Alle Kapitel von Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire: Kapitel 581 – Kapitel 590

Gwen's POV I woke up at six in the morning, before my alarm even went off. The mix of anxiety and excitement had barely let me sleep at all. By seven, Nick and I were in the shed, taking stock of what we had to work with. Old wood that was still solid. Empty wine barrels. Rope. Tools that were rusty but usable. At eight, we were in town buying what was missing. Solar LED lights. Paint. Brushes. A few meters of sturdy fabric for picnic blankets. Cheap terracotta pots. Lavender seedlings. Nick paid for everything in cash, counting the bills carefully, and I saw the way his jaw tightened when the total was announced. It wasn't much. But for someone in his situation, it probably felt like a small fortune. I placed my hand briefly on his arm. "It'll be worth it," I whispered. He nodded but didn't say anything. Back at the property, we got to work. Nick, I, and two employees who usually worked in the vineyards but had volunteered to help. We started with the tables. Improvi

Gwen's POV "So you're asking me to lie to my husband?" Zoey's voice came through my phone, heavy with disbelief and something that sounded suspiciously like reluctant amusement. And, well… yes. That was exactly my plan. We were on a video call again. Me, in the living room of my Florentia apartment, still in my work clothes because I'd gotten home less than ten minutes earlier. Zoey, at a spa, apparently relaxing with a generous glass of red wine and what looked like a green facial mask covering half her face. It made sense. It was still afternoon where she was, sunlight pouring through the window behind her, while here it was already night, the city lights beginning to flicker outside. "I'm not asking you to lie," I corrected, adjusting a cushion behind me on the couch. "I'm asking you to… not tell my brother something." Zoey stared at me through the screen, her eyes openly skeptical even under the green mask. "Gwen, I can't do that," she said, taking a sip of wine. "I

It was Friday morning, and I should've been at Kensington in Florentia, sitting at my desk and buried in reports and meetings. Instead, I was wrapping up my third meeting of the day with tourism agencies in the Montelira region, pitching partnerships I'd spent the entire week carefully structuring down to the smallest detail. "I know most tourists usually arrive here with their lodging already booked," I said, sliding high-quality printed brochures across the table toward the two agents sitting across from me. "But that's not the point. This is about our unique experiences." I pointed to the photos on the brochure as I listed them. "Sunset dinners with one of the most breathtaking views in Valentia. Authentic Castorian cooking workshops with a renowned local chef. Photography workshops in truly stunning locations. A historical tour of a perfectly preserved thirteenth-century medieval tower. And, of course, grape harvest experiences during peak season, where guests can actively

The party was in full swing. Bella ran back and forth with her school friends, a small crowd of six- and seven-year-olds who seemed to have unlimited energy. They played tag between the trees, laughed too loudly, and screamed for no apparent reason in that way only children can. Bella was radiant. She wore a pink tulle dress that flared out whenever she spun, which she did constantly just to watch it twirl. She'd insisted on wearing the necklace I'd given her too, the little star shining against the rosy fabric. "Gwen! Gwen!" she shouted at one point, racing over to where I was sitting. "Come play hide-and-seek with us!" "In a minute, sweetheart," I promised, tucking a loose strand of hair back into place. "Let your aunt rest for just a second first." She accepted that easily, in the way only kids can, and ran right back to the group, already yelling something about who was going to count next. Nick was everywhere at once, like any dad at his kid's birthday party. Keeping a

Gwen's POV Renee looked at Paula, then at Nick, then at me. Finally, her gaze landed on Bella, still hiding behind me. "I don't want to cause a scene," she said, lifting her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I really didn't come here to ruin her birthday. I just wanted to see my daughter. On her birthday. I thought that was my right." "Your right," Nick repeated, the word sharp and bitter. "You keep using that word like it still means something after four years of abandonment." "Nicholas," Renee said, her voice growing steadier now, more controlled. "You and I are going to talk. Calmly. Like adults." She opened her expensive purse, pulled out a card, and held it out to him. "I'm staying here," she said, pointing to the hotel name printed on it. "Room twenty-three. Tomorrow. Anytime you want. But we are going to talk, Nick." Nick didn't take the card. He just stared at it as if it were contaminated. With a sigh, Renee set it down on the nearest table, beside the untouche