Chapter 395

She wasn’t about to walk away, not until she’d squeezed every ounce of value out of him.

Judy wrapped her arms around Joseph and nestled against his chest like a delicate bird.

“Alright, Joseph,” she said sweetly. “We’ve been together for years. Don’t you know the kind of woman I am by now?”

Joseph looked down at her, heart aching.

“That’s exactly why I want to give you a proper title,” he murmured, brushing her hair gently. “Because I know the kind of woman you are.”

“Then what am I to you right now?”

Judy lifted her gaze, eyes locked on his face with an intensity that left him frozen.

And in that split second, another face surfaced in Joseph’s mind – Aurora’s.

Stunning, cold, untouchable.

He cursed himself inwardly.

Aurora had sent him to prison. She’d humiliated him, cut him out like he was nothing. And yet here he was, still haunted by her image.

Was he really that pathetic? Still obsessing over a woman who destroyed him, when Judy, loyal and patient, was right in front of him?

Judy didn’t need him to answer. The flicker in his eyes told her everything.

So, he hadn’t chosen her out of love. She was just convenient, a way to patch his broken pride.

How laughable.

But not a single crack of that realization showed on her face.

Instead, Judy smiled gently and whispered, “I know you’re doing this for me, because you want the best for me. There’s no need to rush, is there? I want to be with you completely, but only when your parents accept me—when I can stand beside you with confidence, not as someone dependent on you, but as your equal.

“So let’s take our time. We’ll get there, step by step.”

Joseph felt a wave of emotion crash over him. He cupped her face with both hands, eyes glistening.

“How did I get so lucky to meet someone like you?”

Judy’s smile was soft, almost angelic.

“Don’t worry, whatever comes next, I’ll be right here—no matter how far, how hard, and how long it takes. I’m not going anywhere.”

Even she nearly gagged at her own words. Judy hadn’t realized she could lie so convincingly – how had she not discovered this talent sooner?

Meanwhile, Joseph was utterly swept away, moved beyond reason.

How had he been so blind before? Wasting time clinging to Aurora like a fool.

But that was over now. He was done chasing someone who never wanted him back.

From now on, he would cherish the woman right in front of him.

And Judy was right. This wasn’t a decision he could make alone.

His parents were another obstacle. To them, a girl like Judy, from a humble background, was barely fit to be a mistress, let alone a wife.

If he was honest, he’d once seen her that way too.

But things had changed.

Now, he wanted to do more for her.

“I promise, I’ll treat you right. You have my word,” Joseph said solemnly, locking eyes with her.

Judy smiled sweetly, slipping back into his embrace with effortless grace. “I know you will, Joseph. I trust you.”

Wrapped in each other’s arms, their silhouettes merged in quiet intimacy until Joseph tilted her chin, leaned in, and pressed a kiss to the lips he couldn’t stop dreaming about.