"To fall in love is awfully simple, but to fall out of love is simply awful." -- Bess Myerson

How much time needed for a person to recover from a heartbreak?

Actually, there was no exact answer. Some would recover overnight, others in a week, many in three weeks... and those who loved deeply would take months, years or forever. It was just a matter of acceptance. How long one could accept that it was over.

I gave Athena a week.

Everyday I kept on counting until I would see her again. It was like counting till Christmas eve to open my presents.

Six days, five days... four days more.

I told myself to stay away from her for a week, but it was not that easy. It was like torture. Every single minute, I kept on thinking of her - what she was doing and where she was. I was concerned on how she coped up with her pain and sadness.

She needed time to grieve and go through her broken heart in order to move on. Being there at the intense pangs of her grief to distract her and become her diversion would not be a good idea. She had to fill her emptiness and stitch the tear of her heart on her own, so in the end she would surface strong and be able to love again deeply.

I decided to focus on my new hotel and got myself very busy. I secured Mr. Murphy's property after buying it at fair market value, followed by a couple of meetings with the engineers and architects to finalize the structural design of the hotel. I could not figure out what to do with the museum. But everytime I'd think of it, I always ended up thinking of Athena.

In the middle of the week, I attended a business meeting with the Petrakis that involved only the men. You can call it a double standard idea that left the Petrakis women out in business but it was implied beforehand.

It started with my grandma, Nina Peres-Petrakis. She did not want anything to do with the business and concentrated on learning how to cook. She was once an awful cook and grandpa Markos could not bear eating burn foods anymore. My mom, Chloe Petrakis-Monteiro was once active on business, but when she married my dad Iñigo Monteiro and had three kids, her hands were full of waking up early morning preparing our lunchboxes, helping us with our homeworks and school projects, attending parents-teachers meetings, shopping for our clothes and accompanying us in summer camps and workshops. The same with my aunt, Jade Collins-Petrakis, Zion's mom.

Emerald was the only one who insisted in joining the meeting and ended up leaving the conference room at her first attempt. She could not tolerate the manly talks inappropriate for female ears -- dirty jokes, women, sex, cars, sports, money, explosions, politics and conversations classified as TMI.

I was able to talk to Zion after the meeting. His happiness showed on his face and his whole aura. It was like facing the young Zion that I used to look up-- very adventurous, full of life and energy. A smile could not be erased on his face despite his father's ranting and scolding on why he signed a two year contract for Mariah Carey to do the TV commercials and sing the jingle of the Petrakis airlines instead of Ariana Grande.

"How's your trip to Dubai?"

"Great. I was just on time." Zion answered with a sigh of relief.

I knew what he meant. He was just on time to get his girl, Claire. His long lost love and the only girl who could ever move him. He was probably obsessed with her that he refused to live a normal life after their break up.

"Good for you."

"Athena said you were a great help in saving her at that moment. Thank you man, I know I can rely on you." Zion continued.

"You're welcome." I answered with a sarcastic grin. "That's the best that I could do."

"I owe you a lot. I'll make up." He tapped my shoulder, just like when I was a kid and did something great.

"Nope. You owe me nothing but to Athena. You have to make up for what you did to her." My lips thinned with irritation. I could not stand it anymore, my chest was about to explode at that moment. I was so upset of Zion for hurting Athena. "You broke her heart, and I'm not proud of you for doing that. She's such a naive girl and you made her believe that there could be something more in your relationship with her."

Zion shifted on his seat and leaned closer to me.

"I know what I did to her and it was so bad. That's why I made sure to talk to her in person the moment I came back from Dubai, and I'm glad that we were able to have a heart to heart talk. My conscience wouldn't let me rest knowing I hurt someone, and I won't be totally happy on that thought."

"You mean... you saw her?"

"That's right, brother." His hand rested on my shoulder briefly. "Don't make me feel guilty of her pain. I'm not the only one responsible of her grief."

"What do you mean?"

Zion let out a smirk. "Come on, you're the one acting so naive now. When I told Athena about my feelings for Claire, she opened up also and told me about her feelings for you."

