Dear Ex-wife Marry Me novel (Maja) novel Chapter 2301

On the other side of things, Athena found herself handcuffed, the metal clamped around her wrist, with the other end securely fastened to Marlon. This was his way of ensuring she wouldn’t escape.

Her wound was still bleeding, and where once Marlon might have shown some concern, now he would only pause occasionally to ask, "Does it hurt?" His tone was steeped in sarcasm, and Athena knew it. She pressed her lips together and said nothing in response.

Marlon even went as far as to press down on her injury with his hand. Athena's brow furrowed in pain, yet her expression remained unchanged. Her cheek was swollen from the two hard slaps Marlon had given her earlier. He was much stronger than the average man, and the swelling hadn’t gone down, leaving her looking rather pitiful.

But pity was not something Marlon was capable of. Any time Athena slowed her pace, he’d yank her forward by the wrist. Forced to keep moving, she occasionally stumbled and fell, but he wouldn’t stop. He’d continue dragging her along, and if she didn’t get up, she’d only end up more battered.

Marlon was deliberately tormenting her. His hatred was such that he wished to break every bone in her body, to tear her heart out and see if it was truly as black as he imagined.

The group trudged along a hidden mountain path for what felt like an eternity until they finally stopped. Someone pushed aside a large stone, revealing a path leading downward.

Athena was dragged into the cave, but she tried to leave a trail, pressing her feet into the ground. Marlon, however, was too perceptive, quickly pulling her close and erasing any trace she left behind.

“Athena, you’d better not piss me off now,” he warned, his voice low and menacing. “I have ways to make you wish you were dead. You think I can’t touch you just because you’re not afraid to die? I’ll make sure you understand what true suffering is – right in front of Kerwin’s precious belongings, I’ll have a line of men show you just how dirty you can get. Let’s see how you feel about meeting Kerwin in the afterlife then.”

Athena's face went pale, her pupils contracting sharply. Tyler had always warned her never to cross Marlon, saying he was a madman capable of anything. She hadn’t believed it until now, seeing firsthand the lengths he’d go for revenge.

He had desecrated a grave, taking the few things Kerwin had given her, the last tangible connections she had to him aside from some photographs. And now Marlon was using those memories as a weapon against her.

She feared the reality of what Marlon was threatening, the thought of being so defiled that she couldn’t bear to face Kerwin in the afterlife. Her lashes lowered, and she stopped resisting, quietly following Marlon.

Marlon thought he’d feel satisfaction from this, after all, it was exactly what he imagined while crawling out of the ocean that day.

When he woke, he felt the gentle sway of the boat. His wounds had been bandaged, but anger flared in his eyes. He wasn’t a fool; he knew Athena had played him.

Marlon had never suffered such a setback. Even when he’d cleaned up the Keller family’s business with ruthless efficiency, he had never been this humiliated.

His expression was grim, his body weakened by the shark attack and the bullet wound. He couldn’t even get out of bed.

Any ordinary person would have succumbed to such injuries, but Marlon was stubborn. Perhaps his will to live was stronger than the infection and fever he battled through, and against all odds, he survived.

His rescuers were a father and daughter, simple folk enjoying a fishing holiday. The daughter was a doctor, and they had saved him by chance.

As she checked his wounds, she marveled aloud, “You had such a high fever for days. I didn’t think you’d make it. We were short on supplies, but I patched you up as best I could once we returned to the island. Medical care here is pretty basic. You kept muttering a name in your fever dreams, though. Athena, I think? Is she your wife or girlfriend? You must care for her a lot.”