The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 242

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 242: Unwanted Child**

**Judy’s POV**

“W…what are you doing here?” Matt’s voice trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked up at his father, Gavin. The tension in the air was palpable, thickening around us like a heavy fog.

Gavin, with his brow arched in surprise, met his son’s gaze with a steady stare. “I was called in for a parent/teacher conference,” he clarified, his tone even but laced with an undercurrent of confusion. “I didn’t expect to see your mother already here.”

Matt’s eyes flickered to me, his cheeks ablaze with embarrassment, mirroring my own crimson hue.

“My… my mother…” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he focused intently on the floor, as if it held the answers to all his questions.

“Yes,” Gavin replied, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers grazing my cheek and sending a cascade of goosebumps across my skin. “I thought she had to work today and wouldn’t be able to make it. I was surprised to find her here.”

Matt lifted his gaze to us, a storm of questions swirling in his eyes, confusion etched on his youthful face. He was just as bewildered as I was, grappling with the reality that his father was engaging with our little charade.

“I asked her if she could come here instead,” Matt confessed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his discomfort palpable. “I didn’t want you to be mad at me.”

“I see,” Gavin said, leaning back in his chair, his expression inscrutable. “And you thought I wouldn’t understand your situation?”

Matt nodded, biting his lower lip as he wrestled with his emotions.

“I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me,” he murmured, his voice thick with regret. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

“Why don’t you tell me exactly what happened,” Gavin urged, his gaze unwavering, locked onto his son’s. “What led you to hit that boy?”

Matt hesitated, his eyes darting between his father and me. The crimson flush on his cheeks deepened, and I sensed his hesitation to voice the painful truth. I couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired to provoke such a reaction, but I reminded myself that this was not my place to pry. After all, I wasn’t truly his mother. In fact, I wasn’t even certain who his mother was.

I recalled the whispers that surrounded Gavin’s past—his fated mate had tragically passed away during childbirth many years ago. But was it during Irene’s birth or Matthew’s? If it had been Irene, then Matt must have come from another woman entirely. I had only discovered Gavin had a son when I began tutoring him; he had been kept so far from the public eye that my curiosity about their family dynamic had grown insatiable.

“I can leave if you want to talk to your father alone,” I finally suggested, rising slightly from my seat, but Gavin’s hand gently pressed against my arm, halting my movement.

“Whatever you need to say to me, you can say in front of your mother,” he stated firmly, his eyes never leaving Matt’s.

Matt nodded, fidgeting with his fingers as he gathered the courage to speak.

“He… he said I was motherless and unwanted. That not even my own father wanted me,” Matt whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his words. “He told me I would never be a real part of the Landry family. I was about to leave the lunchroom when he pushed me and said that I didn’t deserve the last name Landry, that my mother probably killed herself because of me. I just… I couldn’t take it anymore, so I punched him in the face. I forgot my own strength and broke his nose…”

A gasp escaped my lips, and I instinctively covered my mouth with my hands, finally breaking free from Gavin’s grip. His hold had loosened as he absorbed Matt’s confession, his eyes wide with shock as he processed the gravity of his son’s words.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I know I’m not supposed to fight… but I just couldn’t—”

Gavin raised a hand, silencing Matt before he could continue. I felt a surge of frustration towards Gavin for dismissing his son’s pain so easily, but then he turned to face the principal, his demeanor shifting to one of icy authority that sent a shiver down my spine.

“As I stated earlier, my son had a valid reason for his actions. Now, I would like to know what you intend to do about the boy who bullied my son?”

The principal appeared taken aback, his gaze darting between Matt, Gavin, and me, his expression a mixture of surprise and concern.

“I… I’m so sorry. I had no idea…” he stammered, clearly flustered.

“No, you didn’t,” Gavin interrupted sharply. “You didn’t bother to ask. You were quick to accuse Matthew without giving him a fair chance to explain. As the largest shareholder of this school, I demand that boy be suspended for his actions against my son. And if he dares to speak ill of anyone else here, especially Matt, he will face expulsion. As for Matt, he deserves no punishment at this time.”

With that, Gavin rose from his seat, taking my hand firmly in his, pulling me to my feet alongside him.

“I’ll be taking him home for the rest of the day,” he declared with an air of finality.

“Y… yes, sir,” Principal Thorne replied, his voice low and deferential, his gaze cast downward. “I apologize for this misunderstanding.”

As Gavin strode towards the door, he paused momentarily before opening it.

“Oh, and you’ll need to find a new receptionist. My Beta just fired yours,” he added, his tone dismissive as he pushed the door open and stormed out of the office, leading me along with him.

Matt followed closely behind us, his footsteps echoing the tension that still hung in the air.

We didn’t stop until we reached the school’s entrance, where Beta Taylor awaited us in the car. The other Gamma warriors stood guard nearby, positioned just out of earshot but close enough to intervene if necessary.

“Care to explain what the two of you were thinking?” Gavin asked, finally releasing my hand as we reached the vehicle.

I lowered my gaze, feeling the weight of his disappointment.

“It’s my fault, Dad. I asked her to pretend to be my mom,” Matt blurted out, desperation creeping into his voice as he sought to justify his actions. “I didn’t want you to be upset. I was scared, so I asked Judy if she could help me during our tutoring session last night.”

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