Chapter 198

**Chapter 198**

Irene hadn’t meant to let that secret slip out, especially with Ethan right there. She had no idea he was about to walk in. She had planned to meet him later to talk about it, but now everything felt different.

As she stood there, her heart raced. Would Ethan be upset? Would he understand why she said what she did? The weight of the moment hung in the air, and Irene wished she could take back her words.

Ethan entered the room, and their eyes met. She could see a mix of curiosity and concern on his face. Irene took a deep breath, ready to explain herself, hoping he would listen.

It would have been a lovely surprise for him to show up at the Villa announcement. But right now, Irene felt embarrassed. She looked at Ethan, who was staring back at her with wide eyes, like a deer caught in headlights.

His eyes were wide with surprise, and he didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t expected Irene to know about him and Judy. Even though nothing was happening between them at that moment, it still felt strange. Irene was never supposed to find out.

Judy and Irene discovered they were fated mates. But how did Judy find out? Did she tell Irene this important news?

“I didn’t mean to cause a scene,” Irene said, standing up and wiping her eyes.

“But Judy lied,” Gavin said.

“It was clear to me from the beginning. She told me that nothing was happening between her and Ethan, but that was just a lie.”

Gavin’s eyes locked onto Judy’s, and they darkened with anger. He was furious, and it was evident how much this hurt him.

It was clear to everyone involved that something was wrong. Irene wasn’t sure why he was so angry. Was he upset because Judy had betrayed Irene, or was he angry that Judy had been sleeping with Ethan? Maybe now her father would understand the situation better.

Ethan realized that Irene was not the woman he thought she was, and he felt ready to move on from her. He knew that Skyla was the better choice for him.

“Irene, baby…” Ethan finally spoke, breaking the silence between them as he stepped forward.

Irene moved a little closer to Judy. The man didn’t even glance at Judy, and that made Irene’s heart swell with affection. He looked so upset and scared that it tugged at her heart.

“I would never do anything to hurt you,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

“I didn’t want to worry you, but Judy and I are friends… we just broke up. There’s nothing more to it than that.”

Irene wasn’t sure if she could believe him. She looked at him with a pained expression, unsure of what to think.

Tears filled Irene’s eyes as she tried to hold back her emotions. She bit her trembling lower lip, struggling to understand what was happening.

“I don’t know what to trust anymore…” she admitted, looking down at her hands.

“I know…” Ethan said softly. He reached out his hand to her as if he were trying to calm a wild animal. “And it’s my fault. I’m so sorry. But I love you, Irene, and I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“I’m not trying to hurt you on purpose. You have to believe me, baby. I’m really sorry you found out this way.”

Tears streamed down Irene’s cheeks.

“Maybe you should talk about this in private,” her father suggested.

kept her attention on Ethan. His gaze was still on Judy, who lay on the ground, affected by his Alpha power.

Irene finally nodded and took Ethan’s hand.

“Okay,” she said softly.

She didn’t glance back at Judy; her focus was solely on Ethan.

Ethan and Irene walked up the stairs and entered the bedroom. After closing the door behind them, Ethan let out a sigh of relief. But Irene felt anything but relieved. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling anxious and unsure.

She crossed her arms and glared at him from across the room.

“How could you lie to me, Ethan?” she asked after a moment of silence.

Ethan turned to face her, and she noticed the regret on his face.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said, his voice low.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have,” he said, his voice filled with regret. “Please forgive me…”

“How can I forgive you so quickly?” she asked, sniffing as she wiped her tear-streaked cheeks. “Are you still sleeping with her?”

“No,” Ethan said firmly.

“Do you want to sleep with her?” Irene suddenly asked.

Ethan paused for a moment, and that hesitation made Irene’s heart sink even more.

“It’s complicated,” he admitted.

“My wolf still wants her because she’s our mate. So I guess until we mate and mark you, the answer is yes. I still want to be close to her in some way. But that will change soon enough.”

“I wouldn’t act on those feelings. You are the one I want to be with. You are the one I love. I can’t love Judy the same way I used to.”

“Why not?” Irene asked, looking into his eyes.

“Because…”

“She cheated on me with someone else,” he said suddenly, shrugging his shoulders. “She’s manipulative. She’s been here the whole time, using your father because she wants to get to me. She even told me so herself!”

Once upon a time, there were two friends named Sam and Alex. They loved exploring the woods behind their neighborhood. One sunny Saturday, they decided to go on an adventure.

“Let’s see if we can find the old treehouse!” Sam suggested.

“Great idea!” Alex replied, excited.

They packed some snacks and set off. As they walked, they chatted about their favorite games and what they wanted to be when they grew up.

After a while, they reached the spot where the treehouse used to be. It was a tall oak tree with sturdy branches. But when they looked up, they saw that the treehouse was gone.

“Where did it go?” asked Sam, puzzled.

“I think it fell down a long time ago,” Alex said, looking around. “But we could build a new one!”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “That sounds fun! We can use these branches and some old wood we find.”

The boys spent the whole afternoon gathering materials and working together. They laughed and shared stories while they built their new treehouse.

By the end of the day, they had created a small but cozy hideout among the branches. They climbed up and sat inside, feeling proud of what they had made.

“This is the best adventure ever,” Sam said.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to tell everyone!” Alex added, smiling.

As the sun began to set, they climbed down and headed home, excited to return the next day for more adventures.