Theo stood up slowly, pacing once, then stopping.
"You're not stupid," he continued. "And you're definitely not disgusting. You are not a bitch. You hear me?"
On the other end of the call, Athena cried harder.
And Theo closed his eyes, as he felt his heart tightened too. What could have broken her to this point? whatever happened where she was, it had broken her far deeper than he expected.
Eryx snatched the phone from Theo like it was his lifeline. "Baby… are you okay?" His voice was softer than she expected.
Athena froze. Her heart plummeted straight to her stomach. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the phone, unsure whether to speak or just end the call.
"I… I—" she stammered, but her voice caught in her throat.
Eryx's tone softened. "Hey… look at me. If there's anything wrong, you should say something please."
