Judy returns home to find her mother smiling for the first time since her father was taken by the pack Gammas, a fragile sign of hope amid their despair. Her mother warmly acknowledges Ethan\u2019s visit, suggesting he might help if Judy cooperates, but Judy knows Ethan is twisting the truth to make her seem uncooperative. She keeps the harsh details from her mother to protect her from further pain, feeling exhausted and unwilling to face Ethan again.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tension escalates as Judy confronts her mother and Ethan, making it clear that she and Ethan have broken up and she has no interest in reconciliation. Her mother urges respect for Ethan, reminding Judy that he\u2019s a long-time family friend, her mate, and a candidate for Alpha. Ethan\u2019s presence unsettles Judy, especially since her wolf has been silent since seeing him with Irene, signaling something is wrong.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Judy retreats to her room, Ethan follows and blocks her way, leading to a heated exchange. He accuses her of using Gavin to get her father out of prison and questions her morals, while Judy fiercely denies his claims and refuses to be his mistress. The confrontation reveals deep bitterness and mistrust between them, with Ethan dismissing Judy\u2019s feelings and intentions.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The chapter culminates in a shocking moment when Ethan suddenly pulls Judy close and kisses her, but instead of the passion it once stirred, Judy feels only anger and disgust. The kiss, meant to assert control, only highlights the brokenness of their relationship and Judy\u2019s resolve to resist him despite their complicated history.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 0020
\nJudy\u2019s Perspective<\/p>\n
For the first time since my father was taken away by the pack Gammas, I saw my mother smile. It was a fragile, tentative smile, but it was there \u2014 a flicker of hope in the midst of all our despair.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Judy,\u201d she said warmly as I stepped inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re finally home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes sparkled as she gestured toward Ethan, who stood quietly nearby.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook who came to visit us,\u201d she said, her voice filled with a rare brightness as she looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me he might be able to help, but only if you cooperate with him,\u201d she added, her gaze shifting back to me, searching for some sign of agreement.<\/p>\n
I could see the question lingering in her eyes, the silent plea for understanding. But I had already told her that Ethan had refused to help us. Now, he was twisting the story, making it sound like I was the one being uncooperative \u2014 that was why he wouldn\u2019t lend a hand.<\/p>\n
I knew he hadn\u2019t shared the details of his demands with her, and I wasn\u2019t about to. It would only shatter her heart further, and I simply didn\u2019t have the strength to watch her suffer any more.<\/p>\n
The day had drained me. I was bone-tired, desperate to crawl into bed and forget everything for a while. The last thing I wanted was to face Ethan again.<\/p>\n
Crossing my arms tightly over my chest, I shot him a glare sharp enough to cut through steel. He met my look with a smug smile that only made my skin crawl.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s he doing here, Mom?\u201d I asked, my voice cold.<\/p>\n
My mother frowned, her brow knitting together in disapproval.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that any way to speak?\u201d she said softly, but firmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI raised you better than that, Judy.\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned to Ethan. \u201cHe\u2019s been a friend of this family for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s your mate,\u201d she reminded me gently, \u201cand he\u2019s offering to help us in these difficult times. You should show him some respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
I pressed my lips into a thin, tight line.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I need to remind you that we broke up?\u201d I said, my eyes still locked on Ethan but speaking to my mother as well.<\/p>\n
I needed them both to understand \u2014 Ethan and I were done. If my mother was hoping for any kind of reconciliation, she was going to be disappointed. That wasn\u2019t going to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t still be friends,\u201d she said, trying to sound reasonable.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s also a candidate for our new Alpha,\u201d she added. \u201cRegardless, he deserves respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan rose to his feet, and I instinctively took a step back, creating as much distance as possible between us.<\/p>\n
My wolf had been strangely silent since we saw him at Gavin\u2019s villa with Irene. I worried something was seriously wrong with her. She hadn\u2019t blocked me since the day Ethan rejected us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI apologize for intruding,\u201d Ethan said, his smile still plastered on his face as he looked at me.<\/p>\n
But I knew it was all for show \u2014 I could hear the bitterness in his voice, the resentment directed at me beneath the polite words.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hoping for a moment of your time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn your dreams, Ethan,\u201d I snapped, turning my back on him and storming out of the living room.<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t going to waste a second on him.<\/p>\n
Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I climbed the stairs, desperate for solitude.<\/p>\n
Just as I reached my bedroom door and opened it, a firm hand pressed against my lower back, pushing me the rest of the way inside. The door slammed shut behind me.<\/p>\n
