The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 225

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 225: Family Dinner**

**Gavin’s POV**

The air was thick with the intoxicating aroma of lavender and fresh vanilla, a scent that wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Even in her slightly tipsy state, she exuded a strange allure that was hard to ignore. Yet, I couldn’t shake the unsettling thought that she was barely older than my own daughter. I prided myself on being a man of principles, someone who would never exploit the innocence of a young girl. There had to be a reason she was drowning herself in drinks tonight, and the last thing she needed was a man who could easily be her father taking advantage of her vulnerability. I had already stepped in to protect her from one creep; I had no intention of becoming another.

As if the universe sensed my internal struggle, my phone rang, interrupting the moment and pulling me back to reality. Glancing at the screen, I felt a wave of resignation wash over me. I gently nudged Judy, hoping she would shift enough to give me some space as I answered the call.

“Hello?” I spoke into the phone, deliberately ignoring the disappointed pout on Judy’s face.

“Is that how you greet your mother?” came the familiar voice, laced with a hint of reproach.

“I’m a bit preoccupied at the moment,” I replied, attempting to brush off her comment.

“Always busy, aren’t you?” she murmured, the disappointment palpable in her tone. “I brought you into this world and raised you, yet here I am, struggling to get a moment of your time. Is this how you repay me?”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her dramatics.

“What is it you want, Mom?” I asked, striving to keep the irritation from creeping into my voice.

My mother had a remarkable talent for pushing my buttons. It wasn’t that she was a bad mother; we had shared a close bond during my childhood. But I had always been closer to my father. My mother, on the other hand, had a tendency to be overbearing, and she wouldn’t relent until she got her way.

The day my father passed away, everything changed. She clung to me as if I were her lifeline, which, in many ways, I had become. I was there for her in her darkest hour. Unlike my sister, Sarah, who seemed to care for no one but herself, drowning her sorrows in whiskey and the toxic embrace of her abusive boyfriend, I had taken on the role of caretaker.

And then there was Noah, my younger brother, who had moved to another country nearly two decades ago to start a new life with his partner. They were now raising a family of their own. He would check in occasionally, and I had made the effort to visit him and his family a few times, even bringing Matt and Irene along on some occasions. But my mother? She had never made the trip to see them. She harbored a resentment that ran deep, refusing to forgive him for leaving all those years ago.

My mother was as stubborn as they come, and since my father’s death, her rigidity had only intensified.

“I just wanted to remind you about our family dinner tomorrow,” she said, her tone shifting to a more formal note. “Your grandparents, along with my sisters and brother, will be in town. I’m preparing a special meal to welcome them.”

A sigh escaped my lips. It wasn’t that I had forgotten about the gathering, but every time our family convened, chaos seemed to follow. My mother’s relationship with her sisters was strained at best, and her mother did nothing but criticize her. The entire affair always felt like a ticking time bomb.

“It’s always a disaster,” I thought to myself, knowing full well that my mother would be blamed for everything, including Sarah’s downward spiral.

“I remember,” I finally replied after a brief silence. “I’ll be there.”

“You should bring Daisy with you,” she suggested, her voice brightening as if she had just come up with the best idea in the world.

“Why on earth would I do that?” I shot back, incredulous.

“Because she likes you, Gavin,” my mother insisted. “I’ve always thought you two would make a wonderful couple. Isn’t it time you considered a serious relationship? Enough with the fleeting encounters. Daisy is a lovely woman and deserves to be treated with respect.”

My mother had always been an advocate for Daisy Sparks, my late wife’s sister. I could see why others were drawn to her—she was stunning and a successful fashion designer. Yet, every time I was around her, I was reminded of my wife. They shared a striking resemblance that made my skin crawl.

But my mother, of course, couldn’t see it from my perspective.

I glanced over at Judy, who had succumbed to sleep, her head resting against the window, her breathing deep and rhythmic.

“I’m not interested in her,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I just want you to be happy, Gavin,” my mother replied softly, her concern evident.

“My love life is not your issue,” I said, my tone firm. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, I hung up the phone, turning my focus back to Judy, still peacefully asleep.

“Alpha, we have arrived,” Leroy announced as he rolled down the window that separated the backseat from the front.

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