Author POV-

The morning after Athena spoke her truth, the house felt like it was holding its breath.

It wasn’t silent exactly. The clock in the hallway still ticked; the refrigerator hummed. But there was a kind of reverent hush, the kind that follows after something sacred has been laid bare and everyone knows not to disturb it.

Outside, the garden was alive with birdsong, but even they seemed reluctant to break the quiet. Sunlight poured through the kitchen window in slow, syrupy ribbons, catching the dust motes drifting lazily in the air.

Amaira stood at the kitchen counter, sleeves pushed up, her dark hair tied in a messy knot that was slowly coming undone. Beside her, perched on a stool, was Bella—three years old, dramatic as a queen, and currently in the middle of creating what could only be described as a dessert disaster. She had the mixing spoon in a fierce grip, and the bowl before her was less pancake batter and more an ocean of chocolate chips.

“You’re supposed to sprinkle them,” Amaira said, trying not to laugh as another handful rained down.

Bella looked at her as if she’d just committed blasphemy. “Sprinkle? No, Amaira. This is maximum chocolate. That’s how Athena likes it.”

From the table, Athena lifted her gaze from her untouched tea. “She’s not wrong.” Her voice was calm, but there was a faint softness that hadn’t been there before.

Athena’s posture was relaxed in a way Amaira had rarely seen—shoulders down, no tension in her jaw. She wasn’t smiling exactly, but her expression was lighter. The night before had shifted something in her. She had opened a door she had kept locked for years, and for once, the air coming through didn’t hurt.

Sean appeared in the doorway, his hood pulled over messy hair, hands shoved deep into his hoodie pockets. He scanned the room automatically—a habit he couldn’t shake—before his eyes settled on Athena.

She met his gaze and gave the smallest of nods. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

The moment was interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps. Dr. Paridhi entered, hair loose and shining in the morning light, her smile gentle as her eyes swept the room. She took in the scene—Bella’s determined stirring, Amaira’s amused exasperation, Athena’s watchfulness—and her gaze softened further.

She walked over to the counter, peered into the bowl, and raised a brow. “Bella… are you making pancakes or chocolate sculpture?”

Bella puffed her chest out proudly. “Both.”

Paridhi chuckled and ruffled Bella’s hair before turning toward Sean.

“Walk with me?”

Sean blinked, caught off guard. “Now?”

“Now.”

He hesitated, glancing at Athena. She didn’t look away, and in the faintest movement of her lips, he caught the words: It’s okay.

So he followed.

---

The Garden

They walked through the small back garden, where dew still clung to the rose petals. The stone path was slick but manageable. Dr. Paridhi led them to the wooden bench beneath the plum tree and sat down. Sean joined her, slouched forward, elbows on his knees.

“You were there too,” she said gently. “When Athena was taken. When Athena was being tortured there, ”

Sean didn’t move for a long moment. His eyes stayed on the ground, on the way the moss crept between the stones.

“Yeah,” he said finally.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

She asked

There was a pause—a deep one, the kind that was almost a wall. The distant caw of a crow broke it, and Sean exhaled slowly.

He rubbed a hand over his face. “she were five. Just five. But I remember everything.”

Dr. Paridhi said nothing, letting the silence fill with permission.

“It’s not the same,” he murmured. “I wasn’t in the room with her when it happened. I didn’t take the beatings. Or… whatever else they did to her. But I saw it start. I heard the doors slam behind her. And I…” He swallowed. “…I remember everything.”

Paridhi didn’t rush him. She knew silence was sometimes the only way to let the story find its way out.

"How did you reach that place?"  Dr. Paridhi asked while referring to Dragon Organization.

“My mom was cruel,” Sean continued, voice low. “Not in the way Athena’s was. She didn’t hit me. She just… forgot I existed. Left me alone for days. No food. No notes. Sometimes I think she only remembered I was there when she needed someone to blame for her bad days.”

He rubbed his hands together, the motion tight and restless.

"I was eighteen when I decided my mother’s apartment would kill me if I stayed.

