Breaking Mr. Cold (Giselle and Donovan) novel Chapter 536

Giselle froze, stunned by what Gideon had said.

She quietly closed the box holding the diamond ring, stood up, and turned away from him. "My answer might disappoint you."

Gideon had spent a full year preparing for this day, only to be met with this outcome. His heart sank instantly, and it took him a long time to recover from the shock.

He came up behind her, letting his words fall with weight. "Don't tell me you still haven't forgotten that man."

For the past year, Gideon had never said Donovan's name in front of Giselle. He always referred to him as "that man", because the moment the name left his lips, the atmosphere seemed to chill.

Giselle took a slow breath. "If it weren't for you this past year, I'd probably be dead. I owe you my life—"

"Don't you dare say that!" Gideon snapped. "Everything I've done for you, I did willingly. I never expected anything in return. If you truly don't have feelings for me, I won't force you to marry me."

Giselle fell silent.

After a moment, she whispered, "Have you forgotten? Donovan and I never completed our divorce. By law, I'm still not available."

"What do you mean you're not?" Gideon firmly asked. "After he thought you were dead, he held a funeral for you. He even had your records erased. As far as the world's concerned, your marriage ended the day your name disappeared from the system. You don't exist anymore, Giselle."

"I don't know," Giselle murmured. "I just feel like I don't deserve to hold anyone back. Maybe I deserve everything that's happened. Sometimes I wish I'd woken up not remembering a thing. It would've been easier to just forget it all."

Her vague, distant words pierced Gideon straight through the heart.

He wasn't stupid. He could see right through her.

"Honestly, I wish you had lost your memory," he murmured.

While he said it, his thoughts kept returning to that night a year ago.