Part 1

"Light thinks it travels faster than anything, but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first and is waiting for it." ― Terry Pratchett.

Life is a journey of trials. It never stays the same. Our experiences that make up the journey called life are a part of who we are. It doesn't matter if we accept or reject the changes, as it won't stop at any cost. They make us and break us, and we have to live with the consequences. It's called destiny.

Athena wishes her life were less complicated. She wished she had spent her childhood playing with children, but her life was difficult as a child. Stress and experiences had driven her to mature sooner than she would have preferred. Her life was on the verge of breaking apart at one point, and she had nothing to hold onto.

It all started a year ago when she went through the darkest phase of her life. She felt sick, so sick she couldn't even get up from the bed. She strongly felt someone was trying to kill her. Her parents thought she was hallucinating, and her relatives thought she was losing her sanity; her friends and colleagues took a step back to ensure she wouldn't harm them. No one believed a word she said, not even the doctor.

Everything appeared to be falling apart. But wait, that wasn't the end of it. Not if she had something to say about it. She was determined to get up and put the pieces of her life back together. Athena is a medical professional, and she doesn't care if anyone believes her or not. For those who believed her, no proof is necessary. For those who didn't believe her, no evidence is possible.

She wondered when it all started. She remembers the first time she became ill. When did it all begin? The light bulb went off in her head as she finally realized the reason for her illness.

She sent numerous samples of her blood to a friend in California to confirm her suspicions. The lab findings confirmed her predictions. Someone had poisoned her.

Her blood tests show a clear case of arsenic poisoning over time. They methodically calculated the amount of poison used. Every day, they added a very modest amount to her food. The symptoms began with vomiting, food rejection, and gut pain, followed by spasms and convulsions.

Her life had been a rollercoaster ride that had come at a high cost. It's never fair to have to wade through water to get to the open air. Athena didn't know if she could breathe in her house, clutching every breath, praying it wasn't her last, trying to figure out who was watching her every move; she knew life would be complicated no matter which road she chose. She struggled to hold on for the sake of her parents. She can't give up; she has to give it her all and make it to the top before it's too late.

However, she had to do this on her own. She wished she could stay, but death is the price. We only get one toss of the dice, and she frequently wished she had two. She has been imprisoned in someone else's cruel game for so long that it's time for her to break free and figure out who's behind her life.

She got to California by hiding her tracks. She currently lives with her best friend, fashion designer Maria. Maria gave her a thorough makeover to disguise her beauty.

She covers her red hair with a wig. She conceals her turquoise green eyes with a brown lens. She wears large, nerdy glasses and has braces on her teeth. She only dresses in big clothes to conceal her physique. She had been on bed rest for the last six months, and her friend helped her regain her health.

Athena shook her head to clear the cobwebs and focused on the present.

"What are you thinking?"

Athena lifted her eyes, meeting the intense gaze of her best friend, Maria Williams. Her stare was calm and steady.

She huffed a small sigh of relief, "I need to get a job, Babe."

Maria lifted her eyebrows, leaving her no doubt she knew her mind had wandered to the dark place. "Athena, we spoke about this. Moreover, you have a job."

Athena suppressed a groan. "This is not my line of work. Maria, I work as an assistant in a library. I'm feeling much better now. I'm not going to let you pay my bills. Please help me in finding a new job."

"Are you planning to settle down in California in your line of work?"

"No… I can't get a job without exposing myself, but I need a job to pay my bills," Athena cleared her throat. "I also need to find a way to figure who is behind my life."

Maria studied Athena for a moment, then tilted her head in acknowledgment. "Athena, you realize it is impossible to find a man or woman who practically doesn't exist. We are shooting in the dark."

"I have blood reports to prove someone was poisoning me, Maria. What more proof do we need?"

"Blood reports are not enough to find a person in the dark, Athena. Who knows this better than you? The court needs a suspect. At best, they will inquire and do background checks on everyone at home and your friends and colleagues, but in the end, the trial will run cold if no one is found guilty."

Maria's blonde hair gleamed under the lights, not a strand out of place. At twenty-four, she was stunning, her posture stiff. Her blue eyes were like ice—light and piercing.

Athena exhaled hard, impatient. "Something tells me if I go back home, he will strike again. That's the only way to lure him out of his hiding."

