"Ariana!" Sarah screams her name as soon Athena enters into the class room. She run towards her and gives her a bone crushing hug.

"Ah! Dear god! I am so happy...." Max has to pull Sarah away from her.

"Calm down. Don't squeeze her to death." He let out a small chuckle. Athena smiles a bit in return. Sarah's eyes widens upon seeing it.

"Omg miss girl you are smiling!" She shouts at the top of lungs making Athena flinch and Max and other students in the classroom to wince.

"You sure are a screamer, Sarah...." The jokester of the class yells from the back. Others laugh loudly.

Sarah rolls her eyes.

"It's your birthday tomorrow. I can't control my excitement. It's going to be so much fun tomorrow." Sarah says while clapping her hand on Max's back loudly who groans walking away from her.

Athena shyly nods her head and makes her way towards the end of class room at the seat that actually belongs to Ariana. Sarah follows her. The day starts as usual. But the ending would be different today.

Athena moves towards Ariana's locker. But distracted by her thoughts, she bumps into someone on her way. Looking up, she sees none other than Stephan Riccardo himself in front of her.

"S-so s-sorry." She whispers and walks past him without looking back at him. She could literally feel his stare drilling holes on her back but she refuses to look back.

As Athena was placing the school bag in the locker, she overhears a guy and girl's whispering.

"Sneaking out of the building is not easy, John." The girl whines softly.

"Some construction work is going on the backside of building. That's why the backdoor is open today. Apparently it is the lunch time too, so workers wouldn't be present there." That guy assures her.

"Are you sure? I don't care about the trouble later. But I don't want to get caught by security guards. How embarrassing that would be!"

"Don't worry. I got you." With this, they both walked away. Athena quickly closes the locker and follows them silently. But a hand grabs her wrist. Gulping, she looks back to see Max.

"Where are you going?" He asks.

"B-bathroom." She tries hard to not to make the lie obvious by stuttering.

"Oh right! Do your business quick. Sarah is waiting for you." He tells her and heads in the direction of cafeteria. Athena sighs in relief before taking the opposite direction. All thanks to the tour both Max and Sarah has given her once. She easily finds the backdoor.

As the guy said, the door was open and there was literally no one present. Athena just know that it is the right chance. The only chance she has been first searching for from past few weeks.

Empty handed Athena moves hastily on the sidewalk. Her plan is to simply get out from this city and it is not a little bit easy.

Hours later, the sun is about to go down, Athena finds herself on the highway road. Few cars are driving past her but Athena has no courage to stop someone and ask help. She is starving and has grown much weaker. Her strength is slowly starting to fade away into nothing.

Exhausted Athena takes a seat on the ground by leaning against the tree trunk. She looks up at the clear sky. The soft night breeze is calming her mind. Immediately, a smile forms on her lips as she gazes at stars twinkling in the sky and the moon shining above. She can't believe that she is finally free. Athena wants to treasure these moments in her mind. The nature is incredibly beautiful and she has always craved for it since her whole life.

Athena hugs her knees to her chest and lays her head down on top of her arms. She enjoyed the silence of nature feeling her body hum every second. She didn't notice when her eyes closed and she fall asleep. Completely unaware of the eyes that are watching her from distance.

Stephan Riccardo takes a huge gulp of his drink and leans his head back against the seat of his car. His emotionless eyes never leaves Athena's sleeping figure.

He doesn't know why he followed Athena the whole time from since the last hours. Watching her sneaking out of the backdoor, he just couldn't control himself. He felt no guilt or regret stalking her. For some reason he didn't wanted her to get in some kind of trouble.

If there was real Ariana in place of Athena, he would have never done that. Regarding Ariana's sudden appearance and Angelos absence arose many doubts in his mind. He had his own suspicions and it didn't take him long to dig in the information.

Suddenly three other cars emerges out from the darkness. Steps out Alexander following by the group of guards. At this moment, there are many questions running in Alexander's eyes behind the mask of blankness.

Why does Stephan Riccardo is being so generous? That he himself called oldest Cortello brother informing the whereabouts of Athena. He also knows that this girl is their sister's doppelgänger. So why does he is still so quiet and uncaring?

Stephan Riccardo ignored him and drives past him without a word.

Alexander heads towards the second end of road. Getting down on the forestry path off the road, he stood in front of Athena. She must be very tired considering the fact she is in deep sleep.

She didn't even stirred a bit as Alexander scoops her up in his arms. Alexander doesn't blame her escaping. He and his brothers already know that it was meant to happen one day but their main focus is on that she won't succeed not until they find their blood sister.

"Just stay with us till tomorrow. Then you will be free." He murmurs lowly but for some reason his own thoughts are conflicting.

He moves towards his car. The guards open the door for him letting him settle Athena in the backseat. He closes the door and moves towards the driver seat.

He clenches his hands around the steering wheel and looks in the rear view mirror to throw another glance at Athena who without the care of world is sleeping peacefully.

He knows that his older brother Luciano is attached to this stupid girl. But Alexander finds no need to get attach. His main worry is Ariana. Not some random doppelgänger.