The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 158

He threw his long arm around Giselle, pulling her trembling, sobbing form tightly against his chest.

"Giselle!"

Gideon's voice was strained. He looked down at the shocking red handprint swelling on her cheek. Slowly raising a hand, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably, he carefully ghosted over the edge of her face, terrified of hurting her.

A sharp, agonizing pain pierced his chest.

He had held Giselle in the palm of his hand her entire life. He had never even raised his voice at her. He had cleared every obstacle in her path, provided her with the most luxurious life imaginable, and refused to let her suffer even the slightest grievance. Under his protection, she was supposed to remain an untouchable princess.

Yet today, right under his nose, in the studio of his wife in name, she had been publicly slapped.

It enraged him more than if the blow had landed on his own face.

Hearing his voice, Giselle looked up.

The moment she saw Gideon, all the grievance and terror inside her broke loose.

"Gideon..." Giselle cried out.

Ignoring the stinging in her cheek, she buried herself into his chest. Her hands gripped the lapels of his suit like a lifeline as she sobbed until her voice went hoarse.

"Gideon!! She hit me! They ganged up on me!"

Gideon rubbed her back soothingly, pulling her even closer.

Slowly, he turned his head. His gaze bypassed Janie and locked onto Nora, who was standing right behind her.

Nora stood firmly behind Janie, meeting Gideon's stare without an ounce of retreat.

Just minutes ago, Giselle had barged into her studio, violently shredded the designs she had stayed up all night to draw, and used the most vile words to curse her as an unwanted outcast.

Gideon had clearly heard the commotion from outside. He had to know his precious sister had started this, that she was the one who destroyed someone else's work first.

Not long ago, at the auction in the Intercontinental Hotel, when Cassidy Quinn had cornered and provoked her, Gideon had descended like a god to shield her. He had coldly warned the entire room that no one had the right to point fingers at his wife.

In that moment, she truly believed she had someone to rely on.

An indescribable wave of sorrow and rage shot from her feet straight to her head.

"Why should I apologize?"

Nora gritted her teeth, staring fiercely into Gideon's eyes, her voice trembling with emotion. "She came into my studio to pick a fight! She ruined my designs! She started cursing at us first! I didn't do anything wrong, and Janie didn't do anything wrong!"

Gideon looked at Nora's stubborn expression, his eyes darkening into an abyss.

"I will say this one last time. Apologize to Giselle."

His patience was gone.

Nora lifted her chin, meeting his freezing gaze, and enunciated every word of her challenge.

"And if I don't?"

The two were locked in a dead heat.