Shredded Vows: The Billionaire’s Secret Heir novel Chapter 20

She completely failed to notice the two drunk men stumbling toward their table. They had been eyeing them for a while. Clenching beer bottles in their hands, they had to lean against the table just to stay standing.

The two girls jumped in surprise.

"Hey, beautiful ladies. The vibe here is so nice. Isn't drinking coffee a little boring?" One of the men eyed them lecherously. "How about you have a few drinks with us?"

Before they could answer, the men grabbed their wrists.

Tessa scowled. "What the hell is wrong with you? Get out of here!" She stood up, kicking at the man as she yanked her arm back.

"Feisty little thing, aren't you?" The man gripping Tessa tightened his hold, practically fired up by her resistance. "Don't be so mean. I don't bite."

"Let go!" Lydia stood up, her voice cold but fiercely resolute.

"Look at that attitude. I like it." The other man practically drooled as he tried to pull Lydia closer.

"Let me go!" She fought back, struggling with all her might.

"When my buddy and I take a liking to someone, you'd better play along. It's just a drink. Don't make a scene. Show us a good time, and we'll let you go."

Not far away, a black Bentley happened to be driving past.

The window was rolled down, letting in the evening breeze, though it did nothing to clear the gloom from Gideon's eyes.

He glanced over by sheer coincidence and witnessed the scene. At first, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but upon closer inspection, he snapped, "Larson, pull over!"

"Yes, sir."

The moment the Bentley screeched to a halt, Gideon stepped out and marched straight toward them.

Tall and imposing in his impeccably tailored suit, his strides were lethal, his sharp jawline looking as dangerously cold as the edge of a blade.

He didn't say a word. He just lunged forward and delivered a brutal, merciless punch straight to the drunkard's head. The man shrieked in agony, dropping Lydia's hand to cradle his skull. "Ahhh!"

Lydia stumbled back to steady herself. When she saw who it was, she was completely stunned.

Seeing his buddy take a hit, the other man instantly dropped Tessa, raised his beer bottle, and swung it at Gideon. "Son of a bitch! You dare touch my friend?!"

Gideon's eyes turned murderous. With a swift kick, the toe of his dress shoe slammed perfectly into the man's wrist. The bottle slipped from his grasp and shattered into pieces on the pavement.

The man's wrist went entirely numb from the agonizing pain.

But then she thought about the news reports, how he had abandoned her on their wedding day and vanished for five years. She couldn't help but wonder—did this man actually love her, or not?

And just like that, Lydia found herself sitting inside Gideon's black Bentley. This was arguably the closest she had felt to him in a long time. After all, he had stepped in to save her. He cared about her.

"Good evening, Lydia," Larson greeted her without a single question, steering the car straight back to Belvoir Estate.

On the ride back, Gideon radiated an impeccable blend of elegance and utter apathy. With his face frozen over and his lips pressed in a tight line, the woman beside him fidgeted nervously.

"Thank you," she finally said.

He completely ignored her.

The suffocating silence felt like a physical blade cutting into her.

"Your mother will probably look for you in the next few days," Lydia whispered, turning her head to look at him. "I signed the divorce agreement."

Gideon was already furious about this, and she actually had the nerve to bring it up?

He reached up and yanked the privacy partition shut, entirely cutting off Larson in the front seat. Gideon turned to her, his eyes locking onto hers like a predator. "Who gave you the right to sign it? Who do you think you are?! If anyone asks for a divorce, it's me!"