The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 266

"I'm not letting go."

Sensing her struggle, Gideon Hayes's fingers tightened instead, pressing her hand firmly back against his thigh.

Feeling the unyielding strength in his grip, Nora Xavier watched his contradictory behavior with cold detachment.

She simply stopped struggling, letting him hold her hand.

The phone screen lit up again.

This time, it wasn't a text notification, but a faint red dot signaling a social media update.

Gideon's long fingers swiped across the screen, tapping into the profile he had pinned to the top for over a decade—an avatar he could recognize even if it turned to ash.

A minute ago, Giselle Hayes had just posted a grid of nine photos.

In the center photo, Giselle's slender hand, adorned with a diamond-encrusted Cartier bracelet, affectionately held a man's large hand.

A limited-edition Patek Philippe watch rested on the man's wrist. In the top right corner of the picture, Julian Pierce's gentle, doting profile was partially visible.

In another photo, Giselle smiled radiantly while Julian's arm rested loosely behind her, the two of them leaning in close.

Their intimate posture and harmonious vibe made them look exactly like a couple in the honeymoon phase of a romance.

Staring at the screen, Gideon's eyes instantly burned with a terrifying crimson hue.

His finger hovered mid-air over the screen, trembling uncontrollably.

A flood of likes and comments from socialites and mutual friends immediately appeared below.

"The heiress finally decided to go public? Julian is so sweet!"

"Julian's photography skills are top-notch. I can smell the romance through the screen."

"A match made in heaven! When are we getting wedding invites?"

Julian Pierce...

He ground the name between his teeth in his mind, wishing he could chew the very letters to pieces.

How dare that scheming bastard so brazenly claim Giselle as his territory.

Julian was clearly using these photos and the gossip within their elite circle to solidify their ambiguous relationship, flaunting his victory to Gideon.

And Giselle had even played along by posting it herself, tacitly confirming the rumors of their public romance.

Gideon's breathing grew heavy, his chest heaving violently.

He wanted nothing more than to turn the car around, storm into that estate, and tear Julian's hypocritical mask to shreds.

Driven by his spiraling emotions, his grip on Nora's right hand instinctively began to tighten.