"Who dares—" The stranger's tongue became numb as he turned to see who had dared to interfere with his affairs. Behind him, Nikolov Zhestkiy was dominating, his much taller frame surprising the man, and the grip on his hand was getting even more painful.
"Sir, I believe you've heard for yourself that this lady doesn't want to drink with you." The grip grew tighter, until it seemed like a grip that would break his arm. Unable to bear the pain, the man said with a red face.
"Yes, yes, yes! I understand, now let me go!" Nikolov wrenched his hand away. Red marks and handprints left the man's skin. After giving Athena an annoyed look, the stranger then left in a hurry.
"You don't have to do that. What if he decides to make a scene?" Athena said, standing beside the towering Nikolov. She had always walked behind him, watching his gaunt back. Being beside him like this was a strange, new experience.
"I think thank you is the most appropriate thing for you to say, Secretary Athena." Nikolov picked up his glass and poured himself some wine. "Besides, what would you have done if I hadn't come?" He asked, swirling the glass that was already filled with red liquid.
Turning her body, Athena replied, "If he keeps bothering me and wearing me out, maybe I'll hit him in the face."
"Tsk, I knew it. Secretary Athena would do that." Nikolov wet his lips with the red wine. "But wouldn't that mean you'd be causing a scene? What if that man isn't just anyone and makes things difficult for you?"
Athena was silent thinking about Nikolov's answer to her, she looked far ahead and turned her head towards Nikolov. "You will help me," and looked away again when she had not seen any change in her former boss's expression.
"How did you know I would help you? What if I just left you alone?" Hearing that question, Athena didn't need to think any further about her answer, because Nikolov had always been there for her.
He may have been Director Nikolov's last line of defense for four years, but Nikolov wasn't someone who would easily abandon his people. While her boss couldn't retaliate with blows, he would retaliate and protect his people in other ways.
That was then, and Athena was sure that Nikolov was still like that now.
Athena decided to remain silent, not answering questions that she felt didn't need to be explained.
The cheers from the audience before them suddenly became thunderous. Up above, five women were already standing in formation on the stage. The blonde-haired woman in the black dress was at the front, waiting for the music to start.
The music started playing and they started dancing and singing enthusiastically, making the screams from the audience, which was mostly young, unstoppable.
Athena wanted to know if Nikolov was watching the performance or not. Oh, of course he was watching the performance before him.
"Do you remember it?" Athena asked.
"What?" Nikolov asked softly.
"Miss Tiffany." She said, taking a whiff of the wine in the luxurious glass.
"..."
"Yes. I remember Tiffany well." Nikolov replied after a long silence.
"Oh," Athena whispered.
"Last time her hair was honey brown, now she's dyed it blonde." Nikolov commented again, still watching the five women moving their bodies to the upbeat music. Their voices also sounded steady.
"She has changed her hair many times since becoming an idol—"
"—like you."
"Uh?" Athena turned to Nikolov who suddenly said something that surprised her quite a bit.
"Miss Tiffany's hair color is the same as yours." She didn't understand why she suddenly felt a little hot, she blamed it all on the wine that had only just wet her lips.
Suddenly, the former director started talking about her hair, or was it Tiffany's hair? It was just that her mind was suddenly reeling, and Athena changed the subject like a pro.
"How have you been these past three years, director?" Athena asked, leaning against the wall behind.
"What do you think? Do I look good?"
"Yes, you look much better." She replied.
"Okay."
There were so many questions she wanted to ask the man next to her. What happened to him after the kidnapping? Was he injured? Or, why did he leave the company and his sister alone, while he ran away here?
He seemed to be living well, but he had let his sister live alone for the past three years—Athena was silent. She had allowed herself to be consumed by confusion and questions for three years that no one could answer except Nikolov himself.
However, Athena would keep that question to herself for now. Later, if they met again and the timing was right, she would ask Nikolov.
"Thank you for entrusting the young lady to me." Athena knew from the start that the person who had ordered her to look after Yelizaveta was Nikolov.
"Out of all the people, I can't think of a single person I can trust to look after my sister. Secretary Stuart is so old and has so much on his plate. I don't trust any of my coworkers. Especially with Uncle and Aleksei there. Out of all the people around me, I can only think of you." Nikolov explained, leaving Athena speechless. At first, she thought Nikolov felt guilty and gave her the job of looking after Yelizaveta.
Who would have thought that it was also because Nikolov trusted her?
"How about you?"
"Hmm?" Athena gasped after Nikolov's sudden question brought her out of her reverie.
"Are you okay? After what happened, are you okay?" Nikolov asked again, looking into her blue eyes.
"I, I don't know." Athena answered hesitantly, unsure if she had been okay for the past three years. It was a deeply traumatic event that left a deep mark on. Not to mention the problems with her leg treatment. She thought she would never be able to walk again. Furthermore, she had been afraid to travel to distant, lonely places for over a year.
"Maybe.. I'm starting to feel better." She replied then.
Amidst the loud music, the atmosphere between Athena and Nikolov felt so silent and awkward as they didn't say anything for a while.
Until Nikolov broke the silence between them. "Sorry."
"Hmm?"
"Sorry."
"You don't have to—"
"Ah, I haven't congratulated you yet," Nikolov suddenly interrupted. "Congratulations on your wedding, Secretary Athena."
Instead of being happy, Athena's beautiful face wrinkled. "I'm sure you know that the marriage failed."
"Tsk tsk,"
"If you laugh, I won't hesitate to give you a punch." Athena interrupted, seeing Nikolov holding back his laughter.
"I'm not laughing, I'm really not laughing. I'm... concerned." Suddenly, Athena threw a light punch at Nikolov's arm. They laughed, where neither of them realized that the atmosphere between them was slowly thawing, becoming warmer and forgetting the awkwardness and stiffness that had always existed between them.
Something she and Director Nikolov had never done three years ago.
Amidst their laughter, Athena searched for Yelizaveta's figure in the crowd, because it was her duty, to look after the young lady, but unfortunately, her smile disappeared, then replaced with panic after not finding Yelizaveta anywhere.
"Director, I don't see the young lady anywhere!" She said, checking again, and still nothing. She was sure that Yelizaveta was truly gone after Nikolov's face changed.
....