I whirled around to face Ethan, who stood there with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are you doing in here?\u201d I sneered, my voice sharp.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should be the one asking you that,\u201d he shot back bitterly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you think you\u2019re doing, parading around Gavin Landry like that?\u201d I arched an eyebrow, disbelief creeping into my tone.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcuse me?\u201d I demanded, taken aback.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat business is that of yours? Aren\u2019t you engaged to his daughter? Do you really think throwing yourself at Gavin is going to get your father out of prison?\u201d Ethan scoffed, his eyes cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re delusional if you think he\u2019d ever be interested in you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I folded my arms, challenging him. \u201cYou do remember the hickeys I had on my neck not too long ago, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes darkened at the mention of those marks, and he took a step closer.<\/p>\n
I instinctively stepped back, not wanting to be near him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked around,\u201d he murmured. \u201cApparently, Gavin was drinking heavily that night. He wasn\u2019t exactly in his right mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must have taken advantage of the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you out of your mind?\u201d I snapped, narrowing my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did no such thing!\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan\u2019s gaze hardened. \u201cI don\u2019t know who you\u2019re trying to fool, Judy, but I\u2019m not buying it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what kind of person you are,\u201d he said coldly. \u201cYou\u2019d do anything to help your family \u2014 even if it means sleeping with someone for money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy don\u2019t you just take me up on my offer and end this whole thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I won\u2019t be your mistress, Ethan,\u201d I hissed, disgust curling in my voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s an insult to everyone involved \u2014 including Irene.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you care about her at all? How could you ask such a thing, knowing it would hurt her?\u201d<\/p>\n
He rolled his eyes dismissively.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t act like you care about her,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone has to,\u201d I growled, my voice low and fierce.<\/p>\n
He let out a humorless laugh, then suddenly grabbed me, pulling me close before I could react.<\/p>\n
One arm wrapped tightly around my hips, the other around my back, pressing me flush against his solid chest.<\/p>\n
My heart pounded wildly, nearly leaping out of my throat from the sudden closeness.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust shut up,\u201d he murmured, and then his lips crashed onto mine.<\/p>\n
Anger surged through me as his mouth moved against mine, his tongue sweeping across my bottom lip, demanding entrance.<\/p>\n
I clamped my mouth shut, refusing to give in.<\/p>\n
There was a time when his kiss would have made me weak, my knees trembling and my resolve crumbling. But now, all I felt was disgust \u2014 a bitter taste of being used and discarded.<\/p>\n
The familiar, electric thrill his touch once sparked was gone.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This chapter captures the painful unraveling of Judy and Ethan\u2019s relationship, highlighting the deep wounds that time and betrayal have carved between them. Judy\u2019s exhaustion and emotional barricades reflect the toll of ongoing struggles within her family and the fractured trust she once had in Ethan. Despite her mother\u2019s hopeful attempts to mend bridges, Judy\u2019s firm stance and cold rejection of Ethan\u2019s advances underscore the irrevocable changes in their bond, revealing a poignant mix of love lost and resilience gained.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The charged confrontation between Judy and Ethan culminates in a kiss that no longer holds the warmth or passion it once did, symbolizing the final severance of their past intimacy. Judy\u2019s bitterness and refusal to succumb to old feelings convey a powerful message about self-respect and the painful necessity of moving forward. Ultimately, this chapter leaves us with a sense of quiet strength amid heartbreak, as Judy begins to reclaim her own path despite the shadows of love and loss that still linger.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tension between Judy and Ethan reaches a boiling point, but the undercurrents of their complicated past and unresolved feelings promise that their story is far from over. As Judy struggles to maintain her boundaries, Ethan\u2019s persistence and the weight of their shared history threaten to pull them back into a conflict neither is fully prepared to face. The emotional stakes are higher than ever, and their interactions are charged with a mix of anger, bitterness, and lingering pain that will surely deepen in the chapters ahead.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the fragile hope sparked by Judy\u2019s mother\u2019s smile hints at a glimmer of light amidst the darkness surrounding their family. But with Ethan\u2019s role as a candidate for the new Alpha and his complicated relationship with both Judy and her mother, loyalties will be tested and difficult choices will loom. The next chapter promises to explore how these tangled relationships will unfold and whether trust and cooperation can emerge from the ashes of past betrayals.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 20 We Built a Kingdom From Ashes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21089"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21089\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}