Chapter 263
**Chapter 0263**
“Oh, I see,” she murmured. “Then you must be very special.”
“What about you?” I asked. “Aren’t you competing?”
She looked down, her expression thoughtful.
Her shoulders slumped a little as she pulled on her sweatshirt.
“No,” she said softly. “But I’m required to be there to support my gamma.”
“Oh?” I asked, curious.
She sighed and then looked up at me.
“He’s kind of my boyfriend.”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re dating your gamma?” I asked.
She nodded, biting her lower lip. Nan looked around, frowning.
“Then where is he?” she asked.
He took an earlier flight with a group of his friends, she murmured. “I was left behind. But I’m going anyway.”
Over the loudspeaker, I heard our section of the plane being called. I glanced at Nan, who was sitting next to me.
I gave her a quick nod, letting her know I heard it too.
“We have to go,” I said, standing up. “But maybe we’ll see you there?”
She nodded back and smiled a little.
“Yeah,” she replied, encouragingly.
“Maybe,” she said softly.
With that, Nan and I walked towards the terminal gates. We handed our tickets to the stewardess before boarding the plane.
“Next stop, tropical paradise!” Nan announced, tugging at my arm with excitement.
Irene walked to her brother’s room to check on him. She had just finished a phone call with Ethan, who was on his way over. Irene needed to talk to him about something important.
The woman saw at his house had left her feeling uneasy. She knew she wouldn’t feel better until she figured everything out. Yet, she remembered her father’s advice. She realized she couldn’t just be angry at Judy; Ethan had also been dishonest with her.
Ethan had lied too, and that made her feel betrayed.
She felt just as guilty, if not more.
She knocked on Matt’s door, but when there was no answer, she pushed the door open. Inside, she found Matt sitting on his bed, playing video games. Of course, that’s what he was doing.
“Hey, Matt!” she called out, hoping to catch his attention.
“Hey,” she said as she stepped into his room.
“What do you want?” he asked without looking up.
Irene was taken aback by the bitterness in his voice, and she froze.
Chapter 0263
+25 BONUS
“What’s with…”
“What’s with the attitude?” she asked, crossing her arms and looking down at him.
“I heard what you said to Judy yesterday,” he muttered, shaking his head. Finally, he pulled his gaze away from his video game.
“I can’t believe you blamed her for my accident,” he said, glaring at her.
“Well, she did shoot you,” Irene replied, pointing to his healing leg. In just a day or so, it would be fully healed, thank goodness.
“It was her fault.”
“It was my fault. I stepped in front of the target because I saw something on the ground that I wanted to pick up,” Matt said unexpectedly.
He surprised her with his admission.
Judy always warned me never to move from my spot if someone was shooting. She said shooters aim based on where people are standing. But in a moment of panic, I forgot her advice and shifted my position. I threw her off balance with my sudden move. I wasn’t thinking clearly; it was a rookie mistake.
Irene was shocked.
Judy was speechless. She saw Matt moving from where he was standing, but she should have noticed him before she let the bowstring go.
“She wasn’t even aiming for me,” Matt said. “She was just showing me a trick shot.”
“I was just going in the same direction,” Matt said.
“A trick shot?” Irene asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
“You don’t know what Judy can do,” Matt replied, his voice tight. “She’s amazing.”
She was an amazing archer and fighter, capable of doing things that seemed impossible. The accident was not her fault. I wanted to tell her that last night, but everyone was shouting. Then Dad listened to them and kicked her out. It all happened so quickly. I wish I could have spoken up for her.
“Irene, it’s your fault,” she commanded.
Irene was taken aback. “Uh…” she stammered, struggling to find the right words.
Just then, Gavin knocked on the door, interrupting their conversation.
“Is everything okay?” he asked as he stepped into the room.
“The accident wasn’t Judy’s fault,” Matt said firmly. “I moved from my original spot after she told me many times not to do that. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. But please, don’t be angry at Judy anymore.”
“I don’t want her to quit or get fired… I don’t want her to leave,” Matt said, his voice filled with emotion.
Tears filled Matt’s eyes, and Irene felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She knew this was her fault entirely. What kind of monster had she become?
“Why am I doing all of this for Ethan? Is he really worth it?”
“Thank you for telling me that,” Gavin said, placing a hand on Matt’s shoulder.
“Dad… you’re not going to fire her, are you?”
Gavin shook his head.
“No, I’ve been trying to reach her,” he said. “But her phone is off. I’ll have to wait until I get back to talk to her. I came in here to let you know that I’m leaving now.”
“I’ll be gone for a few weeks,” she said.
“Are you going straight to the Gamma competition?” he asked.
“It doesn’t start for a couple more days. I’m going to check in at the resort first,” she replied.
“Then we might have some competition for dinner tonight,” he explained. “Behave while I’m gone. Both of you. Call if you need anything. Be good for Beta Taylor.”
“Okay…” they both replied at the same time.
Gavin and Irene looked back at Matt, who still had tears in his eyes.
In that moment, Irene realized she had made a mistake.