Maria's tone full of panic."Athena…"

"Maria, I'm exhausted. I'm tired of hiding, running, and being terrified. I'm sick of trying to cover up my tracks and keeping secrets. I'm tired of looking over my shoulder, wondering when he'll catch up. I can't do this anymore. I want to reclaim my life as Athena Jones, not Sarah Smith. How am I expected to live if I have to spend my entire life on the run?" Her throat itches, and her eyes water as a result of her frustration.

Maria almost jumped down from the chair and pulled Athena into her arms. "We will find him."

"How?" she asked in a stronger voice, but deep down, her heart was trembling in fear.

"I have no idea. But we need to start with something."

Athena pulled away from Maria. With a sad look in her eyes, she said, "I don't know where to start, Maria. How do I find an Omniscient person?"

"Athena, If he were as omniscient as you think he is, he would have found you. As far I know, he is not omniscient."

Athena's expression was rapt and intent, and she stared at the blank wall. "Perhaps we're looking at the situation wrongly."

Maria's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"The mystery man knows me too well. He knows my routine, schedule, and appointments. He knows the way around my house. I said he was Omnipresent only because he is an insider. The moment I left the house, he was clueless and powerless."

Maria's mouth dropped, and her eyes widened. "I agree. What do you think he will do next?"

Athena's heart hammed in her chest. She felt the back of her neck grow damp with anxiety. "I'm scared, Maria. What if, in a fit of frustration, he targets my parents? What if he thinks that will lure me out of my shadows?"

Maria reached out to touch Athena's hand, gently reassuring her, "We need a plan."

She shook her head as if the plan was hopeless. "A plan? We are miles away from my home, Maria. What's the use of a plan? I can't accomplish anything by hiding here."

"Athena, one of my friends, mentioned they have an opening for an executive assistant role for the Managing Director of his company. Would you be interested?"

Athena chuckled softly, "A total change of subject. But I'll bite. An assistant to a billionaire? Maria, you know I can't expose myself. What if they find me?"

"Athena, Babe, I grew up with you, but in this avatar, I don't even recognize you. How would anyone else identify you? Also, you are far, far away from home. No one will even think to look for you over here."

Athena shook her head. "We can never underestimate our enemy."

"Baby steps, Athena. Baby steps. The only way to find out the mystery man is to understand his world. We figured he is a part of your world, which means he is a part of the business world. And to know his world, you need to work with a powerful man. The contacts, the ugliness, the weakness of a business person, their business world, the money, you could use all this to your benefit."

"What if?" Athena started to respond, but Maria lifted her hand to stop her.

"Athena, I'm not forcing you to try, but all I'm asking is to think about it. Droplet by droplet, water makes up an ocean. Even a little help can take us in the right direction of solving this mystery."

Athena nodded, "I agree. But a billionaire, Maria? Do you think they will recruit an ugly raggedy doll like me?"

"I heard the billionaire is the most handsome man." Maria winked.

Athena wrinkles her nose in distaste. "Great, because I have all-time in the world to fall in love."

"Men who judge women for their looks are often the delusional and the most shallow human in the world. Athena, dignity is the most attractive trait in a woman. By that measure, you are exquisite."

"You are a great friend, Maria. I don't think I can ever repay or thank you for everything you have done for me."

"We are sisters, Athena. Please don't insult me by thanking me. If the shoe were on the other foot, you would've gone the extra mile for me."

They both hugged each other silently for a minute.

Athena pulled away and whispered, "I'll give the job a try."

"Really?" Maria smiled so widely Athena thought her face would break.

"Yes, let's take it one step at a time."

"Great. What else do you need?"

"I need an untraceable, disposable phone. First, I need to check on my parents. Second, we need some help."

"That's a start. I'll arrange it."

"I'll see you in the evening, Maria. I need to get to work." Athena left, waving Maria goodbye.

Athena walked toward her usual coffee shop. The Cafe was a quaint little coffee shop. The barista looked up as she walked in because the little bell rang whenever someone entered or exited the Cafe. Athena smiled, inhaling the flavorful aroma of coffee.

"Hey Sarah," It was the barista, Mia, still in her apron, with her tousled hair. She gave her a warm smile.

Yes, it is Sarah. Everyone in California called her Sarah. It was tough in the beginning, but eventually, Athena got used to it.

"Hi Mia, the usual, please?" She takes out a few dollars from her wallet and slides them over to her.

"Coming right up." she turned back to the counter and heard a cloud of steam from the coffee machine.

Mia brought her coffee over. Athena thanked her for her drink and turned around, only to bump into a wall.