The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 247

Julian stood protectively in front of Giselle, letting out a perfectly timed, suppressed cough.

He lifted the back of his hand to wipe a smear of blood from his mouth, turning his head to give Giselle a weak but forgiving smile.

"Giselle, it's okay. Don't be scared."

Julian's voice was impossibly gentle. "Mr. Hayes probably just misunderstood. It's only natural he'd be angry that I brought you out here without permission. Taking a few hits is nothing to me. I just don't want to ruin your family bond."

This calculated retreat acted like gasoline on the fire of Giselle’s anger.

"What gave you the right to hit Julian?!"

Giselle demanded sharply, her tone dripping with open resentment.

Gideon kept his voice steady, desperately trying to expose Julian's true nature. "He didn't bring you to a place like this out of kindness. Don't let his smooth talking fool you."

"You're lying!"

Giselle ruthlessly cut him off. "Julian would never use me! You're the one who changed! Nora is a vicious, manipulative woman, yet you protect her at every turn!"

At the mention of Nora's name, Gideon frowned deeply. He couldn't fathom how Nora had been dragged into this mess.

Giselle took a shuddering breath, her eyes rimmed with angry red.

"You kept saying you punished her, that you cut off the York family's funding, that you got justice for me. And what happened?"

"Julian let it slip today, and that's how I found out! You actually went to the downtown jewelry salon this morning to pick out a birthday present for her! You were buying jewelry for the bitch who ruined me!"

Dozens of feet away, Nora sat collapsed on the gravel.

The stinging humiliation of being violently thrown to the ground by Gideon had yet to fade, but hearing Giselle's words left her stunned.

Gideon went to pick out a birthday gift for her?

"You came all the way out to the equestrian club to attack Julian, all for that toxic woman who hurt me. You've changed!"

Giselle pointed a trembling finger at him, tears streaming down her face as she laid out his crimes. "You used to never raise your voice at me. You used to destroy anyone who dared to cross me. And now you're going behind my back to buy her gifts!"

Giselle grew increasingly hysterical, completely losing her reason as she spat out her most vicious accusations.

"Did that woman use some cheap trick to seduce you? Are you actually falling for her? Don't forget, she's nothing but a desperate gold-digger who used Grandpa's dying wish to force her way into this marriage!"

"What kind of spell did she put on you to make you lose your mind? You threw me away just to come here and beat up the only person who actually treats me right!"

"Giselle!"

Gideon snapped, cutting off her tirade.

"How could you think that of me?"