His Mistress is His Ex-Wife
Chapter 175: Troubling Thoughts

Chapter 175: Troubling Thoughts

[ At Golden Villa... ]

Aaron and Athena were preparing to leave the mansion. If Dominique had to decide, he would have preferred to stay in the Golden Villa the whole day together with Aaron and Athena. However, he failed to convince Athena.

"Aaron, do you want me to send you to your Mommy’s place?" Athena asked the young boy.

"Oh. No need, Aunt. Grandpa will fetch me here today. Please don’t tell my mom that I’m here. I want to surprise her. I’ll visit her tomorrow."

"Ah okay. Don’t you want to go to my place? You can tell your grandpa to fetch you there instead of here," Athena suggested. She didn’t want to leave Aaron in Dominique’s care.

Dominique was about to object but Aaron immediately nodded while jumping with excitement. "I would love that, Aunt. I’ll hang out in your place while waiting for Grandpa to fetch me."

Athena’s smile widened when she heard that. "Sure. I’ll cook your favorite."

"Can I join you?" Dominique butted it, asking Athena’s permission.

"No. You have to go to your company," She firmly said, not giving him a chance to negotiate.

Dominique could only shut his mouth and obey. He didn’t want to anger Athena further.

"Your wife is looking for you. She kept calling your phone," Athena reminded him.

But Dominique didn’t say a word regarding that matter.

"When I’m going to see you again, Aaron? How long are you going to stay here?" Dominique asked the young boy, changing the topic. He didn’t want to talk about Sasha, especially in front of Athena and Aaron.

"I’m not sure, Uncle. It depends on Grandpa’s availability and schedule. If he decides to go back then my sister and I have to leave York City with him. But don’t worry. I have so much free time. Can you tour me around York City? I heard there is a newly established amusement park here."

Athena reacted almost immediately. "Why are you inviting him, not me? I can tour you around York City. We can go to the amusement park together. Mr. Smith is too busy to do that, Aaron. Don’t disturb him. Okay?"

"No. It’s fine. I can always free my schedule for Aaron." Dominique interjected, not allowing Athena to cast him aside.

’You can’t prevent me from getting closer to Aaron, Athena. The more you do that, the more I am convinced that he is my son.’ Dominique glanced at Athena meaningfully.

"Aunt Athena, Uncle Dom, no need to argue. We can go to the amusement park together. The more the merrier. Mommy, Kimmy, and Uncle V can come with us too."

Dominique frowned at the mention of ’Uncle V’. He wondered if that was the person who called Athena’s phone several days ago. A cold glint flashed through his eyes as he recalled his short conversation with Vladimir.

"Aaron, shall we go? I still have something to do. We can’t stay here for long," Athena was now in a hurry to leave the Golden Villa.

"Okay, Aunt. Let’s go." Aaron grabbed her hand before he turned to Dominique. "Bye, Uncle Dom. See you around." he waved at him cheerfully.

"Yes, Aaron. I will see you around."

Dominique stood at the entrance door, watching Athena and Aaron’s back until they disappeared from his sight, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"I promise... I will make it up to the both of you," he swore to himself.

******

Meanwhile, at V Club...

The V Club was dark, its neon lights dimmed and the dance floor empty. Vladimir sat alone at the bar, an almost empty bottle of whiskey, and a glass were placed on the table next to him. He lifted the glass to his lips, his eyes distant and haunted by unspoken thoughts.

The door to the manager’s office creaked open slowly. Brandon, Vladimir’s trusted subordinate, stepped forward. He paused, observing his boss with a look of concern before approaching cautiously.

"Boss, you’ve been here all night. It’s already noon time. Is everything alright?" Brandon asked him anxiously with concern.

Vladimir didn’t respond immediately. He swirled the whiskey in his glass, staring into the amber liquid as if seeking answers there.

"Brandon... what will you do if the woman you like is still seeing her ex?" Vladimir asked him out of the blue, his voice low and rough.

Brandon was taken aback for a moment since this was the first time his Boss talked about this kind of topic.

’Is he troubled by love? Is he referring to Miss Athena?’ Brandon pondered to himself.

Brandon took a seat across from Vladimir, leaning forward with intrigue.

"Boss... I think I should stay calm first and not jump to a conclusion. It’s better to ask her the reason why she met her ex, instead of assuming things."

Vladimir downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp, grimacing as the liquid burned its way down. He put the glass down with a heavy sigh.

"Won’t you feel jealous or threatened? Don’t you want to eliminate that person so that he would never come in between you and the woman you like?" he asked again.

Brandon studied Vladimir for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

"Of course, I would feel jealous. But eliminating that guy... Is that the right thing to do, Boss? Hmm. Just think about the woman you like. If you kill that guy, what would she feel? Can you bear the consequences of your actions? Will she be happy?"

Vladimir ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him.

He recalled Athena’s words. She kept on insisting that she wanted to do her revenge by herself. Despite her resolve, Vladimir couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty. He feared that Athena still harbored feelings for her ex-husband.

His insecurity grew with each passing day. Athena had yet to give him a clear answer about his feelings for her. She remained guarded, her heart seemingly still locked away, leaving Vladimir unsure and uneasy.

Furthermore, he couldn’t bear to see her being together with her ex-husband. A few days ago, he followed her and he saw her entering the company building of her ex-husband.

"Boss, if you are uncertain of something and you want an answer. Why don’t you ask her directly? It’s better to talk to her than to misunderstand things. Communication is the key to a successful relationship." Brandon gave him a piece of advice.

Vladimir looked up, meeting Brandon’s gaze. For a moment, there was a flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Maybe you’re right, Brandon." Vladimir paused, looking at his glass. "But wait, how did you know that? You don’t even have a girlfriend." Vladimir raised his eyebrow, doubting his words.

Brandon pouted his lips. "Boss... do you have to pinpoint that."

Vladimir just shrugged his shoulders. "I’m just stating a fact."

’Ouch! You are hurting my ego, Boss." Brandon put on a pitiful face.

"It’s just that... I haven’t seen the right woman for me yet. Don’t judge me, Boss. Don’t underestimate my word of wisdom just because I’m still single and don’t have a girlfriend."

Surprisingly, Vladimir let out a chuckle at Brandon’s last remarks. He just shook his head and poured himself another drink, but this time he lifted his glass in a silent toast to Brandon.