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Chapter 252
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Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 688
Nick's POV Three days isn't enough time for anyone to pull themselves together. But it's more than enough time for the world to decide what it wants to do with you. Cross called in the middle of a morning I was pretending was normal. The kind of normal where I sign off on construction paperwork, answer supplier messages, and act like my brain isn't split in two. One half working. The other counting how many times Bella blinked differently since the interview. "Valemont?" His voice was direct. No good morning. "The temporary custody hearing's been scheduled." I froze where I stood. The noise from the site turned into a dull hum. "When?" "Today." A short pause. "Two o'clock." I felt the ground shift under me. Not enough to fall. Just enough to remind me how heavy my body suddenly was. That physical reminder that I wasn't in control. "Today…" "Yes. And I need you here." His voice lowered. "Calm. No improvising. Understood?" I looked up at the gray sky and thought, no
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 687
Gwen's POV The way Dante said it told me exactly how serious this was. It wasn't gossip. It wasn't a hallway rumor. It was something that demanded eyes on it. Context. Something we'd have to face head-on. Nick nodded once. Sharp. I saw his shoulders tighten like he was bracing for impact. Bella stayed in the backseat a second longer, still buckled in, looking from Dante to us like she was trying to figure out why adults always wore that same worried expression. "Come on, princess," Dante said gently, gesturing without rushing her. "It'll be quick." Bella climbed out slowly, stepping onto the gravel with too much care for a child her age. I felt the urge to take her hand. I didn't. Dante led us along the side of the main house. The path was short, but here at the estate, everything echoed. Every door. Every corridor. Every corner still held that recent silence. The kind that reminded you how much worse things could've been. We stepped into one of the small support rooms. I
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 686
Gwen's POV The phone was still warm in my hand when I hung up. For a second, I just stood there in the living room, watching Bella curled up in Nick's arms like that embrace was the only safe place left in the world. Maybe it was. I couldn't just drop the word fire on top of that without steadying the ground first. I gave Nick a small look, and he understood immediately. "Sweetheart, pick a cartoon," he said softly, like it was just another normal suggestion. "We'll be right back, okay?" Bella nodded without really looking at us, remote in hand, scrolling through options with a seriousness that cracked something inside me. When a child tries to be "strong," they turn into a tiny adult for a few seconds. That should never be necessary. Nick and I went into the kitchen. "It was Dante," I said. He dragged a hand down his face, already exhausted before he even heard the rest. "What now?" "He called from the estate. Something about the fire." I watched his jaw tighte
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 685
Gwen's POV The question landed in the kitchen like a glass dropped on marble. I couldn't hear it shatter from inside the wine cellar, but I felt the vibration move straight through me. Nick stopped breathing. I could tell by the way his shoulders locked up, like the air had suddenly become too heavy to pull in. Bella answered too fast. "My mom's." No pause. No little "um" while she thought. No "can I say something else?" the way she did when she was torn between two choices. It was dry. Clean. Immediate. An answer that sounded… prepared. Nick made a low sound, almost a choke, like he'd taken a punch to the stomach and was still trying to stand upright. His hand went to the wall for support as his knees started to give. I dropped down beside him without thinking. "Breathe," I whispered, close to his ear. "Breathe. It doesn't mean anything. She loves you." He looked at me, and there was something so raw in his eyes that for a second I hated myself for ever believing "we
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 684
Gwen's POV The house was too clean. Not clean in the organized sense. The house was always organized. I couldn't stand the idea of living in chaos. No, this was clean in a different way. Prepared. Staged. Like I'd tried to sweep away the things you can't actually sweep. The problems. The police station. The humiliation of hearing my name spoken by an officer like I was some kind of public nuisance. I'd chosen a discreet blouse, my hair pulled back, makeup light enough that it didn't look like I was hiding anything. At the same time, polished enough to hide what could be hidden. Nick was pretending to be calm. He wasn't. Bella, on the other hand, looked… normal. Too normal. "It's going to be fine," Nick said quietly, his hand resting on my waist in a way that was too protective not to also be anxious. I nodded. Smiled. I was very good at looking like everything was under control. My stomach didn't believe me. The doorbell rang with Italian punctuality, which irritated
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 683
Renee's POV That Monday, I parked two blocks from Bella's school and stayed in the car for a moment, studying my reflection in the window. The cut on my forehead was hidden under a discreet bandage. The bruises were covered by carefully chosen clothes. The rest was makeup and good lighting. The school secretary recognized me before I even said my name. Not warmly. Professionally. The look of someone who has seen wealthy fathers, angry mothers, and children stuck in between. I showed my ID, signed the form, and offered a simple explanation about a "medical appointment" and needing to pick her up two classes early. Mother. That word opens doors. No one asked if her father knew. No one wanted to step into that territory. Schools prefer not to buy into family wars. And I knew exactly how to use that cowardice in my favor. Bella appeared at the classroom door with her backpack on, surprise written all over her face. "Mom?" she said, and for a second that was all it was. A litt
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 50
The last day of the event arrived with a frenetic energy. After an entire day juggling wedding preparations and Vivian's endless demands, the intersectoral conference's closing almost felt like a relief—despite the new mission we now faced. "Remember, you two need to look natural," Marcus instruct
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 60
The Kensington private jet landed smoothly at Virelia's international airport. Through the window, I watched the Valentian morning sun cast a golden glow over the city I had only ever seen in fashion magazines. A shiver of excitement ran down my spine, despite the exhaustion of twelve hours in the a
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 59
I woke with the first rays of sunlight slipping through the half-drawn curtains, my head still heavy from the wine the night before. It took me a few seconds to register where I was—and more importantly, with whom. Christian was still asleep beside me, one arm draped loosely over my waist. His face,
Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire Chapter 57
Christian's eyes never left mine as I walked down the aisle, my father at my side. The mix of emotions on his face was indescribable—surprise, admiration, and something deeper I couldn't quite name. When I finally reached the altar, my father gave my hand one last squeeze before placing it in Christ
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