Chapter 189

**Chapter 0189**

If Judy wanted to play games, Frene could play ten times better.

“And what does this Judy have that I don’t?” Skyla asked. She noticed that Gavin hardly paid attention to her.

She caught his eye but he didn’t seem to notice her subtle hints. Now, she understood why… it was because of Judy.

“Nothing,” Irene whispered to herself. “Judy is my age… she’s too young for him. My father deserves a real woman.”

“Not to mention, you are way prettier.”

Skyla smiled at this thought. It was perfect; it meant she still had a chance. She wasn’t going to let this girl, Judy, win Gavin’s heart.

“Skyla, we are waiting for you,” someone called.

Chanse called out to Skyla from the parlor.

“I need to be going,” Skyla said to Irene. “But thank you for this helpful information. I’ll make sure your father picks the right woman.”

Irene smiled at her.

was being innocent, but Skyla realized that Irene had a hidden agenda.

“That’s all I ask,” Irene said with a sweet smile. “I’ll do my part and maybe even convince Judy to leave too.”

Skyla nodded, beginning to understand that Irene’s intentions weren’t as pure as they seemed. She had misjudged Irene completely.

Once upon a time, there was a spoiled little princess. She always got what she wanted and never did anything wrong. While she seemed sweet, she was far from innocent. If things went well with Skyla and Gavin, she thought she might actually enjoy being a stepmother.

The girl quickly said goodbye before heading to the Parlor. She felt happy to see Gavin already there. Taking her chance, she sat next to him and decided to make her move.

Meanwhile, Irene waited outside the parlor door.

Judy’s friend was waiting for her to arrive. Her father had asked her to tell Judy that the tutoring session would be held at a new location today. This change was due to a last-minute meeting he had to attend. He was too busy to send Judy a text himself, so he asked his daughter to do it.

Irene was busy, so she asked Judy to help her. Judy agreed, but she didn’t follow through. Instead, Irene wanted Judy to come to the parlor and see Skyla with her father. She thought it was important for Judy to witness how well they got along as a couple.

Judy looked pale, and it was clear her plan was working perfectly. She couldn’t shake the thought that Gavin was moving on with someone much better than her. It felt like it wouldn’t be long before he left her for good.

She didn’t want to hurt her father, but she believed Skyla could help fix things. Judy thought about Gavin, the strongest man she knew. He wouldn’t let a short romance bring him down. That was all Judy needed to remember.

“I overheard Skyla talking last night,” Irene said to Judy, who looked shocked as she watched Skyla and Gavin talking closely. “She seems really interested in my father. I’m starting to think of her differently.”

Judy took a deep breath and whispered, “I see…”

She looked completely defeated, which surprised Irene. Irene had thought that Judy was just using Gavin to get closer to Ethan.

Irene felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over her. She realized that if she hadn’t seen the look on the other person’s face, she wouldn’t have felt so hurt. The many expressions crossing that face gave her pause. For a moment, she took a breath and tried to shake off those thoughts.

—

**Chapter 189**

It was all just an act. She…

Judy had been acting ever since she met Gavin, and she was really good at it. There was no way she was truly hurt when she saw him with another woman. She was only upset because her plan to get close to Ethan was not working, and now things seemed even more complicated.

Irene knew she had to come up with a new plan that didn’t involve Judy’s father. She was determined to reveal all of Judy’s schemes and wasn’t going to let her win.

“I’m sorry…” Judy said, stepping forward.

“I’m not feeling well,” she said as she stepped away from the parlor. “Can you please apologize to Matt for me? Let him know that our session will be moved to tomorrow.”

Irene put on a fake concerned frown.

“Of course,” she replied.

“Is everything okay? You look pale,” Irene said with a fake sweetness.

Judy nodded numbly and turned her gaze from the parlor door to Irene. She froze when she noticed the tears in Judy’s eyes. Judy was trying to hold back her emotions, but it was clear she was struggling.

It was hard to hide her feelings, but they were clear as day. Judy was hurt and upset. However, it didn’t make much sense to her. Why was she feeling this way about something she never truly wanted, especially when it involved Gavin?

Ethan noticed Judy’s distress and felt concern for his friend.

Judy wanted to say something, but instead she turned her face away.

“Yes,” she said softly. “It was good to see you, Irene.”

With that, Judy walked away without saying anything else, leaving Irene feeling confused.