Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 648 Nicholas' POV Seeing the destruction in person was nothing like seeing it in photos on my phone. | drove the familiar road to Montelira with a growing knot of dread in my stomach. But nothing prepared me for turning into the property and seeing my house like that. The east wing was unrecognizable. The exterior walls were blackened with thick soot. The windows were completely blown out, jagged holes where glass used to be. A large section of the roof had collapsed, charred wooden beams exposed to the open sky like broken ribs. The smell still hung in the air. Old smoke.

Burned wood. Something chemical and suffocating that clung to the back of my throat. | parked in front of the house and sat there for a few minutes, just staring. My home. The house where | grew up. Where Bella was growing up. Where generations of my family had lived. ---- Destroyed. Eventually, | stepped out of the car and walked slowly toward the yellow caution tape surrounding the worst of the damage People were still working. Firefighters finishing structural inspections. Forensic technicians in white jackets examining specific spots with specialized equipment.

And, unexpectedly, Dante Kensington was there too. He spotted me and walked over with steady steps. "Nick," he greeted, shaking my hand. "Christian asked me to oversee the progress. Make sure everything's being handled properly." | looked at him with a gratitude | didn't quite have the words for. "Thank you," | said finally. "For being here. For... everything." Dante shrugged like it was nothing. "We're family now," he said simply. "And family takes care of family." That word again. Family. ---- Coming from a Kensington, it carried weight | was still learning to understand.

We stood in silence for a few seconds, both staring at the damage. "When does reconstruction start?" | asked. "It technically already has," Dante replied. "The architect finalized the revised plans yesterday. The contractor begins controlled demolition of what can't be salvaged tomorrow morning. After that, full reconstruction. Estimated three to four months before it's fully habitable again." Three to four months. The weight of it hit hard. "Three to four months without hosting guests," | repeated, doing the math automatically.

main source of income. High season was coming, when we were usually booked solid weekend after weekend. Now we'd have to cancel everything. Refund deposits. Lose reservations. ---- "How am | supposed to-"| started, but the sentence died. How was | going to pay the staff? Keep

revenue. Youre not going to be left stranded, Nick." | nodded, but the worry didn't fully fade. "And the investigation?" | asked, gesturing toward the forensic team. "The police are finishing evidence collection," Dante said carefully. "Unofficially, it's confirmed arson. Traces of accelerant in three

But before | could, Dante reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out a large envelope. "By the way," he said, handing it to me. "This arrived for you today." | took it, confusion tightening in my chest. It was formally addressed to me.

Of course. It was about Bella. The words began to blur as | kept reading, my eyes moving faster and faster across the page. ---- Arguments about financial instability. About an unsafe environment for a child. About the father's relationship with "an individual of substantial financial means who holds control over debts tied to the property where the minor resides,

full custody of Bella. The