Chapter 165

**Chapter 0165**
**Judy’s POV**
**+25 BONUS**

I was about to argue that I couldn’t just leave with him without raising suspicion from others. But before I could say a single word, there was a knock on the door.

My whole body tensed up, and I could feel my cheeks getting hot. Gavin didn’t seem as worried as I was. He stepped back from me and then winked. That made my cheeks burn even more, and I felt like I wanted to jump in front of him.

I tried to stop him from opening the door, but it was too late. He swung it wide open, and there stood my mother on the other side, her eyes wide with shock. She looked up at Gavin, her body trembling as she took in the sight before her.

“Judy, sweetie,” she whispered as she walked past Gavin and entered the bathroom. “Are you okay? What happened to you?”

“It’s okay,” I said quickly, not wanting her to worry.

“Okay. Gavin patched me up. I’m as good as new,” I said. I held out my hand for her to see, and she cradled it gently, tears welling up in her eyes. I could tell my mother knew what had happened to me, but she was pretending not to.

She acted like everything was fine, pretending she didn’t see or hear anything going on around her. I couldn’t blame her; she was only doing this for my father. She desperately wanted him out of prison and was willing to do anything to make that happen.

At one time, I would have done the same thing for Ethan.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s really okay, Mom,” I reassured her. “It was just a small mistake.”

“I hated lying to her, but I didn’t know what else to say to make her feel better,” I thought. Gavin’s expression changed; his eyes darkened because he knew I was not telling the truth. He had seen what happened, and he was furious with me.

I shook my head slightly as my mother wrapped her arms around me for a hug. I didn’t want him to expose my lie.

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I have a different mansion in my…”

Gavin spoke as my mother carefully untangled herself from my arms. “The place is fully staffed,” he said. “I’m only there when I have business at the Northern Border. I want both of you to live there. There are no restrictions.”

My mother’s eyes grew wide as she looked up at him. I was speechless. He was offering her a way out, and it filled my heart with hope. Tears began to well up in my eyes.

I thought my mother would leap at the chance.

I wanted to seize the opportunity right away, but when she didn’t say anything, my heart felt heavy as I looked at her worried face.

“Alpha, would you mind if I spoke to my daughter alone?” she asked him.

He glanced at her, surprised by her request.

He looked a bit surprised when our eyes met, and I could tell he was just as confused as I was. But soon, he nodded.

“Of course,” he said to her. “Take all the time you need.”

He then turned to me and offered a reassuring smile.

He took one last look before turning and walking out of the bathroom. I glanced at my mother, and she looked back at me with a sad smile.

**Chapter 0165**

“Mom, what’s going on?” I asked her.

“Firstly, can…”

“Is there something going on between you and Gavin Landry?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

I was taken aback by her question, and I could feel my cheeks getting warm.

“No, of course not. There’s nothing happening,” I replied quickly.

She told her, lying once again, “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged.

“He seems to care about you a lot. I know you’ve been working in his pack as a tutor, and that’s how you know him…”

“He treats you with a care that feels almost intimate,” she said.

“Nothing is going on,” I replied quickly, looking down at my hands. “Is that why you wanted to talk to me?”

“No,” she answered.

She stepped closer to me and took my hands in hers. “I can’t leave here, Judy,” she said.

I gasped, surprised. “What? Why not?” I asked, shaking my head. I didn’t want to believe what I was hearing.

She looked sad as she sighed.

“Because then we won’t have the Cash family to help us,” she murmured. “They offered me money to do some housework for them. I get to live in their home.”

One of their beautiful guest rooms was available, and I could stay there and eat with the family. However, I was only given simple chores to do. In exchange for my help, they promised to give me a large amount of money to help pay off my father’s debt.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

“Do they want you to be a maid?” I asked her, my lips pressed tightly together. I had seen how they treated their servants, and I didn’t want my mother to be part of that. The thought made my stomach twist with worry.

I suddenly didn’t feel well.

“Not exactly,” she told me. “It’s different because they still treat me like an old friend and a part of their family.”

I shook my head.

Tears filled my eyes as I spoke to my mom.

“Mom, you can’t be serious. Please, Alpha Landry is giving us a way out of here…”

“Is he offering to pay your father’s debt?” she asked. “Have you asked him?”

I took a deep breath, knowing how much was at stake.

I swallowed hard, feeling a lump in my throat. I hadn’t really told him about my father’s debt. He knew I was desperate for money. After all, there were many times I had tried to charm him before actually getting to know him. But I never…

I shared my family problems with him. Honestly, I felt a bit embarrassed about it. I really didn’t want him to know what was going on.