Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 606 Gwen's POV "Your family?" | repeated, completely caught off guard. "Of course," Martina said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, turning from the stove to look at me directly. "Family gathered means family gathered. From both sides. You've actually never said much about yours. Is it a big family? | only remember you mentioning a brother..." "And cousins," Paula added quickly. "The ones who came to pick you up that time." | tried to hide my smile, knowing exactly why Paula remembered Dante so clearly.

"Well, yes," | began, pulling out a chair and sitting at the big wooden table, choosing every word carefully. "My family is pretty big, actually. But very spread out. Half Valentian, half Verdanian, which makes gatherings... complicated." Bella had stopped eating her bread with jam and was staring at me with wide, curious eyes. "My cousins Dante and Mia live in Florentia too, so we end up seeing each other pretty often." ---- Often as in we work down the hall from each other, but that detail could stay to myself. "My parents are separated. They were never married, actually. | just...

happened. It was one of those situations where things happened, and then everyone went their own way." Martina nodded with genuine understanding, no hint of judgment in her expression. That gave me the courage to continue. "My mom lives in a small beach town in Coral Crest with her husband," | explained, absentmindedly stirring the coffee Martina had placed in front of me. "We see each other on special occasions. Birthdays. Christmas when we manage to coordinate. But we're not as close as | wish we were.

directions." Then came the part about my father, and | felt my throat tighten. How exactly was | supposed to tell the truth? That he was in prison? That he had tried to pull a violent scheme against his own family? That he had kidnapped my sister-in-law Zoey

confirmed, feeling a little steadier now. Christian is a few years older than | am. Even though we live in different countries, he's in Verdania, we've always been very close. He lives there with Zoey, my sister-in-law, and my nephew Matthew." | paused, wondering if there was anyone else important | should mention. "And there's Grandpa too, my paternal grandfather," | added. "But he barely leaves his

asked, still organizing things around the kitchen but clearly listening to every word "A few more uncles and cousins scattered around," | said vaguely. "Valentia, Verdania,

did. Well, technically not me. Kensington. But close enough. "No, no," | said, maybe a little too quickly, forcing

you speak Maravinese," he said softly, like he'd just solved a mystery. "| remember you wondering about it once. That song on the car radio when we were driving back from