The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 216

Hearing her barbed guarantee, a flicker of displeasure crossed Gideon's eyes.

"If you can't do it, turn the job down."

"I'll handle Julian," Gideon said, his voice dropping an octave.

Nora looked at him like he had just told the funniest joke in the world.

"Turn it down? You must be joking, Mr. Hayes."

Leaning against the headboard, Nora stared at him with freezing detachment. "If I turn it down, who's going to pay the breach of contract fee for Lawrence Atelier? Who's going to compensate Janie for being slapped a hundred times? Since I've taken the investor's money, I will naturally honor the spirit of the contract."

Faced with her rapid-fire interrogation, Gideon surprisingly kept his temper in check.

"The kitchen prepared a hot breakfast, and it's keeping warm on the stove. Come down to eat when you're done washing up. You don't need to go to the studio today. Stay home and rest. I'll have Liam handle things on that end."

Leaving those instructions, he turned toward the bedroom door. "I have matters to attend to. I'll be downstairs."

He was actually intervening in her schedule, even taking her studio's business into consideration.

Watching him walk away, Nora couldn't fathom what had gotten into him today.

Just yesterday afternoon, he had been standing in the pouring rain, viciously warning her not to bully Giselle. Now, this morning, he was suddenly playing the role of a considerate husband.

"Got it."

Nora lowered her gaze, offering a dismissive reply.

Gideon cast a lingering look at her before stepping out of the bedroom and pulling the door shut behind him.

Silence settled over the room once again.

Sitting on the mattress, Nora gripped the quilt tightly.

Her heart was still racing, her mind replaying the faint amusement in his eyes and that unprecedented, teasing remark he had made earlier.

His attitude toward her today was unusually gentle.

Was it pity for the pathetic loser who had spent the entire night drinking herself into a stupor? Or was it some sort of charity born out of a sudden strike of conscience after pushing her to the brink at St. Jude's Children's Home yesterday?

Down in the dining room, Gideon was seated at the head of the table, flipping through the morning financial paper. Hearing her footsteps, he glanced up.

A maid immediately served a steaming bowl of hot oatmeal.

Pulling out a chair at the furthest end of the table, Nora sat down and quietly began to eat her breakfast.

Neither of them said a word. The entire meal passed in a suffocating, tasteless silence.

Quickly finishing the food on her plate, she set down her spoon, stood up, and headed straight for the door.

"Where are you going?"

Gideon set aside the newspaper and called out, stopping her in her tracks.

"To draw."

Nora answered without looking back. "The studio's projects can wait a day, but Julian's order cannot."

With that, she marched right up the stairs to the second floor, leaving him with nothing but her icy silhouette.