The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 224

"The moment Giselle heard I was back in the country, she sneaked out to see me on the very first night, hiding it from Gideon. She's just like before, she loves beautiful things, loves dazzling jewelry. When I gave her 'The Ember', she threw her arms around my neck and jumped for joy."

Julian's voice was filled with boasting and intoxication.

"During my years in Europe, every time I visited a city, I would scour local antique shops and auction houses for the most beautiful jewels. All I could think about was how stunning those pieces would look on Giselle."

He stared at Nora, every word a fatal strike. "She was born to be a princess held in everyone's palms. Only I can give her the most perfect life, and offer her the absolute best this world has to offer."

"Nora, how could a woman like you, who would use any unscrupulous means to climb the ladder, possibly understand Giselle's purity?"

Nora stood where she was, listening to these nauseating declarations of deep affection, her stomach churning violently.

The girl who had deliberately thrown hot soup at her during the Hayes family banquet, the girl whose eyes were full of calculation and artificial fragility, was somehow a flawless saint in Julian's mouth.

"Did you really think I couldn't see how many despicable, malicious intentions you hid in that design draft?"

Julian looked down at her. "Did you think you could just hand over a piece of trash filled with resentment and walk away with hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed funds from the Pierce Group?"

Julian's voice turned cold, carrying a bone-deep chill. "You're jealous that she has everything, jealous that Gideon gives her all his favoritism. You tried to sneak your personal vendetta into your work, using such underhanded tactics to hurt her."

The vicious assessment slapped Nora across the face, stinging fiercely.

In the eyes of these people, she had long been nailed to the pillar of shame, reduced to a leaping clown. Her efforts, her talent, her boundaries—all became dirty calculations in the face of Giselle's 'purity.'

Julian turned around, picking up the rejected design draft from the desk, his long fingers tapping the paper.

Julian lifted his head, flashing Nora a meaningful smile.

"Silas favored Giselle the most when he was alive."

"When the old man passed away, his greatest concerns were the Hayes family's reputation and Giselle's future. From beyond the grave, he definitely wants to see the Hayes family remain spotless and see Giselle marry a man with a clean background who treats her wholeheartedly."

"He certainly wouldn't want to see a divorced man lay a finger on his precious granddaughter. Even if that man is his own biological grandson, it's out of the question."

Julian straightened his cuffs, returning to his gentle, refined demeanor.

"Wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Hayes?"