The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 760

**TITLE: Fake Girl 760**

The square that lay before the grand Xander Manor was a bustling tableau of emotions, a sea of faces filled with concern and solidarity.

The people had gathered instinctively, forming a protective barrier at the manor’s entrance, their hearts united in a silent vigil for Athena. Each one yearned to do something profound for her, yet all they could offer was their presence, a quiet testament to their unwavering support.

In the blink of an eye, three long days had slipped away, each one heavier than the last.

Athena had clung to hope, waiting with bated breath for the return of the one person she longed to see.

But Xander remained absent.

The weight of despair crashed down on her, and she could no longer contain the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

“You broke your promise, you know? You broke your promise…” Athena whispered to herself, her voice barely audible, as if speaking the words aloud would make them too real to bear.

Alexandra, standing nearby, turned her head away in anguish, unable to witness her friend’s heartbreak. She raised a trembling hand to wipe the tears that threatened to spill from her own eyes.

For days, she had fought against the rising tide of despair, clinging to Athena’s words that Xander would return, that he would not succumb to fate.

But then Ray had arrived, leading the Northcold army, and Xander had yet to make his appearance.

The stakes were unbearable, as Ray had forced Athena into a marriage she did not want, all in a cruel exchange for the lives of the city’s inhabitants.

The tension that had built up over those agonizing days could no longer be contained, and the floodgates opened.

Alexandra’s sobs filled the air, her eyes red and puffy from crying. When the maid entered with the wedding dress, Alexandra’s voice broke as she pleaded, “Let her dress decently. Please.”

In that moment, Natasha burst into Athena’s room, her expression a mixture of urgency and despair. Athena was meticulously sorting through military books, each one a testament to her dedication and intellect.

The bamboo slips, marked with Xander’s careful annotations, were stacked with precision. Athena’s fingertips brushed over the military texts, her touch tender, as if she were caressing precious artifacts from a long-lost era.

“Are you really going to marry him?” Natasha’s voice trembled, thick with emotion, her armor still stained with the blood of their last skirmish. The remnants of last night’s failed raid against the Northcold army lingered in her mind, the small team she had led nearly annihilated.

Athena turned her head, her expression resolute, as she pressed a tiger tally into Natasha’s palm. “Help me tell Xander that I didn’t embarrass him. I fought with honor.”

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