The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 384

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 384: The Other Woman**

**Judy’s POV**

There I stood, utterly stunned, my eyes locked onto the woman before me. My gaze flicked nervously to the door number, a desperate attempt to confirm I was at the right place. Perhaps, in my flustered state, I had mistakenly knocked on the wrong door. But as I checked the number again, a wave of despair washed over me. This was indeed Gavin’s room, and standing there, clad in nothing but a robe, was a strikingly beautiful woman.

She tightened her robe around herself, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized me. A slight frown creased her lips when I failed to respond. I felt paralyzed, my body aflame with embarrassment and confusion, while my heart felt as though it was fracturing into pieces. She was stunning, tall, and radiated confidence—everything I wasn’t. The stark contrast between us made my stomach churn uncomfortably.

“We didn’t order room service,” she finally broke the heavy silence that hung between us, her tone laced with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

“Is Gavin here?” I managed to whisper, my voice barely escaping my lips. She raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting as recognition dawned upon her. Then, to my shock, a soft laugh escaped her.

“He’s in the shower,” she replied, a hint of mischief in her voice. “He needed to wash up after our night of passion,” she added, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink that mirrored my own, though mine blushed for an entirely different reason. “You’re Judy, right?”

I blinked, taken aback by her familiarity with my name.

“Uh… yeah,” I stammered, my tone flat as I searched her face for any signs of deceit. The more I stared, the more her features began to resonate with a distant memory. “Have we met?”

She nodded, a coy smile playing on her lips as she bit her lower lip.

“Only for a brief moment when you were out to dinner with him. I assumed it was a date, but he insisted it was merely a business dinner. Congratulations on your new job with his family. I bet your family could really use the extra money after everything that happened.”

Recognition hit me like a freight train; I remembered her from that night at the restaurant. Daisy Baldwin.

Her appearance was different now—her hair cascading down her shoulders, devoid of any makeup—but she remained undeniably beautiful. Her eyes sparkled with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” she asked, her concern seeming more like a facade than genuine empathy. “You look a bit pale,” she noted, her voice dripping with a feigned sweetness.

“I… um…” I struggled to articulate a response, feeling as though the walls were closing in around me.

Gavin was involved with someone else?

He was with Daisy Baldwin?

Since when had this been a reality?

I had thought he couldn’t stand her. I had believed that our agreement was meant to keep Daisy and his family off his back. I thought that was the reason he had chosen me…

I took a step back from the door, embarrassment and betrayal swirling within me. Tears threatened to spill over, and I despised myself for allowing him to have such an effect on me.

“You are mine, and I always protect what is mine.” His words echoed in my mind, twisting into a painful reminder of what I thought we had. What did it mean if he was also with Daisy? Was she part of his ‘protection’ too? My heart shattered at the thought, and I felt my wolf whimper in response, sharing in the hurt and sense of betrayal.

“He doesn’t care about you.” Ethan’s voice rang in my ears, and I began to wonder if he had been right all along. Perhaps Gavin truly didn’t care for me.

Was this all just a cruel joke to him?

Nausea twisted in my stomach as I spiraled deeper into my thoughts, barely noticing Daisy stepping out of the room, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.

“Listen, Hun, I’m not sure what’s happening here, but you’re kind of ruining the vibe. I was enjoying a lovely evening with my man, and he’ll be out of the shower any minute now. I’d prefer you not be here when he does. If there’s no issue with Matthew, I suggest you head back to your room. Thank you for all you do; you really are a wonderful babysitter.”

My jaw dropped; she thought I was Matt’s babysitter? What on earth was Gavin telling her?

It felt like a dagger had plunged into my chest.

“Where are Matt and Irene?” I finally managed to ask, my voice trembling.

She raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise.

“I assumed they were with you. Gavin sent them away so we could have some alone time tonight,” she said, winking suggestively. “If you catch my drift.”

Numbness washed over me, and I nodded slowly, feeling as if I were in a daze.

“I see,” I whispered, my voice sounding foreign even to my own ears. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you,” I murmured, turning away quickly as tears threatened to spill.

“Judy?” Daisy called just as I was about to flee, freezing me in place. I hesitated, waiting for her to continue. “Thank you for keeping his bed warm for me. But now that we’re together, you’re no longer needed for that particular task. I hope you understand.”

I stood there, paralyzed, unsure of how to respond. Thankfully, she didn’t wait for my reply; she slipped back into the room and closed the door behind her with a finality that echoed in my ears.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally found the strength to retreat to my own room. The moment I was behind closed doors, I crumbled, tears streaming down my face as I cried until I felt utterly drained.

“She’s been crying all night,” I heard Nan whisper, her voice laced with concern. “Since we got back from dinner.”

“What do you think happened?” Chester asked, his worry evident in his hushed tone, as if he believed I couldn’t hear them.

At least they were getting along, even if the common thread between them was me.

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