Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 584 Nicholas' POV "Look at this," I said, placing my phone in the middle of the kitchen table where everyone could see it. It was late afternoon. Martina was finishing dinner, the smell filling the kitchen. Paula had just come back after handling the last check-ins. Bella sat beside me, her legs swinging where they didn't quite reach the floor, munching on carrot sticks my mother had given her. I opened the Valemont Estate Instagram and slid the phone toward them. "Gwen's been updating it almost every day," I explained, watching their reactions as they scrolled.

"Look how many followers we have now. Two weeks ago it was seventeen. Now it's four hundred and thirty-six. "Mamma mia," Martina murmured, stepping closer, still holding a wooden spoon. "These photos are beautiful! Is this really here? It looks like a completely different place." "It is," I said with a smile. "Same vineyards, same villa, same sunsets. Just photographed from better angles, with better light, and professionally edited." Paula took the phone from Martina, her critical eyes studying every detail. The vine arch against the orange sky.

The sunset dinner tables glowing with candlelight. The medieval tower washed in golden light. The old chapel framed by cypress trees. "It looks good," she admitted at last. Coming from Paula, that was practically glowing praise. "Really good." "And there's more," I added, feeling genuine pride as I shared the news. "We've already had seven new reservations. All from people who found us through Instagram.or the new website." "Seven?" Martina repeated, her eyes widening. "In just two weeks?" "I know," I said, that sense of hope-absent for so long-finally settling in.

with her small fingers, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration. "This one!" she suddenly exclaimed, stopping on a photo. "This one's the best!" It was the picture of her on the swing during the sunset dinner, her dress

the internet. That everyone can see me." Martina and Paula laughed. I couldn't help smiling too. "Famous, huh?" I teased. "So now I'll have to hire bodyguards to protect you from your fans?" Bella thought about it carefully. "Maybe just one," she decided. "But they have to be nice and let me eat gelato whenever I want." "Of course," I agreed

scrolling through the photos, commenting on which ones she liked best, which she liked less, and why one angle worked better than another. For a six-year-old, she had surprisingly strong opinions about photo composition. "Daddy," she said suddenly, looking up at me with that expression that always melted every defense had, "is Gwen coming to my birthday party?" The question caught me off guard, even though it shouldn't have. Bella mentioned Gwen at least a

began, not wanting to promise something I wasn't sure I could deliver. "How about tonight we call her and invite her? Then she can tell us if she can come or not." "Can I? Really?" "You can," I confirmed. "But only if you've finished all your homework." Bella slid off the chair so fast she nearly fell. "Okay!" she shouted, already sprinting down the hallway. "I'll do it right now! All of it! Even the math part I hate!" "I'll come help you in a minute!" I called

to the front desk," I said. "See if I missed any messages or calls." The reception area was empty and quiet when I walked in. I turned on the old computer we used to manage reservations and waited patiently as it booted up at its painfully slow pace. That was when the landline rang. I answered on the second ring. "Valemont Estate, this is Nicholas." "Mr. Valemont," a formal male voice