Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 75 944 +25 Bonus After Francesca left, I remained on the veranda for a long time, her words swirling in my mind like leaves in a storm. I needed to find out more, to understand what had really happened years ago. Lucy appeared with my coffee, and as she set the table, I decided this was my chance. "Lucy?" I began hesitantly, trying to piece together my limited Valentian vocabulary. "Posso... ask... qualcosa?" She smiled kindly and nodded. "Francesca e Christian..." I hesitated, searching for words. "Molto tempo...

insieme?" Lucy frowned, trying to make sense of my broken question. "Francesca e Mr. Christian?" She made a vague gesture with her hands. "Sì, sì. Da bambini. Cresciuti insieme." Grew up together. That much I already knew. I tried to ask something more specific. "Francesca... bambino?" I asked, miming cradling a baby. "Con Christian?" Lucy's face shut down immediately. She shook her head vigorously, crossing herself. "Non parliamo di questo. Tragedia. Tragedia!" She seemed genuinely distressed. "Isabelle non vuole che si parli di questo." Isabelle didn't want it spoken of. Interesting.

I tried another angle. "Christian... triste? Quando... bambino... non più?" Lucy gave me a look that was equal parts pity and caution. I was clearly touching on forbidden ground. "Mrs. Kensington..." she began, then changed her mind and shrugged. "Christian molto triste, sì. Settimane nella sua stanza. Non parlava con nessuno." From what I understood, Christian had stayed shut in his room for weeks, speaking to no one. The loss had affected him deeply. "Francesca... tornare? Dopo?" I asked, trying to understand when Francesca had returned to his life.

Lucy opened her mouth to answer, but a familiar voice interrupted. "I think I'm witnessing the massacre of the beautiful Valentian language." Gwen was leaning against the doorway, a mischievous smile on her lips, though her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "My apologies to your linguistic sensibilities," I replied, relieved to speak normally again. "I'm just trying to broaden my horizons." "Asking about Francesca and Christian?" Her eyes were sharp. "Interesting choice of topic to practice Valentian with." Lucy seized the chance to retreat quickly, muttering something about bed linens.

one of her poison doses would someone be desperate enough to interrogate Lucy," Gwen said, taking a sip of coffee. "So, what did she say to rattle you this much?" I hesitated, unsure

a limited repertoire. She uses the same tricks on every woman who gets close to Christian." "So I shouldn't believe her?" "You shouldn't believe anything Francesca says." Gwen set her

from the winery? That seems... extreme." Gwen stared out at the vineyards for a moment, as if weighing how much to share. "Francesca never forgave Christian for not 'rescuing' her from that convent," she said finally. "Even though he didn't know the full truth. Even though he was only seventeen, powerless against her grandparents." "But stealing trade secrets? Ruining his reputation?" "Francesca "Their relationship was always toxic-especially on her side." Gwen

make sense," I argued. "If she wanted to be with him..." "Who says it has to make sense?" Gwen shrugged. "For Francesca, hurting Christian is a form of connection. Twisted as it is, that's how

distance. Not out of anger out of self- preservation. Being close to Francesca is like dancing with a poisonous snake." 2/3 Chapter 75 +25