Chapter 5: The Road's Wide Enough for Both of Us. Go Your Own Way!

Words : 1797 Updated : Feb 5th, 2026

Atreus Lyson staggered back a few steps. After he steadied himself, bitterness twisted across his face. "Winter, hear me out. I wasn't even finished talking, and you were the one who told me to say it in the first place." Winter Shirvinton did not listen. She snatched up an empty bottle off the table and raised it like she was about to smash him with it, roaring, "Explain what? You're a damn pervert. Get the hell away from me!" Atreus took one look at her and knew nothing he said would matter. He turned around and trudged toward the door, shoulders hunched, still trying to smooth it over as he went. "Winter, I really didn't mean it. Calm down, okay?" The only answer he got was the bottle slamming into the floor with a heavy crash. Atreus returned to his rented apartment, looking like a kicked dog. He had barely sat down when his phone buzzed twice. He picked it up and glanced at the screen. It was a message from Lola Lashbrook. She said she would swing by the rented apartment later to pick up her things and told him to wait there. A chill flashed through Atreus's eyes, then faded into something calmer. Keenan Warth's debt was one he would settle, no matter what. As for Lola Lashbrook… The woman he had truly loved. The moment he woke up in the hospital, he had already figured it out. Whatever they had was over. She had made her choice. What happened to her from here on out had nothing to do with him anymore. He tossed the phone aside. His stomach growled twice. Even though he had completed Energy Introduction, he was still a long way from the point where he could go without food. He rummaged through the fridge for a while and only found a cup of instant noodles close to its expiration date and half a pack of ham left over from the last hotpot. After pouring hot water over the noodles, Atreus leaned against the kitchen wall. His gaze went hollow as the recent mess replayed in his mind, one ugly scene after another. Before long, the noodles were ready. He lifted the bowl and ate in big mouthfuls. It did not taste like much, but it filled the emptiness in his gut. When he finished, he cleaned up quickly, stuffed all of Lola's things into a bag, then lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, letting his thoughts drift. He mapped out, step by step, how he would make Keenan pay. Somewhere along the way, he fell asleep. Atreus did not know how long he had been out. The sound of a key in the lock woke him. Ever since Energy Introduction, his sense of smell and hearing had sharpened several times over. Even the smallest noise could not slip past him. Before Lola came in, she had lingered outside the door for a long time. She had imagined all kinds of possibilities. Atreus loved her so much. Maybe he would drop to his knees, crying, begging her to stay. She had even prepared dozens of lines to reject him. But when she pushed the door open, what she saw was Atreus lying on the bed, asleep and quiet. The rented apartment looked normal. There was no explosive scene, no dramatic meltdown like she had pictured. Lola shut the door softly and stood there, suddenly at a loss. All the speeches she had rehearsed jammed in her throat. She could not decide whether to say them at all. Atreus heard the door click closed. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at her. There was no storm in his expression, only a flat calm as he asked, "You're back." Lola nodded and walked to the bedside, studying him, trying to find that old obsession, that clingy tenderness in his eyes. She found nothing. "Atreus Lyson… do you hate me?" "I don't." His answer made Lola inexplicably furious. She thought he was putting on an act, stubborn to the last. How had she never noticed before that this man could be so spineless? She would rather he exploded. If he cursed her out, if he even slapped her, at least she could tell herself he was a man. But this? "Atreus Lyson, you don't have anything you want to say to me?" Atreus sat up, grabbed the bag, and tossed it at her feet. Irritation sharpened his voice. "Take your stuff and get out. From here on, the road's wide enough for both of us. Go your own way." "Useless. Pathetic!" Lola's emotions spiked. She lunged forward and grabbed at his shirt. "He slept with your girlfriend and you're not even angry?" Atreus caught her wrist. With only a slight twist of strength, he flung her aside. He stood, straightened his collar, and said coldly, "Don't touch me. You disgust me." Only then did Lola notice it. Atreus seemed… better-looking. Taller, too. They had only been apart for a day. How could someone change that much? The phone on the sofa suddenly rang. Atreus remembered he had made plans with Rhea Zimmerman that afternoon. He strode over, snatched up the phone, and checked the caller ID. He adjusted his expression before answering. "Rhea, sorry. I'm heading out right away. Same place as always." Seeing he was leaving, Lola flew into a rage and started smashing everything in the rented apartment until it shattered. "Atreus Lyson! Get back here! You useless piece of trash! Trash!" Atreus did not even glance back at her tantrum. He left the rented apartment, hopped onto his little electric scooter, and headed for the meeting spot. He had hated Lola once. But when he thought about it, he had done things that hurt her too. They were both guilty. Arguing about hate at this point felt childish. Atreus rode his scooter to the old place he had arranged with Rhea. It was a bar tucked away out of sight, discreet enough that most people would never notice it. It was also where Atreus and Rhea had met for the first time. The moment he stepped into the private room, Rhea waved him over. "Why are you so late?" Seeing her again, Atreus scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Something came up. It held me up." Rhea did not press for details. The two of them started chatting easily, as if all the unpleasant history between them had melted away in the relaxed atmosphere. Under the table, a small foot brushed lightly against Atreus's leg, teasing. Rhea poured him a drink herself and said, "The clients I'm introducing you to are two pretty little rich ladies. You'd better seize the chance." At first, Atreus was stiff under her closeness. But then he remembered Keenan's humiliation. He remembered, too, what kind of connection Rhea had with Keenan. The last trace of hesitation in him vanished. Two shots of hard liquor went down. Atreus suddenly shifted, pushing Rhea down beneath him, and claimed her mouth in a forceful kiss. Rhea froze for a beat, then hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him back, fierce and hungry. Just as things were about to go too far, Rhea stopped him. She shot him a sultry glare and murmured, "Not yet. They're about to arrive." Atreus's throat felt dry, heat roaring through him. He reached for his glass to drown it, but Rhea pressed her hand over his and bit her lower lip. "That won't put out the fire," she whispered. "I'll help you…"

Chapter 5: The Road's Wide Enough for Both of Us. Go Your Own Way!

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