My heart immediately felt warm and glowed up.

"You made her feel so wonderful and very special, something she never felt with anyone including me."

"Really? What else did she say?" I was giddy for more information.

"Nah-- I'm not telling you. You have to find it out for yourself. Go and see Athena." He let out a throaty laugh. "I know you a lot Carter and your feelings for Athena, but you're just too shy to talk to her about it. Instead, you annoy her and made her hate you."

"Because she was in love with you."

"Nope, she was caught up with the idea of a fairy tale love that every young girl definitely dreamt of. But now she realized that real life love is too different."

Our conversation was interrupted when grandpa Markos butted in. "Zion, I heard you broke up your engagement with Athena, is that true?"

"Yeah, I heard it too." My dad agreed.

"What?" Uncle Eros bursted. "What the hell son! I'm your father and I'm the last to know?"

"Sorry dad. It's for the best, we're not... really in love." Zion tried to explain. "If you're concern about the Petrakis and Niarchos merger..."

"Nah! I'm not concern about that. What's important is your happiness, son. I want you to have a happy marriage like I do with your mom." Uncle Eros pointed at grandpa Markos and my dad, "Of course, like them."

"Don't worry, he'll find the right girl." Dad said before he focused his attention at me. "You too Carter, you have to find the right girl. Don't be like your brother who hangs out with every young woman on this planet."

"Come on dad, will you stop? Let's get back into business." I did not like where the conversation was going.

"Nah-- let's talk about you, Carter. Why don't you date Mr. Nguyen's daughter?" Uncle Eros suggested.

"It's not a good idea. Daniel hooked up with her, remember? The Nguyens are upset and wanted to cancel their investment." Zion corrected his dad.

"Damn Daniel. Every man should warn their daughters about him." Grandpa shook his head with disappointment. "I'm glad you're different Carter. By the way, why don't you date Athena?"

Dad roared into laughter. "They hate each other, remember? They're like a cat and a dog that don't get along."

"Really? You should try harder boy. This hating game usually leads to a loving game." Uncle Eros chuckled.

I could not argue with him because that moment, he was right.

Two days more...

"Don't do something stupid, Carter. Stay away from her, okay? It's my birthday and I don't want you to spoil the dinner." My sister Kimberly warned me the moment I stepped inside my parents' house.

"Whoa! Chill sis. What's going on?"

"I invited Athena. I want you to behave yourself and don't you ever... I mean EVER annoy her. You know that she's still coping up with a heartbreak so don't embarrass or make fun of her. I know that tricky brain of yours, you have your own way of making her so upset with your eye movements or hand gestures."

Warm feeling of joy washed through me at the thought of seeing Athena. I got excited instantly. I wondered what she would look like now. Definitely, very beautiful.

"Carter, are you listening to me?" Kimberly bursted.

"You don't have to remind me. I'm not an imbecile child."

"Ha! That's the problem! You're the opposite, you have very superior IQ but your EQ drops extremely low when it comes to Athena."

"You're exaggerating. Everything I do just upsets her, even if I do nothing."

"Whatever Carter. As much as possible, just stay away from her, okay? It's my birthday and I want to enjoy the night. No bad vibes. I don't want to get a whole year of bad luck. I want a love life for heaven's sake." She rolled her eyes and turned to our mom who entered the living room wearing a bright red dress. It looked like she was the one celebrating her birthday rather than Kimberly who was wearing a whole black outfit.

"Put Athena at the end of the table while Carter at the other end so their paths won't cross. It's a thirty two seater anyway." Mom suggested.

Approximately thirty feet away from Athena? That's a savage idea.

As to Kimberly, she informed me that it would be a simple birthday dinner but it turned out to be a lavish one. She liked luxurious things. From her clothes, jewelries, vacations, cars and anything, her taste was very expensive. Could be the reason why any guy would be too scared to date her. She was very high maintenance.

"That's a great idea, mom." Kimberly nodded and faced me with a victorious smile. "So what do you think?"

"I would rather eat in the kitchen." I said to Kimberly and she glared at me angrily.

"Carter!"