bed. Meanwhile, she sat down on one of the sofas, hiding her anger and annoyance after receiving unpleasant comments from Athena. Despite wanting to express her truths directly to her, she chose to restrain herself, showing an image of fragility and helplessness to Valentino.

"Are you okay?" she asked Valentino, approaching him. "That woman is very rude; she only says all that to annoy me because she doesn't want me to be here with you."

"Don't give it any importance. I already made it clear to her that the woman I want is you," he replied, caressing her cheek, but then he moved away to pour himself a drink.

"Won't your father be upset by my presence tonight?" she inquired cautiously.

"It's most likely, but I don't care," he said coldly, approaching the window of his room to look at the garden. "I talked to him and told him I would be willing to marry that woman if she didn't meddle with you or try to drive you away."

"Thank you very much, my love." She smiled broadly and hugged him from behind. "I just want all this to end so we can finally be together, as we've wanted all along."

"Yes... me too," he replied, lost in his thoughts, without giving it much importance.

At that moment, he saw two women heading to the pool, and he noticed how they settled on the lounge chairs, ordering drinks, putting on sunglasses, and requesting sunscreen to get a tan. However, his eyes were especially focused on a small figure with fair skin, dark hair, and a perfectly shaped body, like a model's. The perfect curves, a large and round behind, and breasts that were outlined through the red bikini, caught his attention.

He frowned when he realized that it was her, his fiancée, who smilingly requested the attention of one of the men present to apply sunscreen on her practically naked body, since she only covered the essential areas with two layers of fabric.

He felt disgusted, because he was unable to stand her arrogant behavior, especially when trying to get involved with Lirio, he thought.

His frown deepened even more when he saw a man deliberately massaging his fiancée's body, running his hands over her bare back and legs, touching every inch of her skin as if he were not touching the body of his future wife. What bothered him most was Athena's shameless smile, as if she were enjoying the situation, not knowing that she was only enjoying him watching her from a distance.

"Is something wrong, Valentino?" Lirio asked him, noticing his unusual silence.

"Yes, a lot is wrong right now," he replied, putting the glass of liquor aside and freeing himself from Lirio's grip to leave.

"Where are you going?" she inquired, surprised, but he had already left the room, annoyed. She couldn't understand it until she looked out the window and saw Athena, in the distance by the pool, with that man who was massaging her in an inappropriate way.

The brunette clenched her fists in rage and left the room to follow Valentino, aware that he would surely cause a scandal because of Athena's brazen behavior in the mansion.