Chapter 157-Preparations & Ideas

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January 21st, 2001

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January 21st, 2001

Athena Tyler was sitting in her office in Neverland, going through paperwork and household bills—along with paystubs and signing paychecks for the Neverland staff. Over the years, she had become a very busy woman in her marriage to Michael Jackson.

Michael was planning for his 30th Anniversary Celebration—a celebration of his being a solo artist in the music industry for thirty years. Athena was helping behind the scenes, making sure all the paperwork was in order, meticulously going through every line in every contract.

When she was done with that, she went over to her staff's paychecks and began signing them. As Athena signed the last paycheck, she heard a knock on her office door. She looked up to see Bill.

"What can I do for you, Bill?" Athena asked with a heavy sigh, leaning back in her spot.

"Hey, Miss Tyler, Michael wants to see you in his studio right away," Bill said with a sense of urgency.

"Okay," Athena nodded, placing the pen down.

As she approached the studio, Athena could already hear the faint sound of music playing from inside. She pushed open the door to find Michael surrounded by a group of musicians, lost in the rhythm of the song they were rehearsing for the upcoming celebration. His eyes lit up when he saw Athena enter, and he motioned for her to come closer.

"Athena, baby, I need your opinion on something," Michael said, a spark of excitement in his voice, "What do you think of adding a medley of my greatest hits to the performance? Something to really wow the audience."

Athena's eyes widened in surprise, "That's a great idea," she nodded, stuffing her hands in her pants pockets, "It's sure to be a showstopper."

Michael beamed at Athena's enthusiasm, his excitement palpable in the air. "I knew you'd love the idea," he said, reaching out to take her hand and pull her closer to the musicians, "Let's give it a try, shall we?"

As the musicians began to play a medley of Michael's greatest hits, Athena watched in awe as her husband took center stage. His voice was as powerful and captivating as ever, effortlessly moving through each song with passion and skill. The music filled the room, wrapping around them like a warm embrace.

Athena couldn't help but smile as she watched Michael perform, feeling a surge of pride and love for him. Despite all the challenges they had faced over the years, moments like this reminded her why she had fallen in love with him in the first place.

When the music faded into silence, Michael turned to Athena with a hopeful look in his eyes, "Well, what did you think?" he asked, searching her face for approval.

"I think what matters is what you think," Athena assured, "You don't need my approval."

Michael's eyes softened at her words, grateful for her unwavering support. He took her hands in his, the warmth of his touch grounding her in the midst of the whirlwind that was their life, "You're my rock, Athena," he said softly, his voice filled with sincerity, "Your opinion means everything to me. I trust you more than anyone else in this world."

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