Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 42 +25 Bonus Christian looked away, his fingers drumming nervously against the polished wood table. The starlight danced through the wine in his glass, casting reddish reflections across his tense face. "I'll tell him when he comes back," he finally said, his voice low and measured, as though he weighed every word carefully. "He has too much on his mind right now." "What do you mean?" He made a vague gesture with his hand, as if brushing away an uncomfortable thought. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that yes, I intend to tell him.

I'm just waiting for the right moment." "When is he coming back?" "Probably on the last day of the event." I pushed back from the table harder than I meant to, the wine in my glass trembling and spilling a few drops onto the white tablecloth. A storm of emotions churned inside me. "So you brought me back to the mansion knowing your grandfather will return in just a few days?" I glared at him, the pieces clicking into place in my mind like some dark puzzle. "How convenient. Almost like you want him to find me here." "I offered you a place to stay because you were in a difficult situation.

Because you had nowhere to go after sacrificing your job to help me." He drew a deep breath, as though trying to steady himself. "Not everything has to be part of some grand scheme, Zoey. Sometimes people simply... help each other." "Right, because you never manipulate situations for your own benefit," I shot back, the sarcasm slipping out before I could stop it. "You never use people as pieces in your personal chess game.' He leaned across the table, his eyes locked on mine, too intense for me to look away.

"Is that what you think of me?" His voice carried a controlled chill now, like thin ice over deep water. "That I'm always manipulating people? Using them?" "You paid me to fool your grandfather, didn't you?" I crossed my arms-a gesture that felt more protective than defiant. "An arrangement that benefitted us both." His eyes flashed with a mix of hurt and anger, the CEO mask momentarily slipping. "Or have you already forgotten that your father's debt was resolved?" "I'll never forget what you did for us.

your business plans." His expression darkened, something raw and wounded flickering across his gaze before he forced it back down. "That's not what I was suggesting. And it's certainly not how I see you." "No?" I challenged, my

the question hanging between us like a taut wire stretched to its breaking point. I saw the conflict in his eyes, the almost imperceptible movement of his lips, as though he was forming words he refused to release. I

himself together. "It's late. I think it's best we continue this conversation another time." Disappointment crashed over me like a cold wave. So typical of him-pulling back just when we were close to something real, something true. Retreating to the safety of emotional distance at the first sign of vulnerability. "Of course," I murmured, trying to hide how much his retreat stung. "Good night, Christian." He hesitated, as if he wanted

stay outside. I returned to the guest room, the weight of exhaustion settling over me like a lead cloak. Despite the comfort of the luxurious bed, sleep came slowly, invaded by memories of the past and uncertainties about the future. The next morning, I woke up with the sun already high

day taking its price. For a moment, I lay still, staring at the ornate ceiling, feeling the contrast between the luxury surrounding me and the emptiness I carried inside. Finally, driven by the need to clear things up with Christian before everything grew even more complicated, I got up. I took a quick shower, letting the