Not in a quick, bloody way—no, she wasn’t the type to use her hands. She used silence, neglect, and the kind of cold that seeped into your bones no matter how many blankets you wrapped yourself in.

Some nights she’d vanish for days, and I’d live on stale crackers and tap water. Some nights she’d come home, and the smell of whiskey would come with her. Then she’d look at me like I was a mistake she couldn’t afford to return.

The night I left, I didn’t pack much—just a backpack with a change of clothes, the fifty-three dollars I’d been saving for months, and the half-broken flip phone that sometimes caught signal. I thought I was heading toward freedom.

The city at night was louder than I’d imagined. Cars hissed on wet asphalt. Sirens wailed somewhere I couldn’t see. Neon signs buzzed above corner stores, casting sickly pink and green light over the sidewalks.

I found a diner on 7th Street that didn’t ask too many questions when I asked for work. The manager was a stocky guy with a cigarette always glued to his lips, even indoors. “Wash dishes. Stay outta trouble. Don’t steal from the tip jar,” he said, handing me an apron.

It wasn’t glamorous, but the smell of frying bacon and hot coffee was better than the smell of my mother’s apartment. I slept in the back storage room on a folded-up blanket when the night shift ended.

For three weeks, I thought I’d made it.

but one day some dangerous looking people came to that restaurant  Some other waiters were scared of taking orders from them. The manager said that if anyone displeased them he would be fired from the job. I could not lose this job under any circumstances. So I went to take the order, those people saw me, seeing their expressions my hands started trembling

After giving them their ordered food, I thought it best to leave from there,

As soon as my shift was over I left from there but I saw that those people started chasing me and I ran away

But they were chasing me in a car, they caught me but I fought, I punched one of them, but I was alone and they were many

Those people brought me with them to that place, there were many people like me there, they used to train everyone forcefully

I tried to run Away from there once but they beat me so much that I lost my courage and slowly I too became what they wanted." Sean continue

That night I didn’t go back to the dinner. Instead, I was herded into the back of a black van that smelled faintly of gasoline and gun oil. My heart pounded as the city streets blurred past the tinted windows.

The further we drove, the darker it got. Streetlights grew scarce. The buildings turned to warehouses, then to nothing but shadowed fields.

"I slowly started to realize that I was not in any ordinary place but inside the most dangerous organization of the underworld, and the owner of that organization was the most dangerous and powerful person in the underworld, VALTOR "

Sean told her

"After one year, I became one of the bestest man of dragon organisation also the Right hand of Valtor,

I used to keep a record of all his illegal activities and tell him about it.

One day Something happened which shocked not only the people of that place but the entire underworld" Sean said very serious tone

"Why?What happened that day?" Dr paridhi asked caressed his back

"In the organisation where till today no shadow of any woman had come, a little girl had come there ,

When we saw that girl, everyone was surprised because the girls who were brought for sex trafficking were not kept in the Dragon organisation but in another factory.

Then Voltor also came out of his chamber and seeing him all the men present there get on their knees and bowed their heads. Even me also.

The Dragon organisation had some rules which everyone had to follow

This was also one of them that as soon as the owner of the organization came, everyone had to sit on their knees and bow their heads.

Voltor saw everyone's heads bowed except for one, the girl who had just been brought in

All the men started looking at that girl without raising their heads

Voltor saw the girl's raised head and his ego got hurt.

He came into the downstairs hall where everybody was and he stood right in front of that  little girl

Voltor looked at the man who had brought the girl

That man started speaking immediately  his eyes were on the floor.

"B-boss  That bitch Diana and Johnny Didn't give money but gave this girl to us and told us whatever we want to do with her " first masked man said he stood with his head bowed."

