The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 261

An unspeakable wave of sheer irritation traveled up Gideon's fingertips, electrifying his entire body.

His brow furrowed into a tight knot, the relaxed lines of his face instantly darkening with a stormy intensity.

Ever since Giselle screamed those final, ruthless accusations in front of everyone at The South Hill Equestrian Club and peeled out in Julian's car, a solid five days had passed. His personal phone had essentially morphed into a lifeless brick of dead weight.

Giselle hadn't sent a single text. She hadn't made a single call.

The endless stream of whiny voice notes was gone. The photo updates of her afternoon tea pastries were gone. And the dramatic, tearful phone calls begging for comfort over the most trivial slights had completely evaporated.

The absolute silence was enough to drive him completely insane.

In the past twenty years, this had never happened.

The Giselle he knew could throw the most catastrophic tantrums, but as long as he patiently coaxed her with a few soft words, she would immediately hurl herself into his arms, red-eyed and blubbering about her grievances.

She had never completely exiled him from her life with such cold, calculated ruthlessness.

The security detail tailing her sent daily itinerary updates. Every single word in those reports dragged a razor over his frayed nerves, pushing him closer to a total mental breakdown.

Security reported: The Heiress visited a private theater owned by Julian's company today. Julian accompanied her the entire time; both appeared highly entertained.

Security reported: The Heiress is scheduled to attend a contemporary art exhibition on the south side with Julian tomorrow, followed by a lunch reservation at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

She was heading out on schedule every day—visiting equestrian clubs, private galleries, and mingling at elite socialite tea parties.

Her life was incredibly vibrant, perpetually surrounded by a sycophantic entourage desperate for her attention.

The girl who once orbited his every move, the one who sought refuge in his arms at the first crack of thunder, was now handing all her smiles, her trust, and her precious time over to a scheming bastard like Julian.

Severely agitated, Gideon paced back and forth.

His dress shoes struck the aged hardwood flooring with heavy, erratic thuds. The aggressive sounds shattered the tranquil silence of the antique shop like a gunshot.

Nora heard the chaotic, heavy footsteps echoing behind her.

They oozed blatant panic and restlessness, horribly out of place in the serene gallery.

Ripping her gaze from a vintage blueprint, she turned around, her eyes shooting past the glass displays to zero in on Gideon pacing in the center of the hall.

Catching Nora's stare with predatory reflexes, Gideon froze instantly.

He immediately erased the frantic panic from his eyes, pulling his hands from his pockets and pasting on a flawlessly unbothered facade.