Chapter 0061
I wasn’t surprised to see the familiar luxury car waiting for me outside the school when I finished my final class of the day. Leroy stood by the car, and when he saw me, he gave a polite smile before opening the back door.
I frowned at him.
“You need to be more careful,” I reminded him in a low voice. “If others see you, they’ll ask questions.”
Leroy lowered his head slightly, his cheeks turning red. “I hadn’t thought of that; I apologize, Miss Montague,” he murmured.
I sighed, sliding into the car before anyone could spot us. Leroy shut the door and got behind the wheel. The ride to Gavin’s villa was quiet, which was just as well—it gave me time to think. Someone had told the dean about my dyslexia, but for reasons I couldn’t yet understand.
What were they hoping to achieve?
Were they trying to ruin my reputation? But why?
I shook my head, trying to clear the swirling thoughts from my mind. Leroy stopped the car and got out to open my door. I thanked him before stepping out into the familiar grounds. Adam stood at the doorway of the villa, giving me a tight smile as I passed him. I wasn’t sure what his issue with me was, but I didn’t have the energy to figure it out right now.
As I walked further into the yard, I spotted Matt already outside, practicing his archery. When he saw me, his face lit up.
“Judy!” he exclaimed, running toward me.
A smile tugged at my lips as I greeted him. After the day I had, seeing Matt’s enthusiasm was like a breath of fresh air. At least Matt respected me and actually listened when I gave him advice.
“I’ve been practicing my archery,” he said proudly. “Come look!”
I followed him to the makeshift archery range where he grabbed a bow and arrow. With a determined look, he pulled back the string and let the arrow fly. It landed on the board, barely missing the target. Still, it was a huge improvement.
“That was a lot better, Matt,” I said, clapping my hands. “Try lowering your shoulders just a little more and aim slightly upward.”
Matt grabbed another arrow, took my advice to heart, and adjusted his stance. When he released the arrow, it flew through the air with precision, landing squarely on the bull’s-eye. The sound of it hitting the target echoed, and Matt’s eyes widened in awe.
“Did you see that?!” he cheered. “I can’t believe I hit the mark!”
“I can,” I said with a chuckle. “I knew you could do it.”
Matt beamed, his face lighting up with pride. “Thanks, Judy,” he said, pulling me into a tight hug.
I chuckled, patting his back. “Alright, let’s get inside and tackle some homework now, yeah?”
Matt nodded eagerly, putting the bow and arrow away before following me inside. We settled into the parlor, where we usually worked on his assignments. He pulled out his worksheets, and we started working through them.
Just as we got into a rhythm, I heard the front door open, followed by the sound of footsteps. Irene and Ethan appeared in the doorway. Irene was holding a bouquet of flowers, looking radiant as she gazed up at her fiancé.
“Oh, Ethan, you didn’t have to get me flowers,” she said, her voice full of warmth. “They’re beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he replied, his tone soft as he leaned down to kiss her.
My stomach tightened at the sight of them. As Irene wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him, the love between them was undeniable.
“I love you,” she murmured against him, her voice full of affection.
Ethan didn’t respond with words; instead, he kissed her deeply, as though the world around us didn’t exist. His gaze flickered toward me, and I caught the darkening of his expression.
A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed it back, trying not to let the discomfort show. It was clear he was putting on a performance for my benefit, and I hated every second of it. After pulling away from Irene, he brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face, letting his fingers linger on her cheek for a moment longer than necessary.
“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said, his voice tender. He kissed the bridge of her nose, and Irene’s cheeks turned a shade of pink that made her look even more perfect. “I can’t wait to marry you, my love.”
Throughout his words, Ethan’s eyes never left me.
