I Married The Beast Commander, Not His Match Chapter 10

I Married The Beast Commander, Not His Match Chapter 10

The next day, the news hit.

Chloe had been taken into custody for trespassing and theft.

The comments blew up.

[The ML actually had her arrested??]

[Doesn’t he owe her dad his life?]

[It looks like the ML is actually siding with the FL.]

[But what about his family, though??]

Gideon came to the property.

He stood in front of me.

“The situation with Chloe is handled.”

“I saw.”

“I owe her father. Not her.”

Gideon looked at me.

“I’ve been thinking a lot.”

“About what?”

“About you.”

I looked at him and said nothing.

Gideon took a deep breath.

“Audrey, I don’t know what a true mate is supposed to feel like. But I know that every night you

weren’t home, I couldn’t sleep.”

“I know that seeing you with Julian makes me feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“And I know I don’t want a divorce.”

I was quiet for a long time.

“Gideon, do you know why I bought this land?”

“Why?”

“Because I was afraid. Afraid I’d leave this marriage with nothing. Afraid I’d end up back in the slums. Afraid I wouldn’t even be able to feed myself.”

Gideon started to speak, but I cut him off.

“The thing I’m most afraid of is having nothing to fall back on. This land is my safety net.”

I looked him in the eye.

“Are you my safety net? No. You’re the reason I needed one.”

[She’s right, the ML never once made her feel safe.]

[Three years without touching her, never treating her like a real wife, AND acting shady with the second FL. Who WOULDN’T give up??]

[ML, sit with that and THINK.]

Gideon was quiet for a long time.

He pulled a document from his pocket.

“What’s that?”

“An equity transfer agreement.”

He held it out to me.

“Five percent of Sterling Group, in your name.”

I stared at it.

“This can be your safety net.”

I didn’t take it.

“I don’t want it.”

“Audrey.”

“I don’t want charity from you.”

I looked him in the eye.

“What I want, you can’t give me.”

“What do you want?”

“Security.”

I turned around.

“You never gave it to me.”

Gideon stood where I left him, the document still in his hand.

[The FL has her head on SO straight.]

[ML, you brought this on yourself.]

Gideon caught up and stepped in front of me.

“Then tell me what would.”

I stopped and faced him.

“Three years of marriage, Gideon. You never touched me. You said you were afraid you’d hurt me.

Fine, I believe that.”

“But what is Chloe to you, really?”

“She’s the daughter of the man who saved my life.”

Gideon’s voice dropped.

“That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

I held his gaze.

“You served her portions. You wiped her mouth. You celebrated her birthday. And you’re telling me

that’s all?”

“I…”

Gideon dragged a hand through his hair.

“I thought that was just… how siblings act.”

I laughed.

“Gideon, you’re thirty years old. You don’t know what mixed signals are?”

Gideon was silent for a long time.

“…You’re right. I didn’t know where to draw the line.”

“I’d never had feelings for anyone before. I didn’t know how to show it.”

“I didn’t know how to say any of this. I was scared that getting close would hurt you, so I kept my distance.”

“I thought if I gave you money and a comfortable life, that would be enough.”

He looked at me, his amber eyes rimmed red.

“I was wrong.”

[Damn, the ML is tearing up, and I’m actually kinda emotional rn.]

[He really doesn’t get it. It’s not that he doesn’t care.]

[FL, please don’t be too harsh. Give him ONE chance.]

I looked into those red-rimmed amber eyes.

Something deep in my chest loosened, just slightly.

But I didn’t speak.

Gideon reached out, slowly, and pressed the equity agreement into my hand.

“It’s not charity. It’s a promise.”

“If you don’t want to come back to that house, don’t. If you want to stay here and run this place, stay.”

“But don’t shut me out.”