Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 17 Christian's silence hit me like a slap. "I'm not sure if she'll be there in person, but-" +25 Bonus "Of course she'll be there," I cut him off, standing abruptly. "She said she'd send the 'best team.' Of course that includes her. Elise would never pass up the chance to be in the spotlight at an event like this." Christian sighed, pushing aside his half-finished glass of wine. "Zoey, even if she is, does it matter? You're my fiancée now. You're with me." "Easy for you to say when you weren't the one who walked in on your fiancé with your best friend." Something softened in his gaze.

"I know it's hard. But don't let them keep that power over you." I dug my nails into my palms, fighting the urge to crumble. "I need some air." "Come with me." Christian stood, holding out his hand. "There's something I want to show you." I hesitated, but eventually slipped my hand into his. I needed the distraction-anything to keep from spiraling about Elise showing up tomorrow. He led me through the gardens and onto a trail that sloped gently down the hill. The afternoon sun bathed the vineyards in golden light, the whole scene so beautiful it didn't feel real.

1 "These are the oldest vines on the estate," Christian explained, his voice calmer the further we got from the house. "Some of them are over eighty years old." We walked between the rows, the air rich with the sweet scent of ripe grapes. Every so often, Christian would stop to point something out: a perfect cluster, the way the leaves shifted with the breeze, the texture of the fertile soil beneath our feet. "You really love this place, don't you?" I asked, noticing the way his eyes lit up as he spoke about the vineyards. He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

"It's more than a business or an inheritance. It's... part of who I am." There was a sincerity in his words that caught me off guard. This was a different Christian-the man beneath the arrogance and calculation I thought defined him. "And you," he went on, pausing to look straight at me. "You're not who they said you were." Something tightened in my chest. "What do you mean?" "You're stronger than they thought. More resilient." His gaze was steady, sincere. "And definitely more interesting." I didn't know what to say.

of this, he, was real. But the rational part, the part that had already been broken once, stayed on guard. 1/3 Chapter 12 +25 Bonus The rest of the afternoon blurred into something unexpectedly pleasant. Christian showed me more of the estate, telling me stories from his childhood here: moments with his grandfather

the suite behind us, and suddenly all the thoughts I'd shoved to the back of my mind came rushing back. Not just Elise and the looming event-but the fact that we'd be sleeping in the same room. In the same bed.

the bed... unless you ask me not to." My face flamed instantly. "I'm not asking for that." "Are you sure?" He stepped closer, that infuriatingly seductive smile never leaving his face. "You have a habit of saying one thing and doing another. Like when you said you didn't want me to kiss you. But you did." "I did not!" I shot back, folding my arms across my chest. He chuckled softly, then to my surprise,

room for argument. Relief washed through me-mixed with another emotion I didn't want to name. Disappointment? Ridiculous. "Thanks," I muttered, grabbing my pajamas and escaping into the bathroom. When I came back out, Christian had turned the sofa into a makeshift bed. He wore only a pair of sweatpants, his bare chest a constant reminder of what I was trying

neckline that suggested far more than it hid. I'd picked it impulsively, a tiny rebellion against my own common sense. "Interesting choice of sleepwear for someone so worried about boundaries," he murmured, that wicked smile curving his lips. I crossed my arms over my chest, which only made things worse. "It was just what I grabbed," I lied. His smile deepened, like he