Chapter 363

**Chapter 363**

“Yes, Alpha. Do we know how much he owes?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said through clenched teeth. “I want it all paid off. No questions asked.”

Taylor nodded in agreement. “I’ll let you know when he’s released and when Ethan is in custody.”

“They can’t go anywhere either,” Taylor added. “If they try, make sure to put them in custody too.”

There was a brief pause on his end.

“Yes, Alpha,” Taylor finally replied after a moment of silence.

Without saying anything else, I hung up the phone.

I needed to leave this place for a while.

I needed a few minutes to breathe. I was furious that Judy had kept something so important from me. It made me feel angry beyond belief. If I wanted to confront her, I had to clear my mind first.

**Judy’s Point of View**

“Well, that was one…”

“Irene,” I said, frowning as I stared at the closed door. “I don’t know how to tell him.” I took a deep breath and added, “I’m sorry that happened.”

I sat there, frozen, looking at the doorway where Gavin had just walked out. My heart raced in my chest, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Now, Gavin knew the truth about everything, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

“Maybe it’s for the best,” Irene said with a shrug.

“He can do something about it. You shouldn’t have kept this to yourself, Judy. He can help get your dad out of prison.”

“My father’s pride is at stake,” I said quietly.

“He’s being tortured in prison. I…”

“I think this goes beyond pride,” Irene said, folding her arms across her chest. “Don’t you think?”

I knew she was right, so I nodded slowly.

“Maybe I should go after him,” I suggested as I began to stand up.

Irene held onto my arm, stopping me from moving.

“I think you should give him some space,” she said. “I know that look in his eyes, and it never ends well for anyone. When he’s ready to talk, he will.”

“Talk to him, and he’ll come back,” she gently assured me.

It felt strange having her by my side right now. It had been months since I thought of her as a friend. But now, it almost felt like she was back to being the person I once knew.

I could see that she still had some questions and thoughts on her mind. To help her feel more at ease, I settled back onto the bed and took a deep breath, trying to calm my own anxious nerves.

“I can’t believe what Ethan said to me,” Irene whispered softly, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at my face. “I’m really sorry, Judy. For everything.”

I gave her a small smile. Then, I wrapped her in my arms, holding her close.

I held onto her tightly.

“I’m the one who’s sorry, Irene,” I whispered. “I’m sorry you got hurt and that you were caught in the middle of this. But it’s not your fault… none of this was ever your fault.”

“You were a victim of his cruel games,” she said.

For a moment, she chewed on her lower lip, deep in thought. Then, she nodded, understanding dawning on her.

—

**Chapter 0363**

“You were a victim too,” Slie told me softly. “You and your…”

“That was cruel and sickening. He can’t get away with this,” she said firmly.

“He won’t,” I assured her. “Especially now that Gavin knows everything. He would never let Ethan hurt you like that and get away with it.”

“Not just me,” Irene said, nudging me gently. “He wouldn’t let Ethan get away with hurting you either.”

My cheeks burned at her words, and I looked down at my lap.

“Maybe,” I replied.

“Either way, Ethan is a dead man.”

We talked for a little while longer, and it felt good to have her back as a friend. She asked me more questions, like whether Ethan and I were still together when she first met me.

“Did he cheat on you with me?”

She looked pale after I confirmed that he had cheated on me. I told her that he had marked me when I turned 18. Whenever he’s intimate with anyone else, I feel a rush of pain.

Mark Burns felt that things were getting easier over time. Spending time with Gavin helped a lot; it was as if Gavin made the pain from his broken mate bond a little less intense. Despite this, the memory of that pain still lingered in the back of his mind.

After a while, Mark noticed that the weight on his heart was lightening, but it still wasn’t completely gone.

I decided to go back to my room and get some rest. I waited for a while for Gavin to come back, but he didn’t. After saying goodbye to Irene, I headed to my hotel suite. I expected to find Nan tucked away in bed.

Chester was supposed to be with her, or maybe someone else. But when I arrived, neither of them was in the room.

Instead, the moment I stepped inside, I was grabbed and pushed against the wall. My breath caught in my throat as I heard a low voice.

I heard threatening words whispered in my ear: “Now, it’s time for us to talk.”