Chapter 10 Proposal

"How can he trap me in the name of 'mate'?"

Athena Xander

***

Athena was so shocked when Zev Russel asked her to marry him. That man knew about her family situation yet he insisted on marrying her.

'Is he alright? Even he wants to pay the debt for me as long as I marry him. What happened to him? He must be insane, right?'

There were a lot of questions spinning around in her head because Zev asked her something that was too impossible. That's like a tiger wanting to marry his prey. Was that possible? Of course not, right?

"Zev, I think that's not necessary at all. I can work for you and you don't need to pay me as long as you prepare me a place to sleep, something to eat and also provide Ares' tuition fee. I will be grateful to you." Athena said hurriedly out of panic after hearing his proposal.

Athena realized, at this point, there was no point if she was still offending him. If she could work with him, at least, her brother would be alright and he also could protect her because she would be his people and Athena would never disappoint him as well. That was a win-win solution so why does that man want her to be his bride? As a billionaire, Zev Russel has everything that people want the most and Athena was quite certain there were a lot of women that wanted him in the queue.

"Athena, don't you understand?" Zev looked at her with a sharp gaze as if he wanted to make sure that Athena was still on the same spot and listened to him.

"I don't understand."Athena murmured.

"I want you. I want everything about you. I don't need you to work for me. I need you as my bride. I need someone to protect and that person must be you." Zev said as his piercing gaze still on her.

"Zev, I-," Athena became speechless when their gaze met suddenly.

"I know what I want. Just forget it!" Zev took a deep breath as if he composed himself. "Okay, I will help you to pay the debts but you have to be my wife, so do you want to be my wife?"

When their eyes met, Athena knew this man was so serious. His voice recited the strange sparks in her heart. It was the same feeling that she had ever felt before but Athena was not certain either, she was forgotten. Athena could sense if there was something that Zen had done and that made her could not forget the familiar and comfortable feeling that she felt when Zev was near to her.

"I do. I want to be your wife." Athena said after that she took a deep breath because she knew she had made a crazy decision.

"Milly!" Zev called Milly to come in.

"Yes, Sir."

"Milly, pay the debt and take care of everything for my wedding with Athena soon." He said with a beautiful smile that framed his handsome face as he took the letter from her hand and gave it to Milly.

For a moment, Athena became blank. Her head was empty. 'Is it real?' Athena thought.

"Athena, what's going on?" Zev asked her out of his curiosity.

His simple question made her so nervous. Athena could feel her face become so hot suddenly. At this moment, Athena really doesn't know what happened to her but she was aware that she felt so grateful towards him because he wanted to pay her mom's debt.

"No, I am fine." Athena answered him nervously.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Athena could not hide her astonishment when Zev held her right hand and just in a second later he grabbed her left hand as his face became so gloomy as if there was something that was bothering him. "What happened?" Athena asked.

"Athena, your hands are so cold." He said.

"I am fine." She replied.

In fact, even though Zev said that her hands were cold, surprisingly Athena felt so warm when he held her hands like this but at the same time Athena also felt so weird when she realized that the feeling was quite good when Zev was holding her hands like this.

'Even Ronald had never held my hand like this.' Athena thought

Athena was shocked when she saw Zev's amber eyes ignite as if he was mad about something but how come just in a second his mood changes drastically? Athena couldn't understand what had happened towards Zev.

"Athena, I hope in the future you never compare me with another person from your past." Zev said firmly.

His words made her shocked because Athena didn't say anything to him and how he talked to her as if he knew. As if Zev Russel could read Athena's mind but that seemed impossible to Athena.

"Okay. I understand." Athena replied to him but Zev's face was still gloomy and he acted as if he wanted to just get out of the room and left Athena alone in this room.

"Zev! Where are you going?" Athena asked him.

"I want to-," Zev looked at Athena for a while before he continued, "I want to work."

"But, you have promised me that you will tell me what has happened to me," She said.

"I don't think that's necessary. You just need to know one thing." Zev looked at her with a sharp gaze as if he wanted to eat that woman alive.

"What's that?"

Again! Zev Russel made Athena curious but at the same time, Athena had nothing to force him to ask what she wanted to know from him. This was really so frustrating to Athena..

"Come closer." He ordered as he moved his index finger as if he gave a sign to come closer and of course!

Athena doesn't have a choice but to do as he wanted her to do. Athena came closer and stopped right in front of him. At this point, she was ready to listen to the secret that he wanted to spill to her.

"Tell me now." Athena said as she was so excited and Zev bowed his body a little bit so he could whisper in her left ear, the sensitive part of her.

"That night, I had marked you as mine." He whispered.

"What?"

"That night I gave you my mark so no one could claim you." Zev looked at her with an evil smirk on his face. Meanwhile, Athena still doesn't have any clue about what he said about mark. Because as Athena remembered, her body didn't have any hickey from that night so how could he say that he marked her? Oh! Zev must be joking again! Athena stared at him annoyedly.

"Zev, Don't..."

Athena was so shocked when Zev put his arm around her waist before he kissed her passionately. Athena was so shocked with his sudden kiss but at the same time, she had admitted that she loved how his tongue was sneaking inside her mouth and playing inside as he wanted to sucked everything that she had. But when she wanted to respond to his kiss, Zev drew himself and left her blank and confused.

"I want you to remember what had happened to us that night. Remember this kiss is just an appetizer." Zev said.

Athena really doesn't know what she was supposed to say. Her body became warm as her head was empty just because of his kiss but the pain that she felt was gone as if there was trace of pain at all.

'But what exactly happened that night?' Athena was still curious.