Troy And Athena (Forbidden Love Series Book 15)

It had been a tiring day and Troy returned back to his own apartment. He felt the void in his life more whenever he was at Laurence's house. It was the day he had seen Athena last year for the first time and although she was gone from his life, Troy couldn't forget this day. It was the day he had fallen in love, for life. He wanted a moment alone to gather himself together again to face another dismal day tomorrow. 

Pouring himself some whiskey he sat down facing the windows to stare at the dark silhouetted mountains stretching far ahead blending into the darkness of the night. His life was similar to those mountains. Barren! 

Although his parents believed that Athena would return back to him, he had given up hope. Brandon's calls had ceased and Troy had a feeling that he was in love with someone. He could feel his mobile phone vibrating with an incoming call from Laurence. Most probably he wanted to  enquire whether he was going over to his house for dinner or not but Troy wasn't hungry. He just wanted to gather the broken pieces of his shattered heart. 

The doorbell rang but he had no wish to check who it was. He wasn't expecting anyone. Maybe it was his neighbor wanting something. However, when it rang for the third time he got up and walked towards the door, ready to blast his neighbor or whoever it was. Can't a guy have a moment of peace? He opened the door roughly with irritation and was about to blast the person standing at his doorstep when he froze at what he saw. 

There standing like a dream come true was his life, his love, his everything, the woman he'd been searching for like a crazy man for the last one year or so. His Athena! For a moment, time stood still as they both stared at one another.  Troy was too lost to comprehend whether she was real or a figment of his imagination. 

"Troy!" She whispered and he came back to reality. She was real! He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, his eyes filling up with tears which he had been bottling up for so long. He cried uncontrollably, embedding his face into her hair. 

"Where were you, Athena? I'd been searching for you everywhere, " he said as his sobs racked his whole body. Athena was touched by his reaction to her. Granny's words kept going in her head. She had finally found the companion,  the soul mate that God had made for her. Athena wrapped her arms around him, gently caressing his hair and back. 

"Granny died, Troy, " she whispered. Troy froze and slowly looked into her glassy, unfocused eyes. It seemed like she was in a state of shock, as if in a daze. He gently touched her cheek. 

"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't know, " he whispered, pulling her face close to his chest. It was a miracle that in such a state, she'd come to him. So, now that she had, he would never let her go. He noticed that she had come empty-handed, not a handbag nor any luggage was with her. Was she planning to go back to where she came from? He wouldn't let her. He led her inside and closed his door, leading her towards the living room. They sat down beside one another in silence. Troy picked her hand up, stroking it with his thumb, calming her, comforting her.

"How? Was granny serious?" He asked, still at a loss of words.

Athena told him slowly everything that happened since the day he had left. Brandon's visit, her breakup with him, the news about her parents, her granny's heart attack, her hospitalization, everything. 

"I had to sell it all, the shop, the house, everything to pay for the hospital bills. I couldn't go to work so I lost my job," said Athena, staring at their adjoined hands.

"Why didn't you call me, Athena? I would have helped you," he said, feeling hurt. 

"I lost your phone number when my phone broke," she told him. Troy shook his head.

"You could have taken my number from Laurence. You could have left your contact details with the security guard here. We're engaged, Athena. It means that we would be beside one another through good times and bad. You should have let me help you in your bad times," he told her. Athena nodded. She knew that it was the most sensible thing to do but she had lost her senses then seeing granny's condition. It didn't at all occur to her then. 

"I was depressed Troy, it didn't occur to me at all," she whispered, feeling guilty. Troy squeezed her hand. 

"It's alright. You're here now and that's all that matters," said Troy. Under the bright lights, he noticed her hollow cheeks, her sunken eyes, the dark circles under her eyes. It looked like she hadn't eaten for days. 

"Let me make dinner for us, like I did the last time we met, remember?" He said trying to remind her of their date together. It was the last time that he had seen her. 

Athena nodded. "I'll help you," she offered. Of course she remembered their date. How could she forget the best day of her life? Troy agreed to her offer since dinner would be done faster if she helped. He walked towards the kitchen with his heart beating faster, his eyes sparkling with excitement, his hand not leaving hers. Athena followed him feeling comforted by his presence, the warmth of his hand reminding her that she wasn't alone after all.

"Pasta carbonara? Or have you learnt something new?" She asked him softly. Troy stopped mid-stride. He hadn't expected her to remember their date so vividly. He slowly looked into her eyes to find her looking up at him expectantly. There were so many questions reflected in her gaze, questions to which he had the answers ready, if only she would ask him. 

"I lost the motivation to learn anything new," he simply told her. Athena understood what he implied. Her heart filled with a feeling that overwhelmed her senses. It was something more than just attraction, it was more than friendship, it was more than an attachment. It was love. It was a feeling so deep that she could feel it in every cell of her body. She loved him. 

"Now do you have the motivation to learn?" She asked softly, looking away as a blush crept up to her cheeks. Troy couldn't control his heart which seemed to skip a beat or two with excitement. He understood her implication. She had come to stay forever. She had come home to him. 

"Yes, will you teach me?" He asked with a small smile playing on his lips. Athena nodded and they walked into the kitchen together. They made pasta carbonara just like Troy had made on their date, a year back. 

"Let's celebrate with champagne?" Asked Troy, opening a bottle of champagne. 

"What are we celebrating?" She asked him with a blank look on her face. 

"Our first meeting. Today was the day when we first met, nearly a year ago, " said Troy. Athena's eyes lightened up as she remembered the way they met. He was right but what touched her was the fact that he remembered. 

"You remembered?" She asked him, sipping her champagne. 

"I can't forget, Athena. You mean the world to me," he shrugged, digging into his pasta. Athena's face brightened up with a shy smile as her heartbeats quickened and the butterflies started a zumba in her stomach. Troy was glad that he could at least make her smile. 

"How's the pasta? Is it worse or better? I'm cooking after a year, " admitted Troy. Athena nodded. After eating two bites, she just realized how hungry she actually was. She was so grief-stricken that she hadn't eaten a proper meal for the last three days. 

"It's too good, the best I've eaten in a year," she admitted, ravenously digging into the food. Troy chuckled and ate his.  

"So if you had sold off your house, where are you staying?" Asked Troy. Athena told him about the room that she had rented. "Tomorrow we'll go there to get your stuff. You can release it and move in with me. Understood?" he ordered. Athena nodded. She wanted to live with him forever. 

"The police officers who helped me admitted granny to the hospital helped me get a job at a good art gallery. I had joined as an intern. I'll soon be promoted. The pay is good and I love the job, " she told Troy. 

"That's very good news indeed," he told her. Then he told her about his meeting with Brandon. "I'll have to inform him that I've found you. He was worried too," said Troy.

"No, I don't want him back here, fighting with me for breaking up with him," said Athena with dismay.

"He won't fight with you anymore. He's accepted us," he told her. "So do you remember my proposal, Athena?"