The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 243

Julian slowly and deliberately adjusted the tassels on the edge of Giselle's saddle. "You're a busy man, Gideon. As a friend, I'm just stepping in to shoulder some of the responsibility of taking care of her. You should be thanking me."

His tone was light, but every single word was a calculated flex, asserting how well he understood Giselle's emotional needs.

"The Hayes family doesn't need an outsider managing our affairs."

Gideon took a threatening step forward, locking eyes with Julian. "You should worry more about the Pierce Group's stock prices and stop overextending your reach."

He refused to engage in an ugly screaming match with Julian in front of Giselle. It would only scare her and give Julian the perfect opening to play the victim.

Taking a harsh breath, he looked past Julian's shoulder directly at Giselle.

"Go change your clothes, Giselle."

Giselle knew that once Gideon's face went completely cold, all room for negotiation was dead.

"Fine, you're so annoying."

She rolled her eyes from atop the horse and tossed the reins to the instructor who had rushed over.

The instructor carefully grabbed the bridle, helping her slide off the saddle.

Giselle stomped over the grass to Gideon, let out a frustrated huff, and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'm going, I'm going. Stop yelling at me."

She turned around and offered Julian a sickly sweet wave.

"I'm gonna go change, Julian!"

Then she spun on her heavy riding boots, running off toward the indoor locker rooms as if throwing a tantrum.

Julian fired back flawlessly, his tone perfectly smooth, but the words themselves were laced with pure venom.

"You let some manipulative schemer use a design draft to openly insult Giselle. If you actually cared about your sister, you'd go back and put your wife on a tighter leash."

"Stop letting her run around like a rabid dog biting everyone in sight, taking her pathetic jealousy out on Giselle's birthday present."

Gideon's face instantly iced over into something truly terrifying.

"My family's business is none of yours."

Julian completely ignored the warning, a sick, provocative thrill lighting up his eyes. Meeting Gideon's murderous glare, he stepped even closer, entirely erasing the space between them.

"Your family's business? Spare me the controlling patriarch act, Gideon."

Julian dropped his voice to a low, mocking murmur meant only for him, pouring gasoline straight onto the fire. "Giselle is going to get married eventually. How long did you really think you could keep her locked up in that manor? She told me herself today—being around you suffocates her. She wants her freedom. She wants to get away from her controlling, obsessive brother."