After 100 Nights of Betrayal, I Became Zeus’s Heir Chapter 2

I used the communication crystal Zeus gave me to contact him, letting him know I was ready to bring my son home.

He was stunned, then ecstatic.

Even though the news of a grandson took him by surprise, he didn't hesitate for a second. He swore he would learn how to be a good grandfather and truly love my son, Astro.

Listening to his rambling, emotional words, a warmth spread through my chest.

Zeus, the almighty King of the Gods, was so thrilled that the heavens literally rumbled with thunder.

He wanted us to pack up and leave immediately.

Just then, my sleeping son mumbled softly in his dreams:

"Daddy... you promised to celebrate my birthday with me..."

In two days, it would be Astro’s fifth birthday.

My poor boy dreamed of nothing more than having his father by his side.

I gently brushed my son’s sleeping face, my eyes stinging with tears.

Let's wait two more days, I thought.

Let my son sever his very last bit of hope before we leave for good.

Yet, before dawn even broke, a servant pounded on our door.

It was Orion’s mother. She had sent guards to drag us to her court.

I frowned.

Orion’s mother had always despised me for being a mortal, and she looked down on Astro for his mixed blood.

To her, I was just some cheap human whore who used my body to seduce her son.

She hated Astro just as much.

In her eyes, only a pure-blooded deep-sea goddess like Selene was worthy of the Queen's crown.

While I was cold and guarded, my son lit up with joy.

He genuinely thought his father was finally sending for us to live together.

But when we stepped into the grand hall, all we saw was a crowd of Atlantean nobles beaming with pride.

Orion, who hadn't come home all night, was standing on the high dais, gently supporting Selene with a tender look on his face.

His mother completely ignored my son and me, announcing from her high throne:

"Selene is with child! This is the divine heir we have been waiting for!"

"The child in her womb is the future master of Atlantis! And soon, Orion will unite with her in a sacred royal wedding!"

The nobles dropped to their knees, praising and congratulating Selene.

I just stared dead at Orion.

He was caressing Selene’s flat stomach so gently, completely oblivious to my son and me standing right below the dais.

"This is wonderful. I'm finally going to be a father."

Finally?

My heart twisted violently.

Astro stood next to me, his little face falling as he squeezed my hand tight:

"Mommy, what is Father talking about? Am I not his child?"

His innocent voice echoed sharply through the silent hall.

The nobles didn't even try to hide their sneers:

"A little mortal bastard dares to speak up here?"

"If the other gods find out our noble Sea God has a filthy mortal love child, Atlantis will be the laughingstock of the realms!"

"A dirt-born peasant thinks he can steal the divine heir’s rightful place? Keep dreaming!"

"We can never let the outside world know he carries Lord Orion's blood!"

Orion’s mother scoffed coldly, glaring at us like we were literal trash:

"From now on, let it be known that this mortal boy is merely an orphan taken in by the temple. As for Thalia, she is nothing more than a nanny hired to tend to him."

I squeezed my son’s hand tighter in silence.

I knew it. It was this vicious old woman who pushed Selene to get pregnant with Orion’s child in the first place.

"I’m not an orphan! I have a father..."

My son’s eyes went red. He fought back his tears, protesting in a small, shaky voice.

"Mother, isn't this going a bit too far?"

Orion finally noticed us. He stepped away from Selene and took a pace toward us.

But Selene grabbed his sleeve, pouting weakly: "The baby needs his father's aura, Orion... I feel so anxious the second you step away..."

He froze, hesitated for a few seconds, and stayed right where he was.

I took a deep breath, holding my son’s hand high, and declared loudly:

"My child is not an orphan, and he doesn't need your pathetic charity."

"From this moment on, my son belongs to me and me alone. He has nothing to do with Atlantis, and absolutely nothing to do with the Sea God, Orion."

I crouched down, swallowing the lump in my throat, and met my son's gaze directly.

"Astro, you are never to call him 'Father' again. Do you understand me?"

Orion was stunned.

He had always assumed I swallowed my pride and tolerated his affair with Selene just to secure a divine status for our son.

Now, I was publicly severing that tie forever.

His authoritative gaze pierced through the crowd, locking onto me, trying to figure out if I was bluffing.

I just met his eyes with ice.

He would never deserve my attention again.

Astro was so young; fat tears rolled down his cheeks one after another.

I took his hand to turn and leave, but Selene blocked our path with a wall of water.

"Thalia, I heard Orion once gave you the 'Tear of the Abyss'—a symbol of the Sea God’s protection."

Selene stroked her belly arrogantly. "Since I am the future Queen and my child is the true heir, don't you think it's time you hand over that necklace?"

"We can't let a filthy mortal tarnish a divine relic."

So that's what this is.

This was the real reason they dragged us here today—to publicly humiliate us and strip me of everything.

I looked coldly at Orion:

"Is this what you want, too?"

That necklace was the token of love he placed around my neck the very first time he claimed me in these waters.

He told me it was the heart of the sea. He said giving it to me meant I was his eternal one and only.

For years, I held onto this relationship because of that necklace and the words he said that day.

Under my icy stare, Orion looked away guiltily, unable to face me:

"Thalia, it’s just a necklace. I’ll buy you something else later..."

"Fine."

Without a second of hesitation, I ripped the Tear of the Abyss off my neck and threw it at Selene’s feet.

Over Selene’s triumphant laughter, I dropped one last chilling sentence:

"You're right. A necklace that represents infidelity and betrayal suits you much better than it ever suited me."

Under Orion’s shocked and furious gaze, I took my son’s hand and strode out of the grand hall without looking back once.