- 6.
Gideon returned to his family with a dark expression, his mind still filled with the image of Nora’s tears.
Over the years, no matter how he belittled her, she never cried so heartbrokenly.
D
4:58 AM
<
If she loved that child so much, why did she abort it?
Remembering how Declan claimed Nora so possessively, Gideon gritted his teeth and kicked over a vase at the entrance.
The maid was carrying a box of trash out, with a familiar light blue fabric peeking out.
“Stop.”
He blocked her, opening the box.
It was Nora’s favorite dress.
The dress seemed carefully preserved, in a gift box, without a trace of wear.
Gideon’s pupils contracted.
He remembered buying it for her when they were dating.
The box was filled with Nora’s things. Gideon coldly said, “Who told you to throw these away?”
The maid remained oblivious to his mood, smiling instead.
“Since you dumped her, I thought you’d find her stuff annoying-”
Gideon roared through gritted teeth, “When did my matters with Nora become yours to handle? Put her things back. If
anything’s missing, don’t expect to get your severance pay!”
The maid was terrified, nodding frantically, and hastily returned my belongings to their original place.
Gideon climbed the stairs to the children’s room, hearing Ezra sobbing in his sleep.
When he saw him, Ezra rushed over with red eyes, asking where his mom went.
“Mom accidentally burned your sister and is at Grandpa’s house to apologize and make amends,” Gideon reassured weakly.
Ezra suddenly shook his head.
“Aunt Phoebe said Mom would never come back. Is it because I saw it wrong, so Mom got mad and won’t return?”
Gideon’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly realizing something. Ezra was only six, and it wasn’t impossible for him to be mistaken out of fear.
He recalled the video Declan had shown him earlier, his hand clenching tightly.
He immediately set out for the Gideon family estate to retrieve the surveillance footage from that day.
Seeing me, he rushed over with tearful eyes, asking where Mom had gone.
“Mom accidentally hurt your sister and is at Grandpa’s to apologize,” Gideon tried to reassure him feebly.
But Ezra suddenly shook his head. “Aunt Lin said Mom will never come back. Is that true? Did I make her mad because I saw things wrong?”
Gideon’s heart skipped a beat as he suddenly realized something. Ezra was only six years old, and it wasn’t impossible that fear
C
4:59 AM
<
He recalled the video Declan Carter had shown him earlier and clenched his fists tightly.
He immediately went to Gideon’s old residence to check the surveillance footage from that day. The footage clearly showed Phoebe pouring boiling water over the child and then screaming to frame Nora.
Gideon saw himself rush over and slap Nora, filled with regret and anger. Why hadn’t he believed her?! He knew better than anyone how much Nora genuinely loved those two children, yet he-
Gideon pounded his fist on the console, his knuckles bleeding, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the anguish in his heart! How could Phoebe be so deranged, to harm her own child!
“Find out everything about Phoebe and bring her to me.”
Moments later, his assistant handed him a document, looking pale:
“Sir, Ms. Lin’s twins… aren’t your children…”
Gideon stared at the DNA report, his knuckles turning white. The assistant added nervously:
“And… it connects to something from eleven years ago, related to Mrs.”
That was the year he and Nora broke up.
“Speak.”
“The records show Mrs. was once misdiagnosed with late–stage stomach cancer, and the doctor who diagnosed her was Ms.
Lin’s cousin…”
Gideon snatched the tablet, seeing the date–a date he would never forget. He remembered Nora’s pale face when she asked to break up. He thought she was heartlessly abandoning him, but the truth was so cruel it took his breath away.
If this was true, what had he done to her all these years?!
“Bring Phoebe here.”
His voice was ominously calm.
Phoebe entered with a smile, “Gideon, it’s so late-”
“Smack!”
Gideon slapped her hard, knocking her to the ground. Phoebe saw the paternity test report and was instantly terrified:
“This is Nora’s conspiracy! She’s always been jealous-”
Gideon kicked the coffee table over, grabbing her throat in fury:
“You poured hot water on Willa! You threw yourself down the stairs! This was all you!”
Phoebe’s face turned deathly pale, but she desperately argued:
“I did it all because I love you, Gideon!” She crawled toward him, “We’ve known each other for twenty years, why should Nora
take you away as soon as she comes?”
D
4:59 AM
<
“I was just afraid you wouldn’t marry me, Gideon. I gave you three children, you must forgive me. After all, I was the one who stood by you through everything. Have you forgotten how Nora abandoned you?”
“Shut up!” Gideon angrily grabbed her jaw, “The stomach cancer diagnosis ten years ago was faked by you! Nora didn’t want to burden me! If you hadn’t deceived her, she wouldn’t have broken up with me! You made me hate her wrongly for over ten years!”
Phoebe’s last trace of color drained from her face. She turned to escape but was held down by the guards.
“I’ll make you regret ever coming into this world.”
As he turned away, he heard Phoebe’s hysterical scream:
“Gideon! Do you think she’ll still want you now-
Gideon murmured with unwavering certainty:
“We have ten years of love between us. She loved me deeply and will never leave me!”
“As long as I apologize, she’ll come back to me.”
