chapter 9

Judith was halfway through breakfast when her mother casually destroyed the peace of her morning.

"Ethan is joining us for dinner tonight."

Judith looked up from her coffee.

"Okay."

Across the table, Eleanor exchanged a look with Margaret Blackwood, who happened to be visiting.

The two women looked far too pleased with themselves.

Judith immediately became suspicious.

"What?"

"Nothing," Eleanor said.

"Absolutely nothing," Margaret added.

Julian snorted into his coffee.

Richard wisely kept reading the newspaper.

Judith narrowed her eyes.

"There is definitely something."

"There isn't."

"There is."

"There isn't."

Ava, who had somehow appeared despite not living there, grabbed a pastry.

"They're matchmaking again."

The silence that followed was answer enough.

Judith groaned.

"Oh my God."

Margaret looked offended.

"We are not matchmaking."

"You literally just invited your son to dinner."

"Because he needs food."

"Ethan owns five restaurants."

"That's not the point."

Julian burst out laughing.

Later that afternoon, Judith arrived at Lux Group headquarters for a meeting with several investors.

The meeting dragged on longer than expected.

By the time she stepped out of the conference room, her feet hurt and she was desperately craving a nap.

Pregnancy was exhausting.

Nobody had properly warned her about that.

Well, technically they said thongs not like they spoke to her directly but it happened.

She just hadn't listened.

As she walked toward her office, a familiar voice called her name.

"Judith."

She turned.

Ethan was leaning against the reception desk.

A bouquet of flowers rested in one hand.

The receptionist looked seconds away from asking for his phone number.

Judith couldn't blame her.

Ethan smiled.

"Tough meeting?"

"How can you tell?"

"You have your negotiation face on."

She laughed.

"I have a negotiation face?"

"You absolutely do."

He handed her the flowers.

"They're beautiful."

"I know."

Judith rolled her eyes.

"You didn't grow them."

"No, but I chose them."

The receptionist covered her mouth to hide a smile.

By the time they arrived at the Lux estate that evening, the entire household seemed unusually energetic.

Which was never a good sign.

The moment Ethan stepped through the door, Margaret beamed.

"There he is."

Ethan sighed.

"Mom."

"What?"

"You have that look."

"What look?"

"The future-grandchildren look."

Richard nearly choked on his drink.

Julian laughed so hard he had to sit down.

Margaret pointed at Ethan.

"See? This is why you're still single."

Ethan looked genuinely offended.

"I'm standing right here."

The room erupted with laughter.

Even Judith couldn't stop smiling.

For the first time in months, dinner felt effortless there was no tension or a little bit of awkwardness.

Just people enjoying each other's company.

Ethan sat beside her, telling stories about a disastrous business trip in Paris.

At one point, Judith laughed so hard that tears formed in her eyes.

Ethan stared at her for a moment.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"What?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing."

But there was something.

Because seeing Judith happy had always been one of his very favorite things.

Across the city, Liam sat through another charity dinner, he watched people talk and he did what he was good at at business dinner,

He listened.

Someone discussed investment opportunities.

Another person discussed politics.

A third person discussed yacht prices.

Liam couldn't have cared less.

Suddenly his phone vibrated.

A message from one of his business associates appeared.

It read,Saw Judith Lux tonight. She and Ethan Blackwood seem pretty close these days.

Liam stared at the screen.

Then locked it.

A few minutes later, he unlocked it again.

Read the message again and then locked it.

Then unlocked it once more.

Annoying, he thought.

That was what it was.

Nothing else.

Just annoying.

Ethan and Judith had known each other for years.

There was nothing unusual about them spending time together.

Absolutely nothing.

So why did he suddenly want details?

───

Back at the Lux estate, dinner had ended.

Most of the family had moved into the sitting room.

Judith stepped onto the terrace for some fresh air.

The evening breeze felt nice against her skin.

A few moments later, Ethan joined her.

Neither spoke immediately.

But the silence wasn't uncomfortable.

It never was.

Finally, Ethan leaned against the railing.

"You seem happier lately."

Judith looked out at the gardens.

"I think I am."

"Good."

There was no hidden meaning behind the word. But there were no expectation.

Just sincerity.

After a moment, Ethan spoke again.

"You know, when you first came back, I was worried."

Judith turned toward him.

"Worried?"

"You looked like someone carrying the weight of the world."

A soft smile touched her lips.

"And now?"

Ethan looked at her for a long moment.

"Now you look like someone learning how to put it down."

For some reason, those words stayed with her.

Long after the conversation ended, even long after she went to bed.

Because maybe he was right.

Maybe she wasn't completely healed yet.

Maybe there were still pieces of her heart that hurt.

But she was moving forward.

One step at a time.

And for the first time since the divorce, the future didn't seem quite so frightening.

It seemed possible.

Very possible.