"Aphrodite," a deep voice calls. I look up and see Helios walking towards me. "We need to talk," he says.

Immediately chills of worry run down my skin. Usually, when people talk to me, they put on these huge fake smiles and over-the-top cheerful demeanours, but his expression is serious and unreadable. What does he want? Did I do something wrong? Is he mad at me? I look back through my memory and fail to find anything I could've done to upset him. I really shouldn't jump to conclusions. Maybe he's just being a normal person. I should act normal too.

I straighten my back and try to give him a natural looking smile, not too big but not too small. "What do we need to talk about?"

He sits down on the bench next to me, too close for my liking. "Your relationship with Ares," he replies, his eyes boring into mine.

Fuck. My blood turns to ice and I can hear my heartbeat as its pace quickens. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Deny everything, my brain says. "He seems nice," I say, trying to sound casual, but also like I'm confused about what he means. I hope I didn't overdo it. I stare into his eyes. My body is frozen.

"I saw you have sex with him."

"No, you didn't. What... why... what are you doing?" I stammer. I'm stammering because I'm a good wife being accused of something I'd never imagine doing, I tell myself. Yep, that's me. I love being married. I love having my life thrown away before it's even begun. I love not being seen as a person, just as somebody's wife. I'm so fucking lucky. I love my life. I'm a good little trophy.

Helios glares at me. "You know I am all seeing?"

I did not. Nobody tells me anything. "Of course," I lie.

"Then you know I've seen everything you've done with Ares."

I glare back. "I know you're picking on me, but I don't understand why."

He leans closer. "Everything. I've seen how you worship his cock. I've seen how you use those pretty little hands and that dirty, lying mouth. I've seen how you look at him when he takes you. I've seen how your body looks in the throes of ecstasy. I've seen the face you make when you —"

"Stop it!" I cry, my hands moving up to shield my face and ears. He's bluffing. He has to be. I refuse to accept that he's seen me like that, at my most private and vulnerable. "That's disgusting! I don't even know him! What's wrong with you?!"

He puts a hand on my shoulder. "And how do you think your husband will feel when I tell him all this?"

I can feel myself starting to cry, but I still look up at him and scowl. "He'll know you're a liar."

"Will he? You know, I've known Hephaestus for a lot longer than you have, and I almost consider him a friend. He's a smart man. I'm sure he's noticed you've been acting strangely." Helios sounds amused. He leans in even closer. "Of course, I don't have to tell your husband."

I look away. "Of course you don't."

The hand on my shoulder starts rubbing me. "If you could give me even just a taste of what you give to Ares so freely, then we could forget all about this."

I jerk back. I feel like I'm going to throw up. My mind goes blank. Fuck. Deny everything. "You... seem nice too?"

"Are you stupid?" He snarls.

"Comparatively, yes."

He starts to stand up. "Listen, you—"

"Fuck off! Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you anymore!" I yell, getting to my feet and leaving as quickly as possible.