The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 12

The executives, entirely numb to the spectacle, simply lowered their heads and pretended to study their papers.

Sitting on the couch outside, Nora watched the scene perfectly through the cracked doors, hearing the horrifyingly gentle tone Gideon used.

A relentless ache seized her heart.

She should have been used to it by now. It certainly wasn't the first time.

It had happened constantly at the office. As his legitimate wife, Nora was forced to endure the same security protocols as a total stranger, rotting in the waiting room whenever he was busy.

In complete contrast, Giselle could ignore every boundary and barge right in, regardless of how crucial his meeting or VIP client was.

Giselle had a flighty personality and despised the corporate environment, yet Gideon actively encouraged her visits.

Whenever she randomly showed up, she either derailed his executive summaries or treated his office like her personal playground.

Gideon never once lost his temper. The moment she arrived, his perpetually frozen expression melted into visible joy.

Once, he was deep in a critical negotiation for a multi-billion-dollar international buyout, his focus razor-sharp.

Giselle burst into the boardroom in a bright red dress, sprinting to the head chair with a pout, complaining she had scraped her knee falling off a horse.

The executives were floored. Sitting in the gallery, Nora genuinely thought Gideon was going to lose his mind.

Instead, Gideon pushed the contract aside and suspended the multi-billion-dollar meeting for thirty minutes.

On their first anniversary, Nora cleared her work queue and spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen.

Fumbling with a knife and frying eggs until hot oil blistered her skin, she finally assembled a gorgeous lunchbox. She arrived at the headquarters practically glowing, eager to surprise him.

Predictably, Liam barred her at the door.

"Mrs. Hayes, he is with an incredibly important client right now. He can't see you."

Nora believed him.

Clutching the insulated box in heels, she stood in that hallway for two solid hours.