Voltor look at the little girl who was looking straight into Voltor's eyes

Every person present there was shaking with fear because this was the first time that someone was looking into Voltor's eyes

Voltor grab her jew tightly and tilt her face

His grip buried her jew red but that little girl didn't even hiss she still look straight his eyes

"What's your name?" Volter ask coldly

Voltor gets all the information about anyone who enters the organization within seconds but still he asked So he could see her reaction

Voltor likes the fear people have in him but to his surprise he didn't get the reaction he wants

Hearing his voice  everyone silver down

That little girl look at him and spoke without any emotions

"DEATH"

Silence. Completely pin drop silence

Everyone pulled their necks so fast that for a minute it seemed everyone's neck would break

Voltor smirked

He looks at her eyes he can see fire that can burn everything which come infront of her

Voltor smirked he also like to play with emotion

"Your name Athena five years old

Your dear momma sold you how pathetic right"

That little girl none of other but Athena Bella's Angel

Athena eyes darkened and yelled

"SHE IS NOT MY MOTHER"

Sean and other mans eyes widened because no one spoke infront of voltor and this five years old girl yelled

hearing her cold angry yelled they all get scared

They all man never in their weird dreams thought that a five year little girl can be so scary

"Intresting" Sean throught

"I can see that at such a young age you are braver than most of the man present here You will be my most dangerous weapon" Voltor said

"From today you will train here but your training will be the most difficult "

Hearing voltor declare everyone froze

This is going to be the first time in the history where a girl going to trained here.

" You are going to trained under Block "A' training level

Voltor smirked

Everyone froze becouse till now no one reach on

That level.

Even Sean are still in Block 'B' training level

Except him all the man in the organization are

still in Block 'D' level

Sean gulps down

"B-boss she is kid how can- Sean was cut off by  Athena

"I'm ready for training i don't care how much difficult, I want to be the most strongest person and I  surely will." Athena  said plainly

"I will make sure to break you in pieces then I will pick your pieces and will make the weapon i desire" voltor said and lough

"Then try to break me all you want" Athena said

Voltor sign her to follow

In Voltor office-

Voltor's man touched Athena's hand

The man was about to hold her hand when Athena took out a dragger from behind her and cut off that man's hand. The man screamed in pain.

"Hey girl, how did you get this dragger of ? That is mine" third masked man yelled.

They boss was watching all this with great amusement.

'This girl is different from other girls' they Boss thought.

" Don't you dare to touch me with your filthy hands" Athena said in cold tone.

The rest of the masked men also came forward to kill Athena.

Athena's face showed no emotion as if she was empty from inside.

Athena killed all the Masked Men in the blink of an eye, There was no fear on her face.

Athena kills all masked men.

"Bravo girl, You are not like those weak girls who started crying. You are not an ordinary girl, you are special." They Boss said impressed by Athena's action.

"I will not make you a sex slave like those girls but I will make you my weapon, my dangerous weapon, the most dangerous and most terrifying one. " He said smirked

Athena Ignore his Words  "Who Are You and Where Am I" She asked in stren voice.

"You are in The Dragon Organization and I am the king who built this organization." He said psychopathy tone.

"The dragon organization?" Athena asked

"In this organization, mans is given training so that their becomes powerful and other people fear by  them. This organization makes men powerful." He said in deep tone.

"why only men?" Athena asked him.

"Because the training that is done in this organization is not for everyone, in this all the emotions are removed from you because emotions make a person weak.

Women are full of emotions, they are weak, so I sell them and make money. " He said as if it was no big deal for him.

"But I will train you." He said suddenly.

"Why? I'm also a girl and just like you say 'girls are weak' then why?" Athena said mocking him.

"Because you are different from everyone else, just like that a 5 year old girl can't kill my trained mens in a blink of eyes because you are not like those weak girls." He said

" And why do you think I will listen to you?" Athena said smirky

Athena starts leaving from there, She was about to open the door when

"Don't you want to take revenge from your mother and stepfather, they sell you to me, what is my fault in this and you don't want your revenge, for this you have to become strong.

Don't worry about that, I will make you stronger, but in return you will have to work for me too." He tried to manipulate her.

Athena was standing there silently.

He thought he succeeded in manipulating Athena

But what he said triggered her and suddenly she spoke in a very dangerous manner "DIANA. IS. NOT. MY. MOTHER."

So you want your revenge" he asked

Athena didn't say anything but she suddenly smirked.

"Ok, So consider the deal as final." He asked.

