Lahat ng Kabanata ng Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire: Kabanata 221 - Kabanata 230

Nathaniel's POV Turns out leaving wasn't exactly optional. The second I hit Charles, Annabel's security showed up, and they didn't care about explanations, harassment, or self-defense. "House policy," they said. "Any physical violence means immediate removal." So there we were, sitting on the curb outside one of the most exclusive clubs in London. I was still in my suit and Annie was in her elegant dress. Each of us were holding a drink we had managed to sneak out in the chaos. "Well," I said, taking a sip of my whisky, "this definitely wasn't on my agenda tonight." Annie laughed, a real laugh that cut through the tension. "I bet it wasn't. Sorry I ruined your night." "You didn't ruin anything," I said right away. "That idiot did." "Still... you didn't have to do that. Now we got thrown out because of me." I looked at her, sitting beside me on the curb, still trembling a little, and felt a fresh surge of anger toward Charles. How could anyone treat a woman like that? An

I got home at six thirty after a day that felt like it would never end. Even though I'd managed to redeem myself in the break room earlier, I was still emotionally drained. Between the leftover humiliation from the party, the weird sense of relief after swapping bad date stories, and that message I couldn't stop thinking about, my brain was running on fumes. I kicked off my shoes the second I walked into the apartment, tossed my bag on the couch, and realized I had absolutely nothing for dinner. The fridge held a single expired yogurt and some leftovers I couldn't remember ordering. "Pizza it is," I muttered to the empty apartment, grabbing my phone to order from my favorite place. While I waited, I opened a bottle of wine I had "borrowed" from the office. Perks of working at Kensington. Then I collapsed onto the couch. The quiet in the apartment suddenly felt too loud, too lonely. Moments like this made London feel farther from Verdania than any map ever could. No familiar voice

Monday morning had been fairly calm until my phone buzzed with a message from Zoey. I was reviewing the sales reports for the organic line when her name flashed across the screen. [Guess who's going to London soon?] I smiled instantly. Zoey had a talent for brightening my day with a single text. [Hmm… let me think… The Pope? Lady Gaga? Some celebrity I should know but don't? Or maybe… I don't know… my favorite sister who has a perfect baby I miss like crazy?] Her reply came almost immediately: [LOL! Very funny! Big international Kensington meeting. Christian hopes to close million dollar deals, I hope to drink a lot of wine and wander around with my beloved sister. Get ready!] My heart jumped. Zoey coming to London meant more than killing the homesickness. It meant seeing Matt in person, seeing how she was handling motherhood, and having a piece of home close by. [That's amazing! When are you getting here? And don't tell me there won't be a party… it's not a Kensington me

Nathaniel's POV The elevator was already rising when Annie rushed in, clearly late for some meeting. She was a little out of breath as the doors slid shut, leaving just the two of us. "Good morning," I said, keeping my tone as casual as possible. "Good morning," she replied, adjusting her bag and staring straight at the numbers climbing above the doors. "At least this time I'm not holding a cup of coffee." The reference to the moment we'd nearly kissed caught me off guard. I laughed quietly. "My shirt appreciates it," I said. When our eyes met, the air in the elevator seemed to thicken. Annie looked away quickly, her cheeks taking on that soft pink I knew too well. I was almost certain she was remembering what had almost happened in that very elevator. I definitely was. The elevator stopped on the tenth floor with a soft ding, cutting through the moment. "By the way," I said as the doors opened, "we need to work together on something today. Can you stop by my office aft

Nathaniel's POV I was in my office reviewing contracts when I decided to send Annie my next question. It was nearly ten in the morning, and she still hadn't said anything about the flowers. Maybe she hadn't had time to process the gift yet, or maybe she was buried in work. I opened the app and typed: [Fourth question: What attracts you more in a person, someone who challenges you or someone who complements you?] I hit send and set my phone aside, trying to focus on the documents in front of me. But it was hard to concentrate when part of my mind kept imagining her face when she saw the roses. I hoped she liked them, that she understood the callback to our conversation the night before. A sharp knock pulled me out of my thoughts. "Come in," I said, and Gwen stepped inside with a serious expression. "Nate, I need to talk to you about a security issue." "Of course. Have a seat. What happened?" "Someone came into our office this morning and left flowers on Annie's desk."