Athena Tyler is an Italian-American musician who rose to fame as the lead singer of a girl band with her sisters, called 'Sorelle'. She has amassed millions of dollars and now lives alone in a luxurious mansion. Although she no longer sings, she has...
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FOUR MONTHS LATER
Athena had yet to visit Michael on his tour. She kept telling him she had back-to-back meetings, which was technically true. She was in a state of juggling work, her personal life, and trying to stay healthy.
She specifically remembered him saying, "If you get depressed, I'll fly you out immediately. I don't mess around with that stuff." But Athena wasn't about to bother him with something she could deal with herself.
Truth be told, Athena hadn't been eating very well, and true to her word, she had been a big help to Adrian.
"Miss Tyler!" Adrian exclaimed as she walked in the front door, "How am I supposed to do my job when you clean everything spotless before I get here?"
"Eh! Just say you showed up and cleaned!" Athena shrugged, "Michael will still pay you!"
"But he pays me to actually clean, not lie about it!" Adrian laughed, shaking her head, "You're something else, Athena."
"Fine," Athena said, subtly bumping her hip into the side table, effectively knocking over a napkin, "Now it's dirty again!"
Adrian chuckled, shaking her head at Athena's antics, "You're a mess, Miss Tyler," she said with a smile, "But that's why we love you."
A few weeks later, Athena was meeting Katherine, Janet, Rebbie, and LaToya for lunch somewhere reserved and away from prying eyes.
'What paparazzi would do to get pictures of a Jackson or a Tyler,' Athena thought to herself.
Athena managed to get through lunch without them suspecting anything, but she had secretly fallen into a state of depression. She didn't know how it happened, but she stopped eating regularly, she stopped sleeping well, she had been throwing herself into work, collaborating with artists and mediocre dancers alike—anything to keep herself from drowning in the void that seemed to consume her from within. She had put on a brave face for Michael on their phone calls at random times of the day and night, assuring him that she was fine and that everything was under control. But the truth was far from it.
As Athena drove back home after lunch with the Jacksons, she couldn't shake off the heavy feeling that weighed down on her chest. The loneliness crept in, wrapping its cold tendrils around her heart, suffocating her with its grip. She parked her car in the garage and sat there for a moment, staring blankly ahead.
Suddenly, a knock on her car window jolted her out of her reverie. Looking up, she saw Adrian standing outside, concern etched on her face.
Athena rolled down the window, putting on a fake smile, "Hey Adrian, what's up?" she asked, trying to sound cheerful.
Adrian peered at her closely, her eyes searching Athena's face, "I'm not buying it this time! The jig is up."
Athena frowned, as if in confusion, "Adrian, are you okay?" she asked.
