The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 207

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**

**Chapter 207: A Plan**

**Judy’s POV**

“Shut up!” I exclaimed, my heart racing. “Are you serious?? You actually went to Gavin Landry’s VIP suite? As in THE Gavin Landry?!”

In that moment, I felt an overwhelming urge to tackle her to the ground; her voice was far too loud for my comfort!

“Keep your voice down!” I admonished, my hands instinctively reaching out to cover her mouth. But she was quick, too quick, and deftly dodged my grasp.

“How can I possibly keep my voice down when my best friend just spent the night in Gavin Landry’s hotel room and decided to wait until now to spill the beans?!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement and disbelief.

Nan had been working as a waitress at the Carter Resorts, the venue for the engagement party we had attended the previous night. This hotel was nestled within the human territory and was owned by Patrick Carter, the Delta of the Silver Crescent pack. Coincidentally, that was also the pack to which Gavin Landry belonged.

I wasn’t shocked to see Gavin there last night; after all, his daughter was the one getting engaged. It was also no surprise that he had a VIP suite at the hotel.

With a heavy sigh, I leaned against the wall, feeling the weight of the night’s events pressing down on me.

“It all happened so fast, and I may have had one too many drinks,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. “By the time I got home, I was so overwhelmed that I almost forgot everything else that happened.”

I wrapped my arms around myself, seeking comfort, and glanced up into Nan’s concerned eyes, searching for understanding.

“What else happened?” she probed, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, as if the walls themselves might be listening.

Taking a deep breath, I recounted every detail of the night, right up to the moment when Ethan had approached me with his outrageous proposal—asking me to be his mistress in exchange for clearing my father’s debts. By the time I finished, Nan’s jaw hung open in disbelief, her expression a mixture of shock and outrage.

“The nerve of that jerk!” she hissed, her voice low but fierce. “How dare he! He rejected you and now he wants you to be his little plaything?! He has no shame whatsoever.”

“I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do, Nan,” I whispered, feeling the gravity of my situation settle heavily on my shoulders. “There’s no way I can come up with five million dollars to pay off my father’s debt.”

Silence enveloped us as we both sank into our thoughts, the weight of my predicament hanging in the air. Then, suddenly, Nan’s face lit up with a spark of inspiration. I recognized that look all too well, and an anxious smile spread across her features. I braced myself, knowing that whatever idea she had, I probably wouldn’t like it.

“You mentioned that he gave you his shirt to wear?” she asked, her eyes glinting with excitement.

I nodded slowly, unsure of where this was heading.

For the past couple of days, my mother had been preoccupied—either on the phone with lawyers, visiting my father in prison, or holed up in her room. I had barely exchanged words with her since I broke the news about Ethan’s refusal to help us. The guilt of disappointing her weighed heavily on my heart, but I clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, this plan would resolve all our issues.

It was no secret where Gavin’s office was located; everyone knew about the illustrious Gavin Landry Corporation. As I stepped through the front door, the receptionist was busy typing away at her computer, her focus unwavering.

She barely glanced at me as I approached the desk.

“Good morning, I’m here to see Gavin Landry,” I said, trying to sound as polite as possible, though my nerves were threatening to spill over.

The receptionist finally looked up, blinking a few times as if trying to comprehend my presence. Her expression was less than welcoming.

“Do you have an appointment?” she asked, her tone flat and dismissive.

“Uh, no, but—”

“Listen, I don’t have time for this. Countless women come in here asking to see Gavin, and I’m going to tell you what I tell them all: Mr. Landry is incredibly busy and doesn’t have the time or patience to deal with another fan girl,” she replied, her bitterness palpable.

“And what gives you the right to turn away those who come to see me?” a deep voice boomed from behind me, cutting through the tension like a knife.