Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 582 Gwen's POV The entire world disappeared. The guests having dinner. The sunset. The wind in the trees. Everything vanished except Nick's green eyes locked on mine, his arms still around my waist, our faces so close I could feel his breath. He leaned in slightly. I leaned in too, my eyes starting to close, my heart pounding so hard I was sure he could hear it. "Gwen! Gwen!" The high-pitched voice sliced through the moment like a knife. We jumped apart instantly, putting a very respectable distance between our bodies just as Bella came running up, her pink dress flying behind her.

"Push me on the swing!" she begged, stopping in front of us with that huge smile that lit up her entire face. "Please!" I glanced at Nick, who looked torn between amusement and frustration. Then I put on my brightest smile for Bella. "Of course, my love," I said, taking her little hand. "And we're going to take lots of pictures of you too!" "But Daddy doesn't let me have social media," Bella complained, pouting as we walked toward the swing under the oak tree. "That's because social media isn't for kids," I explained, helping her sit on the swing and making sure she was secure.

"But you know where we are going to post your pictures? On Valemont Estate's page. You're going to be our poster girl." "Yay!" Bella shouted, kicking her legs excitedly. "I'm going to be on the internet?" "You are," I confirmed, starting to push her gently. "Everyone's going to see how beautiful you are and how special this place is." Bella laughed every time the swing went higher, always asking to go higher, higher. I pulled out my phone and started taking pictures. Her against the colorful sunset sky. Her smiling with her eyes closed, feeling the wind. Her waving at the camera.

soft in his expression. Something tender. Like he was committing that image to memory. Our eyes met. He smiled. I smiled back. And for a moment, everything felt perfect. The days that followed were... chaotic. I went back to Florentia Monday morning and straight into my office at Kensington, diving headfirst into COO work that never came

editing photos of Valemont Estate on my phone. Adjusting brightness. Tweaking contrast. Writing captions. Scheduling posts for the Instagram account I had completely taken over. I'd also hired, with my own money because I couldn't possibly charge Nick for this, a web developer Zoey had recommended to completely redesign the inn's

when Mia showed up in my office carrying two bags of food. "I ordered delivery," she announced, setting everything on my desk and pushing papers aside to make room. "That Thai place you love. Because I know you weren't going to leave for lunch if I didn't

your new little project to Christian, he's going to lose his mind?" I paused with my fork midair. "Why?" I asked, going back to eating. "Valemont Estate doesn't even tickle the Kensington's pinky finger. We're not real competitors." "But it's not about direct competition," Mia explained, setting her

Even if it's small. Even if it's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things." I sighed, finally putting my phone down too. "It's more about the property itself than the wine," I argued. "They'll never go beyond small-scale production for their own guests and a few bottles sold to tourists. It's not like they're