What was Aiden thinking, approaching this situation in such a way?
Athena’s mind raced with questions as she struggled to suppress the urge to clench her fists in anger.
Was he trying to give their position away? Or was he merely attempting to confirm Ewan’s report?
Seeing the earnest glint in Aiden’s eyes, she deduced it was likely the latter.
Maybe she shouldn’t have brought him along on this mission, she thought, her lips pressed into a firm line of disapproval. But she had never known that Lincoln was Gloria’s cousin.
Was he allowing emotions to overshadow his quest for justice?
Meanwhile, Cecil and Lincoln exchanged a calm glance, their demeanor radiating curiosity mixed with an undertone of skepticism.
"A mole?" Lincoln began, clasping his hands together as if to fortify his resolve. "What mole? I haven’t heard any news of this. Alvarez never mentioned it."
"That’s because Alvarez is the mole." Aiden’s voice held a sharp edge, his keen eyes scrutinizing the expressions of his old friends.
But their faces were like masks, betraying nothing. Still, he pressed on. "He is collaborating with Morgan to distribute the counterfeit drugs and disrupt Athena’s efforts to develop her cure."
Lincoln and Cecil turned their attention to Athena, earnestness flooding their gazes, disbelief hanging palpably in the air. "Is this true?"
With no choice but to play hardball, Athena nodded, her determination steeling her resolve. "We discovered this after multiple operations were sabotaged. He’s unaware of our findings, however... we are here to brainstorm on how to proceed since you two are also founders of this organization."
If Athena hadn’t seen Ewan’s reports, if she had relied solely on word of mouth or her instincts, she might have fallen for Lincoln and Cecil’s innocent act.
Their eyes widened and their mouths dropped at the appropriate moments, but she wasn’t fooled. They were all trained by the reputable CIA, after all.
A heavy silence settled over the room following her announcement, as Cecil and Lincoln took their time processing this alarming piece of information.
Behind them, the men seated at the dining table abandoned their pretense of being engrossed in their phones; their vigilant eyes locked onto the gathering, their minds working furiously.
"Wow, this is huge. Alvarez was the most righteous among us... how could he..." Cecil shook his head, disbelief still coloring his features. "Have you spoken to the others?"
Aiden shook his head. "You two are the first."
Cecil nodded, a mixture of concern and gratitude crossing his face. "I appreciate that. Yet what is Ewan Giacometti doing here? Don’t tell me he’s part of our little family now?"
"Well, he actually is." Athena interjected, seizing the straw Cecil had unwittingly offered.
"You hired your ex-husband?" Lincoln asked, surprise and incredulity evident in his tone.
Athena chuckled lightly. "Actually, I wasn’t aware of it until later. About our relationship—we’re cool as friends, especially since we’re working for the same organization. Our divorce was peaceful, though it took some idiots some time to understand this."
She included that last remark, fully aware that both men had likely seen the tabloids when Fiona and her father deemed themselves worthy enough to meddle in her life.
She watched as Lincoln and Cecil exchanged yet another glance before Cecil snapped his fingers, alerting one of the men behind him. "Get us some drinks."
To Athena and the others, he added, "I apologize for our lack of hospitality. I was just too curious about your presence here."
Athena waved it off with a smile. "It’s okay. We’re past that."
Let’s wrap this up quickly, was the unspoken message she passed to him.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Dark Revenge Of An Unwanted Wife The Twins Are Not Yours