Chapter : 874

The ride home was quiet. Gavin kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on my thigh, grounding me in a way nothing else could. I stared out the window, watching the trees blur past, trying to ignore the faint hum beneath my skin.

That strange feeling still rested deep in my chest; it was like energy settling into my bones, stretching out after a long sleep.

“You’re quiet,” Gavin said, peeking over at me before turning his gaze to the road.

I thought about telling him about that feeling I had when I was with Meg; how it seemed as if she wanted me to be pulled into her mind, and how I almost went. But I didn’t wish for Eliza, who sat in the backseat, to overhear this conversation. This wasn’t something I wanted everyone to know about… at least not until I can figure out what it means.

“It was just hard,” I admitted. “Seeing her like that.”

It wasn’t a complete lie; this was a woman I would have assumed to be my mother… if I hadn’t found out that she switched me at birth and I was really a Blackwell and not a Churchill… I wouldn’t have thought differently.

I couldn’t really explain the connection I felt towards her… but it was there, and it was strong. It was like I was always meant to meet her… always meant to know who she was, even if she wasn’t actually my mother.

But then did that mean I was connected to Lila in some way?

What did all this even mean?

When we finally pulled into the driveway, relief washed over me. We were finally home; it was familiar and safe.

We dropped Eliza off at the packhouse first before we reached the Villa. Irene was the first to spot us as we walked in the front doors.

“Daddy?” Irene said as she descended the last step. “Judy…” she breathed. “Did you find her?”

We both nodded; Gavin tightened his grip on the side of my waist and pulled me into him.

“We found her,” he confirmed. “She’s being brought to Eliza’s clinic, where we can keep an eye on her. She’s been in a coma for 23 years.”

“That’s a long time,” Irene whispered.

She looked tired, which wasn’t unusual for her lately. She was wearing casual jeans and a sweater. Her hair was down, and there were no products in it that gave it a shiny and sleek look. No… her hair looked natural and a bit frizzy in some parts, like she just got out of bed.

She was also wearing barely any makeup.

I knew Irene… this wasn’t her. She was depressed…

“I have some phone calls to make,” Gavin said, pressing his lips to my head. “We can go to the packhouse as a family this evening for dinner.”

“Sounds good,” I said in return.

“I have to talk to Judy about something first,” Irene said, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth.

Gavin nodded and kissed my cheek before he turned and walked towards his study. Something about the way frene was almost avoiding my gaze and fiddling with her fingers made me uneasy she had never been this nervous before, and it made me wonder what was running through her mind.

“Irene?” I asked, prompting her to speak. “What is it?”

She finally looked up at me, and I could see the worry in her pretty blue eyes. It

went beyond exhaustion… this was something entirely different.

“There’s something you need to know,” she told me, wrapping her arms around her body like she was trying to hold herself together. “Olivia and her stupid friends are protesting you at the packhouse. They don’t” want you as our Luna, and they made that painfully obvious these last few hours.”

My heart stopped in my chest, and my breathing hitched.

“So, they went through with it…” I said softly. “They are actually protesting me…”

She nodded slowly, and at that moment, I knew there was something else. Thankfully, I didn’t have to ask her because she started talking before I could.

“They got even more people to join them…” she said slowly.

She slowly reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out her phone. She started swiping along the screen, her eyes focused.

“How many more?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“A lot more…” she replied, then her fingers stopped gliding along the screen and she looked up at me. “Judy they are saying you cheated during the Gamma competition and it opened up an entire investigation.”

“What?” I gasped, louder than I intended.

“You could lose the Gamma win and your reputation,” Irene explained. “These girls

are out for blood.”