- 8.
A month later,
Gideon stood in the corner of the banquet hall, staring intently at Nora in the distance.
She held Declan Carter’s arm, looking stunning in a red dress. The socialites around her greeted her with smiles–in stark contrast to her time with Gideon’s family.
“I heard Mr. Carter bankrupted those few Liu and Xu families for her?”
“Serves them right! Ms. Nora was the only daughter of Quentin’s family. If it hadn’t gone bankrupt, those families wouldn’t have dared to trample on her!”
The chatter reached his ears, and Gideon downed a glass of strong liquor.
In recent days, Declan swiftly dealt with those who had mocked Nora at banquets over the years. He had completely erased the humiliations Gideon had caused her in the past.
After the banquet, I walked alone to the garage. Suddenly, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows, and I stopped abruptly.
“Nora.”
Gideon’s voice was hoarse beyond recognition. It had been a long time since I’d seen him, and he looked much more haggard.
i clenched my clutch, my nails digging into my palm:
“Please move aside.”
He suddenly grabbed my wrist with such force it made me wince:
“Do you really not want me anymore? Nora, Phoebe’s twins aren’t mine. I’ve sent her to a psychiatric hospital; she’ll never bother us again. Please, give me another chance!”
I struggled to pull away but couldn’t break free,
“Gideon! Even if the twins aren’t yours, the first three kids are biologically yours. Stop bothering me!”
Gideon’s breath hitched, a pained look flashing in his eyes.
“But I can’t do it!”
“I watch you and Declan together, and I’m so jealous it’s driving me insane. Nora, only now do I realize how much I love you. I can’t bear seeing you with another man! I can’t do it!”
Gideon suddenly pinned me against the car door:
“Nora, look at me!”
His voice was choked with sobs, tears streaming down his face. It was the first time I’d seen him cry like this.
“I know I was wrong… I really know I was wrong… Please divorce him, okay? One billion or two billion? Everything from Gideon’s
4:59 AM
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family I can give you! Just come back! Don’t leave me!”
“But I can’t do it!”
0
“I see you with Declan Carter. Watching you two together almost drives me insane with jealousy. Nora, it’s only now that I realize how deeply I love you. I can’t bear the thought of you being with another man! I just can’t!”
Gideon suddenly pressed me against the car door:
“Nora, look at me!”
His voice was choked with emotion, tears streaming down his face. It was the first time I had seen him cry like this.
“I know I was wrong… I truly know I was wrong… Would you leave him? A billion, two billion? I can give you everything from my family! Just come back to me! Don’t leave me!”
Looking into his tear–filled eyes, I felt nothing but a profound calm.
“I don’t want anything from you,” I said. “I’ve already fallen in love with Declan Carter.”
His pupils shrank, his face going pale. “You…”
Suddenly, his eyes turned fierce, and he tried to force a kiss on me-
“Bang!”
Out of nowhere, a swift side kick knocked him to the ground!
Declan Carter appeared, pulling me protectively behind him, his eyes filled with a terrifying anger.
“Mr. Gideon, if you dare touch my wife, you’ll face dire consequences for your family’s business.”
Gideon lay on the ground, disheveled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Seeing me protected by another man, the eyes that once loved him now looked completely foreign.
Gideon seemed drained of all strength, collapsing to his knees, laughing hysterically, then breaking into tears.
Declan Carter held my hand, looked at him with disdain, and carried me away.
