Chapter 288

---- Chapter 288 When Gideon saw the certainty in Giselle's eyes for the first time, he instinctively pulled her into his arms. Swept up in the heat of the moment, he lowered his head to kiss her. The moment his heated breath brushed her skin and the instant his soft lips met hers, she simply closed her eyes. She didn't resist, but she didn't play along either. Despite her experience , Giselle responded like a girl kissing for the very first time. She returned the kiss ina simple, hesitant way. Gideon held her tightly , taking full control as he kissed her deeply.

His hands slipped under her clothes with practiced ease, tracing familiar paths across her body as if reclaiming territory. Her mind turned hazy, and her thoughts scattered. All reason seemed to drift away as she let herself sink into this uncertain relationship. But when Gideon pulled Giselle onto the couch, she looked up at his handsome yet unfamiliar face and hesitated. She stopped his hand as he reached for his belt. "I... can't today," she murmured apologetically. "What's wrong?" he asked impatiently, clearly frustrated at ---- being interrupted mid-passion.

"My period just started," Giselle quietly said, avoiding his gaze. "It's not a good time this week. Let's do this another day. Gideon fell silent for a beat, clearly disappointed and physically frustrated. Yet he forced himself to appear unbothered, gently stroking her hair with feigned understanding. "Alright. We won't do it today. Are you feeling any cramps?" he asked. "No," "Good. I'll... take a shower then," he said. He needed a way to cool down, so he headed into the bathroom.

Listening to the sound of the shower running, Giselle collapsed onto the couch and replayed the awkward scene in her mind. She couldn't even understand her own feelings anymore. She had already decided to spend her life with Gideon, so she thought intimacy with him would feel natural - inevitable , even. But when the moment came, she just felt weirdly down and conflicted, as if something was missing. By the time Gideon had finished showering and gotten dressed , a call from Ethan demanded his immediate return. With a hurried goodbye, he was gone.

---- "Since Aunt Flo is here, take it easy these next few days, alright?" he said, pulling her into an embrace. "Call me if you feel unwell. I'll come straight over once I wrap things up." Then, he kissed her cheek. "Alright. You should go now," Giselle urged. "You've already neglected so much work because of me. Don't worry about me for now." "Remember our plans for next Monday," he said. "Sure," she replied. Despite not taking that final step, the fact that she hadn't refused but agreed to marriage left Gideon in a good mood. After one final embrace , he grabbed his phone and car keys.

Then, he took Chipper and left with a spring in his step. Alone in the quiet house, Giselle allowed herself a brief moment of imagining their married life together. But without warning , another man's face flickered through her mind, persistent and unwelcome. Her chest tightened, as if a suffocating weight pressed down on her. Wanting to shake it off, Giselle quickly got up and straightened herself. Then, she went out to check on her pet shop. During the months she'd been gone, Gideon had helped oversee its operations , so business had continued as usual.

---- Apart from losing a few customers, the shop-and the others she owned-hadn't suffered much at all.