The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 66

Nora froze.

She turned around, meeting Julian's gentle gaze.

He withdrew his hand, clad only in a crisp, flawlessly ironed white dress shirt. Standing on the steps, his eyes were warm as he looked at her.

"The temperature dropped tonight. Don't catch a cold."

Julian's voice was crystal clear in the night breeze, his tone laced with thoughtful care. "You had quite a bit to drink tonight. I'll have my driver take you home."

The oversized blazer draped over her shoulders still carried his body heat, shielding her from the biting chill. Nora pulled the lapels tighter around herself, a complex wave of sorrow washing over her heart.

During these grueling days of rebuilding her career, the platform Julian provided—along with his respectful, measured care—had given her back a great deal of dignity.

It had been far too long since she'd experienced such normal, human warmth. During her three years in the Hayes family, even if she had waited in a car for four hours in the pouring rain with a high fever, Gideon would only have seen her as a nuisance.

This illusion of being properly cared for brought a lump to Nora's throat, and a mist of unshed tears uncontrollably glazed her eyes.

She had gone so long without feeling like she actually mattered, and she had no idea how to handle such unconditional kindness.

"Mr. Pierce, this is too much trouble. You'll catch a chill." Nora moved to take the jacket off and hand it back.

Julian raised a hand, gently stopping her.

"Keep it on. I'm not cold."

He smiled, his gaze turning profound as he looked at her. "You did incredibly well tonight. The senior partners were very impressed with you. If you ever have any design ideas in the future, feel free to bounce them off me anytime."

Nora looked at him, ultimately deciding not to insist on returning the blazer.

"Thank you, Julian."

She looked up at Julian, a relaxed, genuine smile on her face—a smile Gideon hadn't seen once in the last three years.

That indescribable, suffocating pressure seized his chest once again.

He didn't understand why he felt so irritated. Nora had voluntarily signed the divorce papers and moved out of the manor. Wasn't this exactly what he had always wanted? With her out of the way, Giselle wouldn't feel awkward coming home anymore.

But seeing Nora wearing another man's clothes, flashing that grateful, dependent smile at someone else, made that blazer look like a glaring insult.

The woman who used to tear up and question herself over a single cold word from him, the woman who only ever had eyes for him, was now draped in another man's suit, laughing freely in his presence.

Julian leaned in to whisper something, and Nora tilted her head up. Her slightly hazy, alcohol-laced gaze looked like nothing short of raw affection to Gideon's predatory eyes.

Gideon shoved the car door open, his long legs stepping out as he strode across the empty street, heading straight for the museum steps.