The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 190

"The hundreds of millions must hit the account before two o'clock this afternoon."

Nora looked at him, her eyes dead and utterly devoid of emotion. "Don't worry, Julian. I will deliver the design sketch on time."

Seeing her submissive posture, the sinister glint in Julian's eyes gradually faded, returning to his usual, gentle warmth.

"I knew you were a smart woman, Nora."

Nora didn't want to waste another second on pleasantries. She bent down and haphazardly shoved her tablet and scattered documents into her briefcase. The moment the zipper closed, she stood up and walked toward the heavy executive doors without looking back.

Her steps were somewhat restrained at first, but by the time she reached the door, they had grown chaotic.

Pushing open the heavy, solid wood doors, she practically fled down the hallway.

Stepping out of the Pierce Group's entrance, the city's main thoroughfares were choked with traffic. Pedestrians hurried by, everyone rushing toward their own destinations.

Gripping her heavy briefcase, Nora wandered the noisy streets in a total daze.

She didn't know where to go.

She wanted to go home, but what home did she have to return to?

The atelier's office space was piled high with pending termination contracts and halted blueprints. Every corner reeked of Janie's brutal beating and the accusatory glares of her colleagues.

The luxurious villa in the city center was nothing more than an icy tomb that had trapped her for three entire years. Inside lived a husband who could throw her into hell at any moment just for Giselle.

In this massive world, she actually couldn't find a single corner where she could safely anchor herself.

Janie wasn't coming back.

She had agreed to Julian's terms, becoming a willing participant in this filthy transaction.

Her legs felt as heavy as lead as she wandered aimlessly down the sidewalk.

She passed bustling shopping districts and walked through quiet, tree-lined avenues. Her mind was a chaotic loop of Gideon's cold commands and Julian's hypocritical smiles.

Sitting high above the world, they had used their power and wealth to weave a massive safety net for Giselle, viciously strangling anyone who dared to get close or touch her.

She didn't know how long she walked. It wasn't until her legs had gone entirely numb and a dull ache throbbed in the soles of her feet that she looked up and spotted an old, faded bus stop sign on the side of the road.

Half an hour later, a rundown cross-district bus slowly rolled to a stop by the road in the city's old west side.

This was the West District.

Dilapidated residential buildings were packed tightly together. The streets were narrow and somewhat crumbling. At the very end of the road stood a rusted iron gate.

Hanging above the gate was a faded plaque that read: "St. Jude’s Children’s Home."