Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 52 The mansion felt different that night. Soft lights created a warm atmosphere in the main dining hall, a room rarely used for such intimate gatherings. The long, dark wooden table was set with the family's finest porcelain, crystal glasses sparkled beneath the chandelier, and discreet arrangements of fresh flowers completed the scene. My family looked almost comical in their awe. Matthew discreetly snapped photos on his phone while my mother ran her fingers over the silver cutlery as if afraid she might break it.

Annabelle, on the other hand, had adapted to the luxurious environment with surprising ease-especially after discovering she would be seated next to Marcus during dinner. "Will your grandfather be joining us?" I asked Christian, who was double-checking the final details with the butler. "The doctor cleared him for dinner." He checked his watch. "He should be here any moment." As if summoned by our words, the dining room doors opened and Joseph entered, leaning on a cane.

Even so, he looked far better than the last time I'd seen him in the hospital-the color had returned to his face, and his eyes gleamed with excitement. "What a beautiful family!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms. Christian immediately moved to assist him, guiding him toward the head of the table. Joseph, however, insisted on greeting each guest first, lingering especially with my parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, it is an honor to welcome you to our home," he said, clasping my mother's hands warmly. "Zoey is a precious jewel.

We are all delighted to welcome her into the Kensington family." My mother looked on the verge of melting from emotion. My father, ever more reserved, nodded with a genuine smile. "The pleasure is ours, Mr. Kensington. And please, call me Robert." "Only if you call me Joseph." The Valentian's smile was contagious. "In Valentia, the parents of the bride and groom aren't just guests-they become one family." Once everyone was seated-with Joseph at one end of the table and my father at the other, a placement I realized was deliberate-the servers brought out the first course.

unfolded in a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere. Joseph was a natural host, guiding the conversation with charming stories about Valentia, the vineyard's history, and occasionally, embarrassing anecdotes from Christian's childhood-ones that made my future husband roll his eyes

under his bed to ' ferment'!" Laughter echoed around the table. Even Christian, who had clearly heard the story many times, smiled faintly at the corner of his mouth. "The smell was discovered only three days later," Joseph

not be moved by it? My mother smiled at the exchange, her expression softened by the

raising his glass in a silent toast. Marcus, who had remained surprisingly discreet until then, seized the opportunity to change the subject. "Speaking of family, have you two decided on the honeymoon yet?" We exchanged

in an improvised toast. "To luck, then. For bringing me Zoey." luck." Everyone raised their glasses, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with the