He made a harsh sound in the back of his throat before withdrawing something from the inside pocket of his jacket. A small stack of… pictures?
I cocked my head to the side, confused as I waited for him to continue. He flipped the first photo and my heart seized. “This,” he hissed. “I’m talking about this.”
Gideon carelessly threw the stack on my desk. The pictures flopped onto my lap and my jaw tightened. I fought against the urge to flinch, because fuck, it hurt. Seeing my wife’s photos scattered across my desk and on my lap; her scars were the main focus. Photoshopped in such a way that they appeared worse than they actually were. It was a painful reminder of how cruel people could be.
Julianna was so goddamn beautiful. She was my wife and the mother of my kids. But that wasn't how she was portrayed in the media.
Her scars were made fun of.
Her character was vilified.
Every word she said was twisted against her.
Every action was scrutinized in such a way that painted her into a villain, instead of a victim.
The media loathed my wife.
And no matter how many times I tried to fix it; the hate has only gotten worst.
“Julianna says she’s okay with it. That she doesn’t care,” Gideon gritted out, slamming his fists onto the desk. “That it doesn’t matter what the people say as long as she has you by her side. But is it really fucking okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut because I knew he was right. He was absolutely correct.
It wasn’t okay.
“Is it really fair for her to go through this because you are a public figure?” he accused sharply. “Because trust me, if Jules was a normal citizen as everyone else, no one would have given a shit about her past and she sure as hell wouldn’t have been made into a mockery.”
Gideon took a deep breath, shaking his head solemnly. “This is your life but it’s not hers. She doesn’t belong here, Killian.”
“She is my wife.” My fists clenched. His words were true, but I still felt defensive. “She belongs where I am.”
He smoothed a hand over his face tiredly. “I’m not trying to separate you two. And I’m not asking you to make a choice either. I know how important this campaign is to you. Your late father would be proud of how far you’ve come along… and the man you’ve become. But you need to think this through with a clear mind.” He paused and then sighed. “I’m just a worried father.”
“Gideon–”
My door slammed open without a knock. Gideon swiveled around in surprise and I sat up straight, frowning at my assistant. She was clearly panicked and shaking. “What’s wrong?”
She gasped dramatically and I worried if she was hyperventilating. Meera was otherwise mellow, so what could have her so shaken up?
“Um… J-Julianna,” she wheezed. I blinked before my stomach dropped. “She’s downstairs. There is an… e-emergency.”
I was already sprinting out of the room before she could finish her sentence, Gideon closed at my heels. I slammed the buttons to the elevator and it was the longest fucking ride of my life as my whole body shook. Gideon was silent and even if I wanted, I couldn’t speak.
My heart raced as I thought of all crazy, possible scenarios.
How badly she was hurt? What happened? Did she faint…? Maybe it wasn’t anything serious.
Goddamn it, I fucking prayed it wasn’t anything serious.
The elevator pinged and the doors opened. I ran out into the crowded lobby where everyone looked panicky and that was my first indication that something was wrong. People spared me sympathetic glances and fear slide through my veins, beating strongly in my chest.
Julianna had to be okay. She had to be because I couldn’t accept any other possible outcome.
The moment I stepped outside, onto the busy sidewalk – my whole world came to sudden halt. Time slowed; the ground swayed underneath my feet and there was an insistent ringing in my ears.
I forgot how to breathe.
A painful burning sensation slithered into my chest and it felt like my lungs were about to collapse.
My wife was on the ground, curled on her left side with her four bodyguards surrounding her. There were a few more strangers around her and I realized they were all trying to create a protective circle around Julianna. Hiding her from the press and the other curious people taking photos on their phones.
I broke through the protective barrier and sank to my knees next to her unconscious and limp body. Her head was on Jackson’s lap and he was rubbing her hand between his.
“What happened?” I asked, my voice coming out choked.
“They crowded around us. And Julianna slipped into the incoming traffic,” he explained shakily. “It happened so fast. I was able to pull her back into safety but I think she might have injured herself when she fell.”