The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 280

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 280: Accused**

**Judy’s POV**

This was undoubtedly the most terrifying moment I had ever experienced. When Matt took that innocent bite of his sandwich, I watched in horror as he suddenly collapsed to the floor. My mind raced, paralyzed by panic and confusion. I had never found myself in a situation quite like this before, and the instinct to act was drowned out by sheer disbelief. His face turned a vivid shade of crimson, swelling grotesquely as he clutched his throat, the panic in his eyes unmistakable. He couldn’t breathe.

All I could think about was the Epi-Pen he so desperately needed, but Irene stood frozen, her expression vacant, as if she were in a trance, completely oblivious to the chaos unfolding around us. Just then, the door burst open, and Gavin stormed into the room. I hadn’t even noticed the maid trailing behind him until she rushed to fetch help without a moment’s hesitation. Relief washed over me when I saw Gavin had an Epi-Pen stashed away in the parlor desk.

As Matt’s breathing gradually returned, a wave of relief cascaded over me, and I felt the tears streaming down my cheeks, a testament to the fear I had just endured.

“Call an ambulance,” Gavin barked at the maid, his voice low and tense. She nodded quickly and darted away to follow his command, urgency in her every step.

Gavin lifted Matt from my lap, cradling him in his own arms with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the fury radiating from him. Matt was breathing again, but his face remained alarmingly swollen, and I wondered if he had lost consciousness. I leaned back against the couch, trying to steady my racing heart, willing it to slow its frantic rhythm.

“Who fed him peanut butter?” Gavin demanded, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes blazing with anger.

I glanced up at him, confusion knitting my brow. His gaze bore into me, as if I were somehow culpable for this nightmare.

“W…what?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper, trembling with fear.

“I asked you, who fed him peanut butter?” he repeated, his tone sharp and accusatory.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could utter a word, Irene interjected.

“Judy made him lunch,” she said hastily, pointing at the sandwich now lying discarded on the floor. Gavin seized the sandwich, bringing it to his nose to sniff it, and I could see the fury in his eyes intensifying as his pupils dilated.

“Didn’t Taylor go over these things with you? I thought you were given a list of his allergies!” Gavin’s voice escalated, laced with frustration.

“I…” My mind was a whirlpool of confusion. I hadn’t put peanut butter in his sandwich; I knew about his severe allergy. I would never be so reckless. But how had the peanut butter ended up in the sandwich I had prepared for him?

“Dad, you have to do something,” Irene cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. “She almost killed him! She can’t be safe to be around here…”

My heart plummeted, the weight of her words crushing me. I stared at her, disbelief washing over me. She was genuinely crying, but I could sense an underlying motive in her tone. It was as if she was orchestrating a cruel symphony, and I was the unwitting performer caught in her web.

Why was she turning against me? Just days ago, she had assured me we were fine.

In the distance, the wail of an ambulance grew louder. Matt groaned softly, bringing Gavin’s attention back to him. He brushed damp strands of hair from Matt’s forehead, holding him tighter, his voice a soothing murmur against the chaos.

“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered, his breath warm against Matt’s head. “You’ll be okay. I’ve got you.”

My heart twisted painfully; he believed I had done this intentionally.

My gaze fell to the sandwich on the floor, confusion enveloping me. I reached out, trembling fingers grabbing a piece of the bread. As I lifted it, my breath hitched in my throat at the sight of the peanut butter nestled within.

How could this have happened?

I glanced up at Irene, who was glaring down at me, her expression a mixture of triumph and malice. She was the only other person in the kitchen with me. But would she truly poison her own brother? What motive could she possibly have? He was just a child, innocent and undeserving of this turmoil.

“You hurt my family,” Irene accused, jabbing her finger at me. “You can’t stay here and tutor Matt any longer. Tell her, Daddy!”

Gavin remained silent, his focus entirely on ensuring Matt was alright.

Irene turned to her father, desperation in her voice.

“She can’t be trusted, especially around Matt. Her careless mistake almost cost him his life! You have to tell her she can’t come back to the villa!” More tears cascaded down her cheeks, but I could see the satisfaction lurking in her eyes.

Before long, the parlor was filled with EMTs and gamma warriors, their presence a whirlwind of urgency. I remained frozen on the floor, feeling like a ghost in my own life while Irene continued to point fingers at me, her accusations falling on deaf ears as Gavin spoke to the professionals.

“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” Gavin finally said after they had taken Matt out of the room. He turned to Irene, his eyes narrowing. “Go with your brother,” he commanded.

She bit her lip, hastily wiping her eyes as she nodded. As she brushed past him, she paused, looking up at him with feigned concern.

“She can’t be trusted,” she reiterated, her voice dripping with false sincerity.

Gavin said nothing, his focus unwavering until the parlor was empty and the sirens faded into the distance.

Taylor lingered in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, a silent observer to the storm brewing.

“Investigate what happened in the kitchen,” Gavin ordered, his tone brooking no argument.

“Um… Alpha…” Taylor began, almost hesitantly. “The camera footage in the kitchen has been broken for weeks, remember? You never ordered anyone to fix it.”

Gavin let out a growl that sent a shiver down my spine.

“I’m saying I didn’t know there was peanut butter in it…” I replied, tears spilling down my cheeks, the weight of his accusations suffocating me.

He scoffed, curling his lip in disgust, twisting the knife deeper into my gut.

“It was your responsibility to check for these things before allowing him to eat anything,” Gavin said slowly, as if I were incapable of comprehending the gravity of the situation. I opened my mouth to defend myself, desperate to explain, but he cut me off with his harsh tone. “Leroy will take you home.”

“But—”

“I don’t want to see you in my villa for the foreseeable future,” he declared sharply.

My heart shattered; he was throwing me out of the villa… and out of his life.

“Leave,” he commanded, pointing towards the door. “And stay away from my family.”

A knock at my bedroom door pulled me from my spiraling thoughts, and I lifted my head to see my mother standing there, her expression a mix of concern and worry etched across her features. I had been cooped up in my room for days, caught in an emotional whirlwind of tears and despair. I hadn’t confided in her about the chaos, but she assumed it was merely the stress of moving. The last place I wanted to relocate to was Ethan’s family house, but at that moment, I had little choice.

Gavin hadn’t reached out to me in nearly three days, and time was slipping away. My mother had sold our home to Meredith’s friend, and we were expected to vacate by the end of the day. I had spent the previous day packing, and now my room was nearly empty, save for a few articles of clothing and my bed.

“How about you come downstairs and enjoy lunch with me?” she suggested gently, her tone soothing. “It’ll be the last time we eat as a family in this house.”

I hastily wiped the tears from my cheeks, trying to compose myself.

“I’m not very hungry,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.

She sighed softly and stepped into my room, closing the door behind her.

“I know you’re upset about this move,” she began, her voice tender. “But you have to understand, I’m doing what’s best for our family. Once your father is out of prison and we’re back on our feet, we can find a new place and move out of the Cash family mansion. I just need you to be a little patient.”

As upset as I was about the move, it paled in comparison to the heartache stemming from Gavin’s distrust in me. I longed to see Matt in the hospital… I had called the hospital the other day, inquiring if he was awake and allowed visitors, but the moment I revealed my name, they coldly informed me I was not permitted to visit him and hung up abruptly.

Gavin had ignored all my attempts to reach him, and Irene had blocked my number entirely. I felt utterly lost, adrift in a sea of confusion and despair, unsure of what to do next.

“Come on, sweetie,” my mom urged, placing her hand gently on my back. “Let’s get some food, and then we can discuss what our lives will look like in the upcoming weeks.”

I knew all too well what our lives were destined to resemble… a relentless hell.