"But I will not be your slave, I will work for you, in return you will train me." Athena said Emotionlessly

"deal as you want" he said

She just nodded" But may I know your name or should I call you Mr. Psycho Kidnapper Boss" she said sarcastically.

He started laughing like a psycho and said "till date no one has dared to make eye contact with me and you have surprised me."

Some things are done for the first time in everyone's life.

"Some things happen for the first time in everyone's life." Athena said coldly

"Well this name is also good but I prefer Valtor" he said

" Ok Valtor" Athena said in no emotion.

"You know, No one can say my name like that " he said through gritted teeth.

"But I will call you by your name only because I am not afraid of you." Athena said in plain voice.

Valtor was very angry because till date no one has had such courage. People get scared after hearing his name but this 5 year old little girl don't give him any reaction.

But he calmed himself and clapped, then a maid came in with her head bowed.

"Yes Lord"

" This one is our special one, show her our training room." Valtor said coldly pointing finger at Athena.

"Miss please follow me"

Athena nodded and Looked at Valtor for the last time with her Emotionless face.

After Athena leaving the room,

From that day Athena training or we should say  torture started

Voltor did everything to break Athena but as we say 'you can't broke the person whom broken by her own people'

Days turn Weeks, weeks turn months and months turn years

But Athena never breaks

Now she became the most dangerous weapon,

no one wants to come near her

She became Voltor weapon.  Athena build Voltor organisation more higher no one in underworld can tried to cross him because of ATHENA

Her hate towards her mother become her power to survive the torture

She didn't like to talk much. Everyone already affaird of her but I can still see her as a little girl whose life too much unfair with her

I always tried to talk to her

From start she ignored me like she did with others but voltor most of time give us work together so we start to talk

And slowly she started to be normal with me but her normal is not like normal for normal people umm I hope you understand......

they talked about their past

His voice cracked.

“She was the strongest person I knew.

That's why I always spand time together, tried to joke so atleast she didn't cloud in darkness”

Dr. Paridhi placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Dr. Paridhi looked at him with something close to awe.

“You saved her.”

Sean shook his head. “No. She saved herself. I just... I was lucky enough to be there when she got out.”

He paused again. “But I carry it every day. That guilt. That I wasn’t strong enough to stop them. That I didn’t go through what she went through. That maybe if I had, she wouldn’t have had to.”

Dr. Paridhi’s voice was firm but kind. “That’s not guilt you should carry, Sean.

He finally looked up.

“That’s what makes you strong,” she continued. “You didn’t harden like the world wanted you to. You stayed soft in the right places. Loyal. Kind. And now you’re giving her the one thing she’s never had.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“A brother.”

Sean swallowed hard, his eyes misting over. "She was more than just my friend. She was the only light in that whole dark world.

Dr. Paridhi was silent, her hand still on his shoulder.

Sean looked away. "When I finally found her, I barely recognized her. She was taller, thinner, colder. But her eyes... her eyes were still Athena’s. Just buried. I knew I’d never let her go again. Even if she hated me. Even if she couldn’t talk to me much. I’d stay near her. Just in case she ever needed someone."

"She did need someone," Dr. Paridhi whispered. "She still does. And you are here. That matters more than anything."

Sean lowered his head. "I don’t want her to carry her pain alone anymore. If she falls, I want to be the one who catches her. Not because I owe her, but because... I love her. Not in a romantic way. Just... like she’s the only part of my past I’d ever want to keep."

Dr. Paridhi smiled gently. "You’ve grown up in the shadow of loss and still found a way to care deeply. That’s a kind of strength not many people have."

They sat in silence again, but this time, it wasn’t heavy. It was full of understanding.

**

When they returned inside, Athena was at the table, Bella in her lap, feeding her pancake pieces like she was royalty. Amaira had flour on her nose and a grin on her face.

Athena looked up at Sean, and he at her.

He didn’t have to say a word. She knew.

She smiled—small, just for him.

And Sean, for the first time in a long time, smiled back without shame in his chest.

They were healing.

Together.

***************************

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