Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 657 Gwen's POV | looked at him. At the man | loved, standing at the top of that tower, holding the open velvet box, the ring catching the ruthless Castorian sunlight. Vulnerable. Exposed. Fear still flickering in his eyes, and beneath it, a fragile hope trying not to die. My chest tightened. For days, | had watched Nick pull away. Build walls. Create distance because of Renee. Because of the poison she knew exactly how to drip into the cracks. Not anymore. | took a deep breath, filling my lungs with air that smelled like earth and ripening grapes. "Then ask me," | said.

My voice came out steady. Clear. A decision. "Put the ring on my finger." He blinked, like I'd just yanked the foundation out from under his excuses. "But... Renee-" ---- "Forget Renee," | cut in, the anger in my voice surprising even me. "Forget her plan. Forget what she wants. What she expects. What she predicted you would do." | stepped closer. "If you love me," | continued, softer now but no less intense, "if you want me as your wife, if you want to build a life with me... then ask me. Here. Now. The way you always wanted to." He swallowed.

The wind lifted a strand of his hair and tossed it across his forehead. "Even knowing it's exactly what she wants?" | held his gaze. "Especially knowing that," | answered. "Because I'm not going to let that woman control our decisions. I'm not going to let her steal our moments. | refuse to live a life where we're constantly reacting to Renee like she owns the script." | stopped inches from him "We live our life. We make our choices. And we deal with the consequences together." Something gave in his expression. Like a rope pulled too tight finally loosening.

"You never let yourself break, do you?" he said, and there was tenderness there. Admiration. "Always strong. Always determined." | let out a small laugh, emotion pressing at my throat. "Oh, | break," | admitted. "All the time." | shrugged lightly. "| just don't let it

held my gaze like he needed proof | was here. ---- "Truly terrified," he repeated, swallowing hard. "Of losing you forever. Of the woman you are being trapped somewhere | couldn't reach. Of never hearing you laugh at my terrible jokes again...or argue with me about wine like the fate of the world depends on it." A quick, helpless smile flickered and disappeared. "But you started coming back," he continued, and there was pride in his voice now. "Piece by

himself to keep going. "The essence of who you are never changed. Not even when everything else was gone." The wind picked up, and | felt goosebumps rise on my arms. "You're brave," he said, like he was listing undeniable facts. " ---- Stubborn.

Parker Kensington..." He lifted his head, conviction steady again. "Will you marry me? Will you build a complicated, imperfect, beautiful life with me? Will you be my wife... and

my hand like it was sacred and slid the gold onto my ring finger so gently | barely felt the touch, but the impact was absolute. | felt everything. ---- The weight. The meaning. The this is real now.

Hard. Desperate. Urgent. Like the days of distance had been a kind of thirst. He kissed me back instantly, like he'd been waiting for permission to exist again. His hands slid to