Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 390

Kira's cheek stung.

Gideon's palm struck her face with the weight of a brick.

His eyes blazed with rage.

"Shut up! Shut up! Don't say that!"

Kira's hand flew to her face.

Her left cheek was burning up

Her entire body shook

Gideon slapped her.

The man who once wrapped her finger in three layers of gauze because she had a papercut, slapped her.

Kira gazed at him with unseeing eyes.

Her brain, unable to process the shock, shut down.

She swayed on her feet, staggering backwards

Gideon looked down at his own hand in disbelief.

Angry red finger marks were visible on Kira's cheek.

Finger marks left by him.

'Kira, L...'

Words failed him.

His lips trembled violently.

Gideon reached out a shaky arm towards her.

'Kira..I'm su, so sorry...

His eyes begged for forgiveness.

Kira stepped back

'Stop right there!!

Her voice was glacial.

The look she shot him was worse than the one she'd give a murderer.

Gideon couldn't stand it and lunged for her.

His hands locked around her waist like a pair of pincers

Why did you say that? Why are you trying to hurt me?

The Kira he knew was not that kind of person.

She would never prostitute herself.

She must be saying it deliberately to spite him.

She hated him for leaving, so she said those things to hurt him.

Kira tried to wrestle herself free.

I'm telling the truth! If you can't accept it, too bad!"

Gideon buried his head on her shoulder.

"Why?" he murmured. "Why did you do that?"

al

"Why?" Kira gave a hollow laugh. For money. Why else?"

Her blasé attitude and her aversion to his touch tormented him, taunted him.

You're willing to sell your body for money?' he asked, not believing a word of it.

Kira stopped struggling when she couldn't extricate herself from his hug.

She hated how the men she met-first Liam, then Gideon-seemed to be so much stronger than her.

She stretched her lips into a sarcastic smile even though he couldn't see it.

'Yeah. Why not? Do you know how hard life can be when you're penniless? The doctors threatened to send my father home if I couldn't pay. After I did pay, tapping out all my savings and taking on a mountain of debt, 1 had no food on the table and no roof over my head. People laughed at me, at my threadbare clothes, at my shoes with holes in them."

Kira raised her head, forcing the tears back.

'Gideon, this is the era when people bow down to the almighty dollar. Prostitution is not a crime; poverty is. Some people kill for money. Some sell their organs. I'm not a saint. I can't survive on scruples or dine on virtues. I'm only human.

Kira ignored the dull ache in her heart.

It was over between her and Gideon a long time ago.

She didn't need his pity, nor his love.

If making herself out as a whore would get him to back off, so be it.

Gideon stood rooted to the spot.

Kira gave him a hard shove and left his warm embrace.

Her face was emotionless, her eyes cold.

For a long while, the only sound in the ward was the beep from Leland's monitor

Gideon looked at Kira's face.

It was a familiar face, but he no longer recognised the person behind it.

Kira willed herself to stand firm and meet his gaze.

It was a sc

gaze, a vorter of vinctions.

Just as Gideon no longer recognised Kira, so she no longer recognised him.

The Gideon of four years ago was thoughtful and gentle.

There were occasional outbursts of anger, but they were never directed at her.

To her, all he did was dote and pamper.

He only ever raised his voice when he got jealous over Kira talking to other boys in class.

Other than that, he did whatever Kira wanted.

But now, the taller, stronger version of Gideon was a complete stranger.

He shouted at her, scolded her, slapped her.

And there was a venomous glint in his eyes.

Everything had changed.

Gideon reached for his pants pocket and removed a pack of cigarettes.

He was about to light one up when he glimpsed Leland on the bed.

He stuffed the lighter back in his pocket and just held the cigarette under his nose.

The smell of nicotine calmed him down somewhat.

His blood was still boiling, though.

Gideon closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

When be regained his composure, he spoke.