Chapter 0089
Judy’s POV
The evening’s atmosphere was magic, and as the music continued to play, more couples began to dance. The soft melody of jazz floated through the air, adding to the romance of the night.
“You speak pretty words, Mr. Landry,” I teased as he twirled me around again. This time, he spun me a bit faster, and I nearly lost my footing. Instinctively, I wrapped an arm around his neck to steady myself, and the movement brought my body closer to his.
My breath caught as we wound up only inches apart, our faces so close that I could feel his breath mingling with mine.
“I only speak the truth, Miss Montague,” he replied, his voice low as he dipped me low again.
When the song finally ended, the surrounding guests clapped, and I smiled, giving them a shy wave. Walter chuckled and guided me away from the center of attention. We took a quiet walk, away from the crowd, gazing up at the twinkling stars and the moon that shone brightly above us.
“Such a beautiful night,” I said softly, my thoughts drifting with the night air.
“It certainly is,” he agreed, his voice warm and content.
He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into him. I gave him a small, awkward smile. Now that we were no longer dancing and away from the crowd, the closeness felt a bit overwhelming.
“Thank you for coming with me tonight,” he said, his voice sincere. “You’ve made the evening quite enjoyable.”
“I had a wonderful night too, Walter,” I replied, smiling at him. “Thank you for inviting me.”
We stopped walking, and he turned to face me, his gaze intensifying.
“You are very beautiful,” he said, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “I’m sorry if I came on a little strong last night. My intention wasn’t to scare you.”
The memory of last night flashed through my mind—how he’d tried to kiss me, and how I had turned away, not ready for that kind of intimacy.
“It wasn’t that I was scared,” I said, my voice soft. “I just wasn’t ready.”
He studied me for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“Because of Ethan?” he asked, his voice tentative.
His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I wanted to pull away, but his arms kept me close, my body trapped in his embrace.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, my voice rising in alarm. “How do you know about Ethan?”
Walter looked at me, his eyes darkening with something unreadable. “I know about you two,” he admitted quietly. “I had Maxwell look into it. You and Ethan—you’re mates.”
A wave of anger and betrayal coursed through me. “Why would you look into that?” I asked, my voice tight with hurt.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped,” he said quickly, his tone apologetic. “But I could tell something was wrong. I wasn’t trying to upset you, Judy. I just wanted to understand you better.”
“And you couldn’t have just asked me?” I snapped, my chest tight with frustration.
“I did, and you lied to me,” he reminded me softly, making my face flush with guilt. “But you don’t need to be afraid, Judy. I’m here, and I’m not going to hurt you. What Ethan did was awful, but it wasn’t your fault.”
“Walter, Irene cannot know…” I said, my voice shaking as I thought of the consequences.
“I know,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “And she never will.”
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. I stared at him, trying to decipher if he was being truthful. After a long moment, I gave him a small nod.
“You’re safe with me, Judy. I promise,” he assured me, his voice a soft whisper.
I could feel the sincerity in his words. Slowly, I relaxed into him, my tension easing. He gave me a warm, compassionate smile before leaning down, bringing his face just inches from mine.
“I know you say you aren’t ready, but being here with me right now says something different,” he said softly. His fingers trailed gently down the side of my face, and I shivered at the sensation. “I want very much to kiss you.”
I bit my lower lip and gazed into his eyes, feeling a mix of uncertainty and desire. He looked at me with such intensity, and I could see the hunger in his expression. My heart raced, and my chest tightened.
With a slight nod, I gave him permission, unable to deny the pull between us.
A smile curved his lips as he bent down and pressed his lips gently to mine.
Third Person POV
Meanwhile, Ethan and Irene had finally arrived at the gallery. After some convincing, Irene had reluctantly agreed to go with him. She wasn’t in the mood for a night out, but Ethan had insisted that they needed a date night, and where better than the Silver Crescent Light Gallery?
“Get yourself something to eat,” Ethan said, handing her his card. “I’ll be right back.”
Irene nodded, not bothering to argue. She made her way toward the food cart, while Ethan began to wander the gallery, his eyes scanning the crowd. He knew that Judy was here tonight, and he was determined to find her. When he finally spotted her, his stomach twisted with a mix of jealousy and frustration.
There she was, alone with Walter. And they were kissing.
Ethan’s heart sank. His grip tightened around his phone as he pulled it from his pocket, feeling a cold rage settle in his chest. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
He quickly dialed his subordinate’s number, holding the phone to his ear.
“Boss,” the voice on the other end answered.
“It’s go time,” Ethan said darkly, his voice low with intent. “I need you to do what we discussed earlier.”
There was a brief silence before the voice on the other end let out a dark chuckle.
“Gladly,” his subordinate replied, excitement evident in his tone.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he watched Walter and Judy from a distance. It was time to execute the next phase of his plan. Before he lost her entirely.
