Troy And Athena (Forbidden Love Series Book 15)

Athena was disturbed by two piercing hazel eyes which hounded her since the time she had met their owner. No one had looked at her that way in her entire twenty-four years of dismal life. In fact no one had made her feel like the most beautiful woman on earth like those eyes had. Not even Brandon, her fiancé. She sighed as she thought about Brandon and her relationship with him. It wasn't progressing anywhere.

Brandon Kingston was her best friend and the only person who'd been constant in her life for the last twenty years. Having met him on the first day of kindergarten, they'd been inseparable since then as the very best of friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

It was only three months back that Brandon had asked her to marry him, not out of love but out of need. The need for two broken people to support one another. Athena had agreed, there wasn't any other option left for her.

Since birth, she had seen her parents always at each other's throats. There was no love between them. Their marriage was a mistake, conceiving her was a mistake. She was an unwanted child, a burden, a mistake for them. So, when she turned five, they separated and went their own paths, dumping her upon her grandparents, who were too unwell to take care of her. However, her grandpa, Donald Harrison passed away five years later and since then they had been struggling with life. Her parents didn't once enquire about them after that fateful day when her father dumped her here. After her grandpa's death, her granny's health deteriorated further but it was her constant care and monitoring that made her granny recover her health to a certain extent.

Brandon on the other hand too had suffered a lot. He loved his girlfriend, Sarah immensely and was planning to marry her when they had a car accident three years ago. Brandon miraculously survived with fractures and bruises but Sarah died on the spot. Brandon was devastated and inconsolable after hearing the news. He went into a coma and refused to respond for the next one month. His parents had given up hope but Athena hadn't. She had spoken to him for hours and hours and brought him back from the clutches of death. His parents considered Athena as the sole reason why they got their son back. Brandon on the other hand still felt guilty and held himself responsible for Sarah's death. He was a broken man with only one friend, Athena.

That afternoon, she had gone to Brandon's house to attend his sister, Brooke's engagement party. Seeing her so happy with her fiancé, Jake, Athena had wondered why she couldn't have a love such as theirs.  Athena sighed. It was no use thinking about something she couldn't have. Then her thoughts went to that handsome man who she met at her neighbour's house. She couldn't fathom how she laughed for the first time in front of a stranger in such a carefree way. What was his name? Troy! It suited him. He was so handsome! In fact, he was the most handsome guy she'd ever seen! Sighing, she went to her balcony and stood there, watching Laurence's house. She noticed the same black Porsche that she'd seen before while going into their house. It must belong to Troy. So was he still there at their house? She stood watching, driven by some strange force. She wanted to see him again, just a glimpse before she hid herself. His words rang in her ears.

Where were you for so long?

Did he really mean that or was he flirting with her? A guy with such good looks and such an expensive car should be a big flirt, right? Surely he used that line on all girls. 'What were you thinking, Athena? You're already engaged to Brandon, for God's sake,' she reasoned in her head.

A sound of a throat clearing brought her back to earth. She looked out and to her horror, there stood Troy Wagner, leaning against his car and staring at her. She could distinctly see him under the bright porch lights as her balcony was closest to Laurence's house. He smirked seeing her watching him, making Athena realize that she should have run inside seeing him come out. But she had to be lost in thoughts of him, of all the people on earth!

As if reading her mind, he blew her a kiss. She placed her hands up front of her to ward it off. Troy chuckled and climbed into his car. Athena went inside with a smile on her face. What was that? How could she behave this way with a stranger whom she had met only once? She stood in front of her mirror staring at her flushed and excited face. Her bright, wide eyes looked so excited for the first time in their life. Why did she not feel like this with Brandon?

She lay down at last to sleep. It was Monday tomorrow and she had to go to work at Merryhill Elementary School where she taught Fine Arts. It was a subject very close to her heart. Since childhood, painting and sketching were the only thing that gave her happiness. They were her only solace. She had pursued an Undergraduate Course in Fine Arts after graduating from school as well as done internships since the age of sixteen.

Although they weren't hard pressed for money, Athena had worked hard since the age of thirteen. Teaching sketching and painting to children during the weekends gave her the experience and confidence and paved the way for her internship at the age of sixteen. Despite everything, she always found the time to help granny around the house. After her grandpa's death, they had to rent out a wing of their house as well as the shop adjacent to their garage. The income was enough to meet all their expenses.

After a disturbing night she woke up a little late the next morning. The whole night, she had twisted and turned as a pair of hazel eyes chased her in her dreams. She was just ready when Brandon walked into the house on his way to work. He was an architect working at a reputable company. "Athens, ready? Come I'll drop you," he said to her. Athena nodded. Her car was at the garage and she could do with a lift to her school.

"Let's go, Brand. I have a meeting in thirty minutes," she told him. Kissing her granny, she walked out with Brandon following her.

"Will you come home tonight too? Brooke needs your help with the first fitting," said Brandon with a shrug. Brooke and Jake's wedding was coming up in a month and they had ordered Brooke's wedding dress which was ready for the first fitting.

"Sure, I'll be there," said Athena.

"Next month I'll be going away for a month or two to Miami. There's a hotel project coming up and Frederick wants me to supervise the work," he told her. Athena nodded. She knew that Frederick Stewart was Brandon's boss and he liked Brandon immensely for his dedication and hardworking nature. "My promotion is due after the successful completion of this project, " he told her.

"Congrats Brand, you deserve the best," she told him. He smiled.

"Thanks, " he told her. "We've reached your school." He stopped the car in front of her school.

"Bye Brand. I'll see you in the evening, " she told him. He nodded.

"Do you want me to pick you up?" He asked.

"I'll call you if I don't get my car today," she told him, climbing out of the car and walking towards the school building. Ever since Sarah's death, their conversations had become clinical and boring. There was no warmth or fun in their lives. Athena had grown used to it. She would rather adjust with him than be with another person.

Her difficult childhood had made her scared of facing anything new. New people, new relationships, new circumstances, new places, all made her uncomfortable. That was the only reason why she had taken up this job at her own childhood school and not at any other place. She had taken months to adjust to her previous internship and didn't want to go through that pain again.

The whole day, she sailed through doing what she loved. Teaching the little ones to sketch, draw and paint. The school was familiar, the classrooms were familiar, the staff were kind to her and so was the principal since she was an alumna of the school. She was settled here and although the pay wasn't much yet she wouldn't want to be anywhere else than here. The children were close to her and she loved them in return. She had a special way with children and didn't have any inhibitions while teaching new children.

After school she went to the garage but her car wasn't ready yet. She booked an Uber and went home. However the moment she stepped out of the cab, she saw the familiar black Porsche right at Laurence's doorstep. So Troy was here! Would she get to see him again?