Chapter 0096
Judy’s POV
Irene lifted her gaze to meet mine, studying me carefully, as if she were trying to determine whether I was being truthful or not. I held her gaze, staying as steady as I could, though inside, I felt a knot tighten in my chest.
“Really?” she asked after a long silence.
I nodded firmly. “Yes. Besides, your father would kill me if I overstepped.”
Irene smirked, her eyes softening as she leaned back in her seat. “He is very protective,” she admitted, the tension in her shoulders easing. Then, a faint frown crossed her face. “I just don’t get where Ethan’s head has been at lately. He’s hard to read.”
I shrugged, trying to keep things light. “From what I remember, he’s always been like that. I wouldn’t take it to heart though, Irene. He loves you and wants to be with you. He chose you.”
Her expression softened, and I saw a flicker of relief in her eyes. Then, slowly, her lips curled into a genuine smile. “You’re right,” she said, nodding in agreement.
We ate in comfortable silence after that, the conversation shifting to more mundane topics. But as we ate, a sense of heaviness settled over me. I didn’t like lying to Irene, especially not about Ethan. The truth was, Ethan was using her. He didn’t love her, not in the way she deserved. But if she knew the truth, it would destroy her, and I couldn’t bring myself to be the one to tell her.
Irene finished her meal and then, as if trying to shake off the last lingering threads of tension, grabbed my arm.
“Let’s go out the back,” she whispered with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
I blinked at her, a bit confused. “What? Why?”
“Because the guards are out front,” she said, glancing toward the entrance. “I just want a little longer without them.” She gave me a devilish smile. “Let’s take a walk.”
I couldn’t help but laugh a little, despite the tension. I knew it was reckless, but I was also a little thrilled by the idea of escaping the ever-watchful eyes of her guards, if only for a little while. I followed her out the back, and we quickly made our way through a narrow alley that led to the street.
I could see Leroy’s car parked near the front entrance, and the two guards standing watch. Irene must have spotted them too because we immediately picked up the pace, hurrying in the opposite direction.
The cool night air rushed past us as we ran, our laughter echoing in the alley. I felt lighter, carefree, almost like a child sneaking out for a forbidden adventure. Irene’s laugh was infectious, and I couldn’t remember the last time I had enjoyed myself so much.
I leaned against the building nearby, gasping for breath, a wide grin plastered on my face. “We can’t avoid them forever,” I said between breaths, still laughing.
“I know,” Irene sighed, her smile fading just a little. “I just wanted to have some fun.”
I wrapped my arm through hers, trying to reassure her. “I get it. Maybe we can hang out again?” I offered, a sense of warmth blooming in my chest.
Her eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she immediately turned to face me. “Really?” she asked, a genuine smile spreading across her face.
I had to admit, I enjoyed spending time with her more than I expected. Irene was easy to be around, and there was something about her—something bright and genuine—that made her impossible not to like. I could see why Ethan was drawn to her. She was not just a Landry, not just the heiress to a fortune—she was a kind, funny, and down-to-earth person. She deserved so much more than the man she was with.
“Of course,” I said, squeezing her arm. “It’d be nice.”
As we continued walking, I felt a sudden pang of guilt. I wanted to tell her the truth about Ethan, to warn her, but I knew I couldn’t. Gavin was adamant about keeping the secret, and I wasn’t sure if telling her would even help. She was already dealing with so much, and I didn’t want to be the one to add to her burdens.
But as much as I wanted to protect her, the truth seemed inevitable. Eventually, she’d find out. And when she did, it would shatter her.
Suddenly, I felt Irene’s grip tighten on my arm, and I looked over to see a white van pulling up beside us. A group of masked men spilled out of the van, their presence sudden and overwhelming. The scent of them hit me like a wave—sickly, foreign, and terrifying. They were huge, towering over us, and there was something dark and dangerous in their eyes.
Before I could react, I dropped into a defensive stance, my instincts kicking in. But there were too many of them, and I knew I didn’t stand a chance. My heart raced, adrenaline coursing through my veins, but I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
Irene let out a sharp gasp as one of the men approached her, and in a split second, a syringe was plunged into her neck. She went limp in my arms, her body going slack as she collapsed to the ground.
“Irene!” I screamed, reaching for her, but as I bent down to lift her, something sharp pricked my own neck. A cold rush of dizziness flooded my system, and I felt my body go numb. My limbs became heavy, and I struggled to stay on my feet.
I could hear voices, muffled and distant, but everything around me was fading. My vision blurred, and the last thing I remembered before everything went black was the feeling of arms wrapping around me, holding me in place as I lost consciousness.
