The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 71

Gideon shifted his gaze, staring at the half of Nora's face peeking out from beneath the duvet.

Her brow was furrowed in distress, damp tear tracks still staining her skin. The vibrant cheeks she used to have had hollowed out dramatically over the past month, leaving her with a sickly pallor.

He had never seen her look so thoroughly drained. In his mind, she was an endless well of energy. She always had time to test out new recipes, obsess over their anniversaries, and follow him around like a tireless shadow.

But tonight, she had stood entirely alone in the corner of that banquet hall, enduring the cold stares. She had stood alone on that stage with her sketches, facing a firing squad of judges. She had even gotten drunk and braved the freezing wind all by herself.

A deep crease formed between Gideon's brows.

Tearing his eyes away from her pale face, he stared up at the ceiling.

His mind drifted back to three years ago.

Back then, Nora's eyes were always alight with hope. She was like a relentless little shadow; no matter how ruthlessly he brushed her off, or how severely he humiliated her in public, the second he turned around, she was always right there, waiting for him.

Back then, she had been the one to beg his grandfather for this marriage. She had practically radiated joy as she signed her name on that horribly skewed prenuptial agreement.

Back then, Gideon had felt nothing but absolute disgust for the union. He viewed her as a pathetic opportunist exploiting his grandfather's lingering guilt to force her way into his and Giselle's lives. And so, he had felt perfectly justified freezing her out, watching her walk on eggshells in the manor, and letting her bow to Giselle's every whim.

But this new version of Nora was entirely different.

The starry-eyed devotion was entirely gone, replaced by a hollow, deadpan indifference. She had packed up her life and moved out, freely displaying the talent and radiant smiles to Julian that she had always hidden from him.

After all, Giselle was still so young. If Nora actually teamed up with Julian, Giselle would undoubtedly end up in the crossfire.

A soft knock echoed through the room. Mrs. Gable carried in a steaming bowl of soup, placed it carefully on the nightstand, and bowed out in silence.

Gideon picked up the bowl and stepped closer to the mattress.

"Sit up and drink this," he ordered, nudging her shoulder.

Nora blinked her heavy eyes open. Glancing at the soup, then up at him, she didn't utter a single syllable. Pushing herself up, she took the bowl and downed the bitter liquid, actively suppressing her churning stomach.

Slamming the empty bowl onto the wood, she slid back under the covers, pulled them to her chin, and stubbornly turned her back on him once again.