Chapter 397

**Chapter 397**

“I thought… I mean… yeah,” I said softly. “We aren’t…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. I hated how vulnerable and weak I sounded at that moment.

He held my face gently in his hands, making sure I looked into his eyes.

“I don’t sleep with multiple women at once, Judy,” he said firmly. “It’s messy and never ends well. I’m too old for that.”

“Don’t you think you should know better?”

I nodded slowly. I realized I shouldn’t have assumed the worst about him. But if he only saw things from my side… how would he feel if a guy answered the door when I wasn’t home? What if that guy was wrapped in a towel?

I wrapped myself in a towel and felt a shiver run down my spine. I couldn’t help but think about Ethan. It felt like something he would do, and honestly, I was surprised he hadn’t done it yet.

“I saw her in a bathrobe, Gavin,” I said. “How would you feel if the roles were reversed?”

His eyes grew dark as my words sank in, making him feel terrible.

“You should know me better than that by now,” he said, his tone almost cold. But I could hear a hint of hurt behind his words.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have assumed the worst. But we need to focus on the bigger picture. Ethan is out there, planning something. He did this, Gavin. That’s terrifying.”

nodded.

“And I will find him and make him answer for his crimes. You should head back to the suite for the night. I don’t trust him not to show up here and try something,” he said.

He let go of my arm, and suddenly, I felt a rush of relief.

I felt cold without his touch. I bit my lower lip and nodded, frustrated by how distant we still seemed from each other. This whole situation had taught me one important thing: maybe I didn’t trust him as much as I thought I did.

I thought I did. Did I ever really trust him?

“Where are you going?” I asked him after a moment of silence.

“Don’t worry about that,” he replied in a rough voice. “I’ll be fine.”

I nodded and, without saying anything more, headed back to my suite. Inside, I found Nan, Chester, Irene, and Matt all gathered in the room. Nan and Chester were busy packing their things, while Irene was sitting on the couch.

Emily lay in bed, looking pale and tired, almost like a ghost of her former self. Matt sat on the couch, scrolling through his phone without really paying attention to what he was looking at.

“What’s going on?” I asked Nan as she stopped packing. She turned to me when she saw me standing in the doorway.

“Our flight is tomorrow,” she said with a shrug. “I thought it would be better if we prepared. I assume we’ll be leaving quickly.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, we will definitely be leaving quickly,” I replied.

“I’m sorry that this trip has been so messy, Nan,” I said. “The last thing you wanted was for things to be complicated.”

“Are you kidding me?” she replied with a smile. “This trip was awesome! Plus, you won the competition, and I got to see you shine. That’s what really matters.”

“It was totally worth it,” she said with a big smile.

“That’s awesome that you won!” Chester said, giving me a high five.

I glanced at Irene, who wasn’t really joining in on the conversation. She seemed lost in her own thoughts, but I could sense something was on her mind.

**Chapter 397**

She wasn’t in her own suite, and it made her feel uneasy. She wanted to be around people. I sat next to her on the bed and gave her a sympathetic look.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

She blinked a few times and shook her head, letting some tears fall down her cheeks.

“I can’t believe he was here, and he didn’t come find me,” she whispered. “I truly meant nothing to him.”

“Ethan isn’t worth your time, Irene. I thought you knew that by now,” I said gently. “He’s manipulative. Just look at the mess he’s made in such a short time.”

Irene nodded and took a small bite of her snack.

lower lip.

“A part of me still loves him, and I hate myself for it,” she whispered.

I understood exactly how she felt. Having Ethan as my fated mate made everything more complicated. Whenever he was nearby, my wolf felt stronger, and my emotions became a jumbled mess.

She still felt a strong connection to him. This bond was something she could sense deeply, and it would remain until he either marked someone else or someone else replaced the mark he had left on her. For a long time, Ethan was everything to her. As she grew up, she realized how much he meant to her.

He was my best friend. When I discovered he was a mate, I was thrilled. But now, I regret everything and wonder if any of it was real or just a complicated plan to hurt me.

“We’re not going to let him get away with this,” I say, placing my hand on her knee. “He will regret the day he messed with us.”

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