I lift my head off of the steering wheel and unlock the car for Minhyuk. He held two bags of noodles in his hands. " Jae Eun, That's your girl. He called her Athena. He said he wanted to show her a "good time". They are leaving right now" He jabs his finger out the window where Athena walked out of the lot with that man. He was no competitor of mine. He smiled at her in a familiar way that she smiled at me. This man dark in color, by a glimpse, adorn over my woman, stood taller than I did. His muscles held more capacity than mine did. Physically he would out run me in the battle of love, but where her heart lies is my bed of solitude.

Athena is mine. She is the my saving grace. So as much as a maniac I looked, I would get her back. I started the car and Minhyuk hollered in glee. Today my heart sung ballads at the sight of her. I was beyond cowardly for walking away. No I ran away, and for the second time, I've let down myself.

" I don't like the way he was making googly eyes at her. I say you take him in the front, and I'll catch him in the back. Knock him around a couple times th—

——Would you shut up?" I ask pulling out of the lot after them. Minhyuk puts on his seat belt and tosses the bags behind us. He grabs a mask from the dashboard and puts it on his face. " I think he said he was taking her to their spot. Do you think they've known each other long?" He asks and I scoffed.

" Of course they do, Athena doesn't just let people she doesn't trust hug her. She's very mannered."

"Didn't you mention that you guys "connected" fast? Don't think I don't know what that means" I mean we did have sex , upon our second meeting, but that was because she had no intentions of seeing me again. " She's not like that. I thought I told you how good she was to me already" I gripped the wheel tighter my knuckles turning white. "Not to discourage you friend, but that was one handsome looking fellow." He says and I clenched my jaws.

I sped up a little, in anticipation. Not too far from them, I turned when they did. I wouldn't let her get away anymore. I am not going to let her slip from me. A woman like Athena is almost impossible. Not a woman in South Korea could measure up to Athena. Athena, named after the goddess of wisdom, courage, and strength, her name that suit her well. Athena is a strong woman. My heart pained me, the thought of a life without Athena, and our baby was not a life I wanted.

•. •. •

Athena's pov

"Is that car following us?" I asked Josiah. He peaks out the window, then checks his mirror. " I am not sure. Maybe it's headed where we are headed" He tells me and I tilt my head. "Where are we headed Siah? I don't want to die today" I teased and he laughed. He checks his mirror again and subtly. " They got on those masks you see at the hospital." He says in a whisper. I frowned and turned to look out of the window.

" Masks? In South Korea, that's actually quite common" I say peeking out of the window. My heart raced and I fisted Josiah's sleeve. " Pull over somewhere, please. Hurry" I ushered him. I couldn't see very clearly, but the driver and passenger was definitely asian. The driver seemed more familiar. His blonde hair came low behind his ear.

Josiah stops the car, pulling over to the side of the road. The car behind us halts as well, pulling over as well. " You want me to handle this?" He asks and I just unbuckle my seat belt hoping out. Josiah follows me. I walked around Josiah's car and walk directly infront of the car. The driver shuts off the car and climbs out, but hesitates. " Athena" The asian on the passenger side calls my name.

I squint. " You know them?" Josiah asks and I open my mouth to say no, but I stop when the driver pulls off his mask. I gasped and throw my hands over my mouth. He walks infront of the car. Two feet away from me was the love of my life. Jae was standing in front of me, in Georgia. " Athena, It's me." He says giving me a sad smile. His smile looked frail. His eyes dark, he had lost a little weight. His hair was bleached to a bright blonde, his roots were his familiar brown.

" Jae. What are you doing here?"

" This is Jae?" Josiah sized him up, standing taller and cocks his head backwards. " Yes, I am here. I can't believe it either. I've come back for you Athena." He says sternly. I wanted to be happy. I wanted to throw my arms around him, and I wanted to take his hand and go straight to the hospital. But I already decided that my love for Jae was too strong to ever watch him struggle and hurt anymore. I didn't want him to fight. I wanted him to live with ease, I loved him enough to know that I had to selflessly let him go.

" I am not going back anywhere" I say looking away from his eyes. " What? Athena, I know a lot has happened but you don't have to worry about that anymore. My father won't bother us anymore I ha—

—-I don't care. I am never going back. South Korea is not my home. I never belonged there" I held my breath. I felt my eyes grow hot. Jae takes my hands and holds them tightly against his chest, his heart is beating so fast. I look up into his eyes. A tear falls from both of his dark onyx eyes. " Athena, You are carrying my baby. Things aren't the same. We can live normally. My father won't be in the way of us."He assures me. What I do next is something I never thought I'd ever do to Jae. I broke his heart.

" This is my son." I ripped my hands away. " Son? It's a b—-

——Yes. I'm having a son. Your father will never have the opportunity to hurt him, because I am never going back. It's the only way I can protect him. You can't protect him. You can't even protect yourself. Those men came into our home, and they molested me, and abused me, while you lay helplessly on the floor" Jae fisted his chest and his bottom lip curled.

Josiah threw his hand over my shoulder.

" I don't want anything to do with you ever! I hate you!" I yelled out. My heart broke as Jae stumbled toward me and searched my eyes. Tears decorating his face as he looked at me in disbelief and horror. " No, I refuse to believe it. Athena I love you. You don't hate me. Tell me you love me" He spoke in korean, he looked defeated.

I took a step forward. " I am in a relationship now Jae Eun. I don't love you anymore" I wrapped my arms around Josiah's torso. I wanted to die right then and there. I wanted to cry and had Jae not stormed away into his car, I would have crashed. The man in the passenger walks up to me. " You know, you don't deserve Jae Eun. He's spoke about you like you were heaven on earth. I am glad that I got to see for myself that there is no such woman that exists. He leaves tonight at 9, you have until then to prove me wrong" He spoke in korean, Josiah squirming in confusion. He glares at Josiah and gets in the car after Jae.