Athena ran.
She ran with everything she had left, lungs burning, legs screaming, sweat blinding her vision. The world blurred around her as her heartbeat thundered in her ears—too fast, too loud—
Then everything went black.
---
A soft creak pulled her back from the darkness.
Athena's eyes fluttered open. Light stabbed at her vision as she blinked rapidly, disoriented. The room was unfamiliar—too clean, too white. Panic crept in before she could stop it.
A middle-aged woman in a nurse's uniform stepped into view, unintentionally blocking her escape.
"You're awake," the woman said gently, smiling.
Athena swallowed hard. Her throat felt raw.
"Who… are you?" she croaked.
"My name is Penny."
Athena's eyes darted around. "Where am I?"
"You're in Yates International Hospital."
Her gaze dropped.
A tube ran into her hand.
Her breathing hitched.
"No—" Panic flared instantly. She grabbed at the drip, yanking at it wildly. "Let go of me! I need to leave here right now!"
Penny caught her wrist, firm but careful. "Please—"
"Let go!"
Penny hesitated. Then slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a bracelet—delicate, familiar, glimmering faintly.
"I found this in your pocket," Penny said quietly. "I wonder who it belongs to."
Athena's breath shattered.
She lunged for it. "Give that back!"
Penny moved her hand away.
"Give me my bracelet and let me go!" Athena shouted, her voice cracking.
Penny sighed, pain flickering across her face. "I'm sorry… but I don't think I can do that until you meet someone."
"I'm not meeting anyone."
"Then I'm sorry for this."
She released Athena's wrist, slipped the bracelet back into her pocket, and walked toward the door.
Athena's eyes widened in terror.
"No—wait! Stop!"
She ripped the drip from her hand, pain searing through her veins, and ran after Penny—
Click.
The door shut. Locked.
Athena slammed her fists against it. "Open the door! Open it!"
"I'm sorry," Penny's voice came from the other side, trembling. "But I can't. Not yet."
Footsteps retreated.
Athena slid down the door, her chest heaving.
---
Outside, Penny's hands shook as she pulled out her phone.
"Imelda."
"Penny? How are you?" came the calm voice on the other end.
"Not fine."
"What's wrong?"
"I found the bracelet you gave to Sean's wife… on a young girl who looks exactly like Rowena."
Silence.
Heavy. Suffocating.
"Where is she?" Imelda finally asked.
"In the hospital. Here."
"No matter what," Imelda said urgently, "don't let her go. I'll be there in ten minutes."
"I won't," Penny whispered. "But please… be fast."
The call ended.
Penny exhaled shakily.
---
Hospital Room – Later
Athena sat stiffly on the bed, clutching her bag to her chest like armor. Her eyes were sharp, guarded, ready to fight.
The door opened.
Penny stepped in—followed by a woman whose presence filled the room with unspoken regret.
"What do you want from me?!" Athena snapped.
The woman's eyes shimmered. "You really resemble your mother."
"Stop confusing me!" Athena yelled. "What is going on? Who are you to my mother?!"
The woman swallowed. "I'm your paternal grandmother. My name is Imelda. I gave your mother that bracelet."
Athena scoffed. "And how are you so sure?"
"The company made only five of them," Imelda said softly. "I know the owners of the other four. Mine… I gave to your mother."
Athena raised a brow. "So?"
Imelda's voice cracked. "I missed you all."
Athena laughed—sharp, bitter, hollow.
"That's the best joke I've heard all year."
She stood abruptly.
"Where were you when those bastards shot my father?" Her voice trembled violently. "When they took my mother? When my brother was forced to leave me?"
Her eyes burned.
"And you stand here calling yourself my grandmother?"
Silence swallowed the room.
"I've lived sixteen years without you," Athena continued, tears spilling freely now. "And I can live even longer without you."
She turned to Penny. "Can I have my bracelet back?"
Penny nodded slowly and handed it to her.
Athena looked down at it, her voice dropping into something dark and final.
"My family is gone. I'm an orphan—no parents, no siblings, no home. And since you lived just fine without us all these years, there's no need for a reunion."
She picked up her bag.
"We survived without each other."
And she walked out—without looking back.
---
"Imelda…" Penny whispered.
Imelda stood frozen.
"Was I wrong?" she murmured. "If I had convinced my husband… if I had accepted that woman as Sean's wife… maybe things would have been different."
"There's no time for regret," Penny said softly. "All you can do now is try to fix what's broken."
Imelda's voice shattered.
"How? How do I fix sixteen years of absence?"
Tears streamed down her face.
"She's right. She grew up without me. I don't know her life, her pain. The only family she knew is gone—and she carries that alone."
She shook her head, breaking.
"I'm not qualified to be her grandmother."
Penny reached for her. "It's not your fault."
"Don't lie to me," Imelda sobbed.
She turned away, trembling as she walked off.
Penny watched her go, doubt weighing heavy in her chest.
"…Was I wrong?"
She shook her head slowly—and followed.