Chapter 132

**Chapter 132**
**Judy’s POV**

“You agreed to do what?” Gavin asked, crossing his arms and glaring at me. I sat on his bed, my head down, feeling the weight of his words.

“Listen, I know it sounds crazy,” I replied softly, trying to explain. “But I really think this could work.”

Gavin shook his head, clearly frustrated. “You can’t be serious. This isn’t a game.”

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “I know it seems risky, but sometimes you have to take chances. We can’t just sit back and wait for things to happen.”

He uncrossed his arms and sighed, his expression softening just a bit. “What if it backfires? What then?”

I looked up, meeting his eyes. “Then we’ll deal with it together, like we always do.”

Gavin paused, considering my words. “Okay, but we need a solid plan. No more surprises.”

I nodded, relieved that he was willing to listen. “Agreed. Let’s figure this out together.”

“Why did you agree to go to that barbecue?”

“Because Irene asked,” I replied. “She’s my friend, Gavin. She needed me to be there… so I’ll be there.”

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

through his hair.

“Let me go with you,” he said after a brief pause.

I stood up and closed the distance between us. I wrapped my arms around his neck. I liked that he wanted to go and protect me, but I also felt a mix of worry and concern.

It wasn’t a realistic solution. It would only cause a scene and expose our special relationship.

“And how would we explain that?” I asked him. “We would have to come up with an excuse for why you are here.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to defend me, Gavin,” I said.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close.

“I was invited, you know. I get invited every year, but I…”

“I never attend,” he murmured.

I was surprised by his words. I looked up at him.

“If you feel you must go, then go,” he said. “But I want to prove to myself that I can handle this on my own without your help.”

“I doubt Irene wants you there,” I said. “This is supposed to be her moment. If you show up, it will take the attention away from her.”

He nodded and pressed his forehead against mine.

“You’re right,” he said. “I didn’t think about it that way.”

“I don’t like it,” I said, feeling a bit uneasy. “But you’re right. If he gives you any trouble—”

“I’ll call you,” I promised him. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his lips gently. “Mr. Protective,” I teased him.

He rolled his eyes, but I could see a small smile on his face.

I could see a hint of a smile on his lips.

“That’s me,” he murmured. “Always the protector.”

He deepened the kiss and pulled me into his bed. There, we made love for most of the night.

“Where have you been?” my mother asked as I walked down the steps of our house. It was late morning, and I had just returned home a few hours ago from Gavin’s villa. I managed to get a good night’s rest, but still felt tired.

I paused for a moment, trying to think of how to explain my absence. Gavin always had interesting adventures, and last night was no different. We had spent hours talking and exploring his garden, which was filled with unusual plants and flowers.

As I reached the bottom of the steps, I smiled at my mother and said, “Just hanging out with Gavin. We had a lot of fun.” She nodded, but I could tell she still had questions.

I knew I would have to share more details later, but for now, I just wanted to enjoy the warmth of home.

I only had a few more hours of sleep left before waking up for the day. I wanted to act as if I had been here all night, waiting for my mother to wake up. However, she noticed that I was missing.

“I just woke up,” I said.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and said to her, “I just woke up.”

“You hadn’t been home all night,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “Don’t think I didn’t hear you coming home early this morning.”

“Judy, you’ve been acting like this for weeks,” she said. “You stay out all night and come back in the morning.”

I felt my cheeks heat up at her words. So, she had noticed. I bit my lower lip and looked down at the ground, feeling a mix of embarrassment and worry.

She looked at me for a moment, and then her eyes grew wide.

“Are you seeing someone?” she asked.

“What? No, of course not,” I replied quickly.

“Is it Ethan?” she suddenly questioned, sending a chill through me.

I could see the hope in her eyes. “Did you two reconcile?” she asked.

“No, Mom,” I replied, bursting her bubble. “Ethan’s engaged to someone else… remember?”

She sighed and rubbed her temples, clearly feeling the weight of the situation.

She felt a headache coming on.

“Well, I hoped that since he seems like your fated mate, you both would come to your senses. But I guess that’s not the case. Anyway, we are going to the Cash family barbecue tonight, so…”

“Just make sure you are on your best behavior,” she said.

I frowned at her and crossed my arms over my chest.

“I’m not the one you should be worrying about,” I replied.

She rolled her eyes.

“Honestly,” she said.

“Judy,” she murmured, “that attitude will get you in trouble. I’m going to ask them for help with your father’s debt, so I need tonight to go well.”

My mouth dropped open.

“Mom, we don’t need their money,” I told her. “I already said I’ll take care of it.”

“And I appreciate that, sweetie. I truly do,” she replied. “But your…

“I can’t let my father stay in that awful prison for another minute,” she thought. “My wolf has been enduring all the pain, and it breaks my heart for her. We need our mate back, safe and sound. Right now, my only hope is the Cash family. They are our last chance.”

“It doesn’t hurt to ask for help, especially since they’re rich enough to assist us,” she said.

“But his family isn’t nice,” I reminded her. “They’ve never treated our family well, no matter how hard you and Dad tried to impress them.”

They looked at us like we were the worst of the worst, not even worth the effort to clean their shoes.

“That isn’t true,” my mother said. “His mother, Meredith, has always been nice to me.”

Judy and her grandmother are friends with Gavin. They are willing to help if needed.

**Chapter 132**

**Judy’s Perspective**

“You agreed to do what?” Gavin asked, folding his arms over his chest.

He glared at me while I sat on his bed, my head down. “Why would you agree to go to that barbecue?” he asked.

“Because Irene asked,” I replied. “She’s my friend, Vin. She needed someone to go with her.”

“Just let me be there… so I’ll be there.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Let me go with you,” he said after a brief pause.

I stood up and closed the distance between us.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. I liked that he wanted to protect me, but I knew it wouldn’t really work. It would just cause a scene and show everyone our special relationship.

“And how would we explain that?”

“I asked him, ‘We need to come up with an excuse for why you are there defending me, Gavin. I don’t think it’s a good idea.’”

He sighed and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer.

“I was invited, you know. I get invited every year, but I never go,” he said softly.

I was surprised by this. I looked up at him.

“If you feel like you should go, then go,” I suggested.

“But I want to show myself that I can handle this on my own without you stepping in. I also don’t think Irene wants you there. This is supposed to be her moment. If you’re there, it might take the focus off her.”

“I told him.”

He nodded and leaned his forehead against mine.

“You’re right. I don’t like it. But you’re right. If he gives you any trouble—”

“I’ll call you,” I assured him. I wanted him to know he could trust me.

I stood on my toes and kissed his lips. “Mr. Protective,” I teased.

He rolled his eyes, but I noticed a small smile sneaking onto his face.

“That’s me,” he said softly. “Always the protector.”

He kissed me deeply and then pulled me into his bed. We made love for most of the night before finally falling asleep.

“Where have you been?” my mother asked as I walked down the steps of the house. It was a typical morning, but I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

It was late morning, and I had just returned home from Gavin’s villa a few hours ago. I managed to grab a little more sleep before waking up to start my day.

I wanted to come back and act like I had been here all along.

The night before my mother woke up, she noticed that I was missing.

“I just woke up,” I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“You hadn’t been home all night,” she replied, looking concerned.

Judy stood with her arms crossed, looking serious. “I heard you come home early this morning,” she said. “You’ve been acting like this for weeks. You stay out all night and come back in the morning.”

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