The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 399

"What do you care about most in this miserable life? The people at Lawrence Atelier who follow you around, waiting for you to sign their paychecks?"

"Or is it your bloodsucking family? The ones who eagerly sold you to Gideon just to save their own skin?"

"Or maybe it's that lofty, untouchable reputation you've spent seven painstaking years building up?"

Julian's fingers dug harder into her jaw.

"All you have to do is nod. I'll call off our attack on Xavier Holdings immediately. I'll even spare your brother, who's currently running all over the Metropolis begging for help, and I'll step out of Gideon's crusade against your family."

Nora's heart hammered frantically against her ribs. When she spoke, her voice was a raspy, inhuman croak. "What's... the catch...?"

"The terms are simple."

Julian straightened up. Moving with agonizing slowness, he retrieved a white pocket square from his suit jacket and wiped his fingers with utter disgust, as if her skin had contaminated him.

Then, he tossed the fabric into the muddy puddle in front of her like a piece of trash.

"Hand over every unreleased design draft in the Lawrence Atelier archives, sign over all the copyrights, and..."

He adjusted the glasses on his nose, the gold rims catching a sinister glint in the misty rain. "...your hands."

Her hands. For a jewelry designer, her hands were her livelihood. They were the very foundation of her existence.

Without them, she would never sketch another design. Her entire life—and the future of her unborn child—would be reduced to absolute ruin. They wouldn't even be able to put food on the table.

Pure, unfiltered hatred dripped from Julian's voice. "Those hands are stained with Giselle's blood. You will never draw another blueprint. You will never touch another gemstone."

"No... no..." Nora scrambled backward in panic, desperately trying to tuck her hands into her chest. She shook her head wildly, hot tears mixing with the freezing rain tracking down her face.

"I won't do it... Julian, you psycho, you can't do this..."

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