The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 385

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 385: Deserved To Know**

**Gavin’s POV**

“Can you please remind me why you felt the need to drag us to the gym at this ungodly hour?” Irene inquired, her head lazily resting against the cold metal of the weight machine, her expression a mixture of annoyance and fatigue.

Meanwhile, Matt was stationed at the archery range, diligently honing his aim, while I found myself lifting weights, seated right next to my daughter.

“Family bonding, of course,” I replied, a playful grin spreading across my face. “I figured you could use a distraction from your recent engagement disaster. Sitting cooped up in the suite all day won’t help you move on.”

Irene rolled her eyes, a gesture so quintessentially her that it almost made me chuckle.

“The sun hasn’t even bothered to rise yet,” she murmured, her voice laced with fatigue. “We already spent last night together as a family. Is it really necessary to drag this out into the morning as well?”

“The competition wraps up today,” I explained, grunting slightly as I pushed the weights up, feeling the strain in my biceps. “I won’t have much time to spare later.”

She sighed, her determination to lift her dumbbell unwavering.

“So, how did your ‘date’ with Daisy Baldwin go?” Irene asked, a teasing smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

I froze momentarily, my gaze snapping to hers.

“It wasn’t a date,” I muttered defensively, my heart racing a little.

Irene laughed, waving away my protest with a flick of her wrist.

“Relax, Dad. I’m just messing with you. Obviously, it wasn’t a date. You came back way too early last night. Like, ridiculously early. We had enough time to go swimming and grab ice cream after you returned from dinner.”

She had a point; it was just dinner. A little over an hour spent together, and then I had rushed back to the hotel, barely managing to say goodbye before whisking my kids away for some much-needed family time.

“So, did you mention to Judy that you went out with Daisy?” Irene suddenly asked, her tone shifting to something more serious.

I froze again, narrowing my eyes at her.

“Why would I need to tell Judy anything about who I went out with?” I replied, my voice harsher than I had intended.

Irene rolled her eyes once more, setting down the weight and turning to face me fully.

“I’m not blind or stupid, Dad. Neither is Matt. We see how you look at each other… the way your eyes light up when she walks into the room. You like her more than you’re willing to admit. If she finds out about your dinner with Daisy, I can guarantee she’ll be upset…”

This was a conversation I had hoped to avoid with my daughter. But I knew her well; she was as stubborn as her mother had always been, and there was no escaping this topic.

“Judy understands the nature of our relationship,” I insisted, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

“Does she?” Irene shot back, raising an eyebrow. “And what kind of relationship is that, exactly?”

“The kind that doesn’t concern you,” I retorted, trying to deflect. “Why the sudden interest in my life with Judy?”

Irene shrugged nonchalantly.

“I just don’t want to see either of you get hurt, that’s all. Honestly, Dad, if you have feelings for her, you should be honest with her. Don’t let her find out about your dinner with Daisy from someone else. If I know Auntie Daisy, she’ll do something to hurt Judy.”

My blood ran cold at her words, and I could see the realization dawning on my face. Irene’s smirk told me she knew she had made her point. I put the weights down, turning to look at her with a newfound seriousness.

“Are you and Matt going to be okay here?” I asked, concern threading through my voice. “I have somewhere important to be.”

Irene nodded, her expression softening.

“We’ll be fine,” she reassured me. “We’ll meet you in the arena later.”

I nodded, taking off without another word, the weight of her words heavy on my mind.

**Judy’s POV**

This morning, my first instinct had been to head to the gym, but I quickly decided against it, opting instead to make my way toward the arena. Perhaps I could gather some information about the next phase of the competition.

When I arrived, I spotted Tabby and a few others already in the arena. Her face lit up with a smile upon seeing me, but it quickly faded as she noticed the distant look in my eyes. I was sure my own eyes were still red and puffy from a night spent crying.

She excused herself from the group and approached me, concern etched on her features.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, studying my face with careful scrutiny.

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