She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew)

Chapter

157

Asnaya was right in the heart of Kerotia-poor, dangerous, and chaotic. The illegal armed forces there were super

bold, constantly clashing with the government, who couldn't do much about it. Regular people wouldn't dare go

there unless it was absolutely necessary Matthew's trip was risky. Honestly, it felt like he was gambling with his

life. Athena glanced at the clock-it was almost nine at night. "Okay, when are you coming over?" "lll be taking a

helicopter," he said. "How about we meet at Skyview Bistro in half an hour? Does that work for you?" Athena

nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. Then she paused. "But Asnanya is super dangerous. Do you really have to go?"

"Thave to, Matthew replied, sounding serious. "This mining site is one of the biggest investments my sister and |

have made. We still haven't gotten our money back yet, and | can't just let it slip away. If the Graham family

backs out now, it could seriously hurt our chances in Kerotia. in Kerotia.

Plus, even though it's a private deal, it represents our country. We've already lost employees to these illegal

guys, and if we back down, it will make us look like easy targets. People will think our businesses are easy to

mess with and that our workers aren't safe, he "And

explanestly," Matthew added, "this could helpavoid that marriage between the Graham and the Powell

families."

And

Even after Madalyn's mysterious death," both families were still set on announcing his engagement to Anabel at

her birthday party. If he went to Asnaoya to deal with this mess, and they were still planning that engagement, it

would stir up at serious backlash. Athena's expression turned serious. "I get why you need to go, but it seems

like you're rushing into this. Are you really ready for it?"

She added, "After everything that's happened, the local government is already hinting they might take back the

mining rights. | have a feeling they've been planning to grab the mine for a while. Don't expect much help or

protection when you get there." atthew gave a calm smile. "I've only brought a few assistants, but I've got

professional mercenaries with me. I'm leading them myself to track down the killers, get justice for those who

died, and reclaim what's ours." "Alright!" Athena admired his determination. I'm with you."

The whirring sound of helicopter blades cthrough the phone, adding a sense of urgency. Matthew's voice

stayed steady. "I'm about to get on the helicopter. See you in half an hour."

They didn't bother with goodbyes before ending the call. Athena stood up and paced around the room, her mind

racing with thoughts of how she could help him. Matthew was rushing off to a dangerous mission in Asnaoya, yet

he still made tto see her. That gesture meant a lot to her.

After a moment, she left her room and took the special elevator. It scanned her as usual before opening. The

elevator brought her down to the hidden warehouse where Vission Group's secret weapons were stored-a place

only she had access

4

She picked out a few key items, packed them in her bag, and left the building. Twenty minutes later, she arrived

at Skyview Bistro. The restaurant sat on top of a skyscraper over 60 floors high, with a helipad right in the

middle. As she looked up, she noticed a helicopter already parked there. The door opened, and Matthew stepped

out. The moment he spotted Athena on the ground floor, his typically stern expression softened, and a smile

crept onto his face. Athena smiled back and waved

As he made his way down the stairs, she hurried toward him

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15:30 Sun, Oct 13 Chapter 157

They walked toward each other and stopped, standing face to face. Both seemed like they wanted to say

something, but when their eyes met, the words just disappeared. Instead, they jint stood there, silently taking in

each other's presence as if nothing else mattered and the moment itself was more important than anything they

could've said.

Louis, following Matthew desely behind, watched the whole thing unfold feelinging his glasses, he couldn't help

but roll his ryes. Here we go again. These two are hopeless. Sure, they're holla easy on the eyes, but is this

staring contest really necessary?’ he thought.. watched, grin tugged at lips-a mix of that cheesy, bittersweet only

people know too well. After what felt like forever, Louis couldn't take it anymore. He cleared his throat. "Mr.

Graham, Miss Donovan, Dinner's ready. If you don't start now, it's going to get cold! Matthew Of course, Matthew

had reserved the entire restaurant. There was only one table, beautifully set with dinner waiting Being the

gentleman he was, Matthew pulled out a cha

gave a small nod. "Shall we, Miss Don Miss Donovan?"

a chair for Athena. Once she was seated, he sat down across from her and poured them both champagne. He

lifted his glass, smiling. "Miss Donovan, it's been a while. I'm glad we can catch up tonight." Athena raised | her

glass and smiled back. "Tm glad too."

It hadn't

It had even been that long-just a couple of weeks-but it somehow felt like ages since their last meeting. Dinner

was quiet. Neither felt the need for small talk since they both knew what the other had been up to. There wasn't

much to ask, and it didn't seem like the right tto dive into deeper conversations. Every now and then, one of

them would say something like, "This is really good, you sho should try it or "Wanna order anything else?" About

twenty minutes later, as they were finishing up, Athena set her fork down and scooped a bit of ice cream. "So,

how exactly are you planning to get to Asnaoya? You're not flying all the way there in a helicopter, are you?" she

asked, raising an eyebrow.

Matthew said, "I'm taking a

a helicopter to the border, then switching to a private plane to get to Asnaoya." Athena asked, "And the

mercenaries?"

"They're on their way. We'll e'll meet

t up in Asnaoya's capital," he replied.

Athena continued, "And how does the Graham family feel about your decision?"

Matthew let out a small, mocking laugh. "Sdon't like it, but most are fine with it. Honestly, if | don't make it

back, a few might even celebrate." There y was a brief pause before Athena placed her hand firmly on top of his.

"You'll cback safe. I'll be waiting for you." she said confidently.

Matthew blinked, surprised. His eyes dropped to her hand as his heart picked up pace. But before he could

respond, she pulled away, grabbed her bag, and started pulling out gears. One by one, she laid out several

items, explaining each with precision

This

is a multi-purpose backpack. Looks basic, but it's tough and stretchy enough to turn into a sleeping bag. It's

fireproof waterproof, virus-proof, and even knife-resistant. It can keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.

Forget bugs and snakes-even tiger claws can't tear it apart. It can even stop bullets, though maybe not a sniper

rille." She paused, then added, "If you're using it as a sleeping bag, just try not to get wrapped up by a python.

That could be tricky."

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15:30 Sun,

Chapter 137

Matthew just watched her not saying a word. His focus on her deepened with every moment.

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Meanwhile, in the corner, Louis sighed to himself. Since sitting down, Matthew had not taken his eyes off Athena

once. It was like nothing else existed except her.

Athena gave her backpack a pat. "If you're looking to cut back on what you're carrying, this bag is non-

negotiable."

She picked up the second item. "Now, don't let the size fool you it might look like a watermelon, but it's packed

with features. I've already programmed everything-your face, voice, body stats. It recognizes you as the owner.

I" . 5 q

You can command it by voice, just

press these buttons for different

functions. This ones {oy lightt'dan

ilgrindre &fiVe-meter area for a

: |

thousand hours. This one's for

heat-the roax temperature goes over

212 degrees Fahrenheit. The content

is on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

This button here ignites a flthat

f a 2

won't go out, even in the rain. And

this one? It activates Prodi tet,

: on

byt youve Gotta be careful with it.

She grinned, like she was skind

of high-tech saleswoman, showing

off her latest product. The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

But Matthew knew better. Everything

Q ong

she gave him wasn't just some

high-tech gadget-it was next leveh

like Someing put of bbgend In

myths; these would be the

: |

modern-day Excalibur or Thor's

hammer. In a fantasy world, they

would be rarer than phoenix feathers

or unicorn horns. Yet, none of those

legendary treasures compared to her.

x