Shredded Vows: The Billionaire’s Secret Heir novel Chapter 23

Knowing Lydia was watching, Gideon put on a gentle facade. "Alright," he said, patiently opening the lid.

Lydia fully expected him to refuse. He was the untouchable corporate king, forever maintaining a cold, unapproachable distance from everyone.

To her absolute shock, he actually picked up a dumpling, popped it into his mouth, and nodded. "Not bad at all."

The surrounding executives stared in wide-eyed disbelief.

Even Summer stood frozen in shock. Their boss was acting like he'd been completely possessed.

From the moment he touched her earring, his behavior had been bizarrely out of character.

Seeing Gideon eat her food sent Serena over the moon, her smile practically blinding. "See?"

Shooting a triumphant glare at Summer, she boasted, "Since you like them so much, I'll make more! You can always come over after work for dinner, Gideon!"

"Don't go out of your way," Gideon replied smoothly, swallowing the bite before glancing up—only to realize Lydia was gone.

He frantically scanned the lobby and spotted her slipping away toward the elevators.

The doors slid open, and she stepped inside.

As she turned to press the button, Gideon caught a glimpse of her face. She looked completely indifferent, as if none of it mattered to her.

Only Lydia knew the truth—her chest felt as if it were being squeezed in a vise, a dull ache radiating through her ribs.

His blatant double standard and every tender detail he showed to others felt like needles piercing her heart.

She hurt so much simply because she loved him.

Yet, she still had her pride. No matter how pathetic her love felt, she refused to let him see her bleed.

Back in his office, Gideon was a chaotic mess of emotions. He turned to Dave Hunter. "Find out why Lydia is at the company."

"Who?" Dave looked up from his paperwork, startled by a name he hadn't heard in ages.

Summer immediately felt the crushing weight of his icy distance, as if the electric moment in the lobby had never happened at all.

"Is there something else?" Gideon asked, flipping a page when he noticed she hadn't moved. "You don't need to play barista during office hours. Focus on your actual job. Performing well is all that matters here."

Sensing his foul mood, Summer quickly nodded. "Understood." She retreated from the room, confused and thoroughly defeated.

Working for him was like walking on a tightrope. How could a man change his attitude so drastically in mere minutes?

Thinking about Serena—who spent her morning delivering food instead of working—made Summer anxious about the dynamic down in the design department.

The upcoming International Fashion Art Grand Prix was an elite global competition, and the entire industry had their eyes fixed on Gray Enterprises.

To think such a prestigious team had to tolerate a blatant nepo baby!

Downstairs, Lydia and Jane had just finished checking in. Before Stella Vance could even show them to their desks, Summer stormed into the open-plan office.

"Summer," Stella greeted her with immediate respect, well aware of her high standing as Gideon's personal assistant. "What can we do for you?"