Chapter 345

---- Chapter 345 Giselle came clean. "I registered my marriage with Donovan this morning." Gideon froze. His mind went blank instantly. "What do you mean?" he asked stiffly, his expression tense. " Registered your marriage?" "We're a married couple now," she said, her voice low. His breath hitched. "Are you serious?" She nodded, feeling as though she'd just committed the worst mistake of her life. Clenching his jaw, Gideon scoffed as he collapsed onto the couch. He dragged a hand through his hair, shoulders caving in. "So when it came to marrying me, you had a thousand excuses to delay.

But with him, it only took minutes, didn't it?" Because of his reaction , guilt weighed on Giselle so heavily that she could barely breathe. She didn't even know how to defend herself-or if she even should. "You never loved me, did you?" His voice was low and raw with hurt. She stayed silent. "Was Ijust a tool to you?" he pressed again. ---- Taking a deep breath, Giselle replied, ''The time I spent with you was real. Iwas happy-it wasn't about using you. But marrying him... yes. It was all about using his name and position." Gideon sneered.

"So what you're saying is that I couldn't give you what you wanted? That my background doesn't measure up to his? That I can't make you respectable enough?" "Let's not drag this out," she said softly. "Your child is what matters. He's your real family, the one who deserves all your affection. I'm not-" "So it's really because I have a kid." His sneer shifted into a bitter smile. "That's the nail in the coffin, isn't it?" He felt as if he'd been backed into a corner, his mood souring inan instant. "Giselle, you're so damn ruthless," he continued, pain flashing in his eyes.

"You bound your life to his without hesitation. You didn't even bother to give mea chance. You're practically sealing me with a fate worse than death..." Gideon's words made her chest swell with bitterness. Her throat burned, but she didn't know what to say. Memories of her past with Gideon flooded her mind. She knew that from the start, she'd been hurting him, using him as a last straw and a safe harbor to treat her wounded soul. She had been happy with him, but the bond they shared had never truly been romantic.

---- "I'm sorry," she muttered , trying to let him understand the dilemma she was in. "My life is complicated, and I'm burdened with past grudges related to my background. Ihave way too many things to do, so I don't have the luxury of an easy marriage. "T'll never forget your feelings for me... but this is where it ends." Then, more firmly, she added, "One day, you'll see that not marrying me was a blessing in disguise." But that was the last thing Gideon wanted to hear. He was drowning in betrayal , burning with fury. Her words felt like nothing but pure humiliation.

He suddenly kicked the coffee table, venting his rage. "Fine." He hauled himself up from the couch, movements heavy and unsteady. His voice came out low and flat, stripped of vigor. "If this is your final choice, then I'll respect him. From now on, we're completely done." And with that, he stumbled toward the door, every step echoing with a terrible weight until the sound of his footsteps faded away. Giselle collapsed onto the couch the moment he left, hollow and exhausted. Her mind was blank, but her heart ached. She didn't feel relieved at all-only endless anxiety gnawed at her.