Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 566 Gwen's POV The meeting had already been going on for an hour and a half, and I had barely registered half of what was being discussed. Numbers flashed on the projection screen in front of me. Sales charts. Forecasts. Market analyses that would normally have me completely absorbed, asking questions, suggesting adjustments, optimizing strategies. But today, my mind was miles away. Or more specifically, about seventy-five miles away, in the Castorian hills, at a small inn surrounded by vineyards and a fireplace that crackled softly at night.

My phone vibrated discreetly in my lap under the table. I glanced down quickly, hoping no one noticed. It was a photo. Bella, wearing a ridiculously oversized hat that was clearly Nick's, covering half her face. She was smiling in that way only kids can. The caption read: She insisted the hat made her look older. I agreed because I'm a good dad. I couldn't help it. I laughed. A soft but genuine sound that slipped out before I could stop myself. That was when I realized Mia was watching me from across the table, one eyebrow raised in clear suspicion.

Beside her, the sales manager kept presenting data about market penetration in mid-range restaurants, completely oblivious to my slip. I quickly put my phone away, straightened my posture, and switched back into business mode. Paying attention. Or at least pretending very convincingly that I was. When the meeting finally ended, forty-five torturous minutes later, Mia caught me in the hallway before I could escape to my office. "Lunch," she announced. Not as a question. As a command. "Now." "I have a lot of work-" I started to protest.

"Which you clearly can't focus on, since you spent the last hour and a half smiling at your phone like a lovesick teenager," Mia shot back, already grabbing my arm. "Let's go." We ended up at our favorite trattoria two blocks from the office. A small, familiar place with the best carbonara in Florentia and owners who knew us well enough not to bother us when we wanted privacy. 1/4 We had barely sat down and ordered when Mia attacked.

"About that," I replied casually, taking a sip of my sparkling water. "Not like I've been counting." I had. Every single day. Thirty-two days since I'd left Valemont Estate. Thirty-two days since that night

normal before getting into the car with Mia and Dante and coming back. "And how are things with Nick?" Mia asked, going straight to the point like she always did. "Normal," I said, grabbing my own piece

dense, "there is no such thing as friendship after wild sex." My face heated instantly. "It wasn't... that wild," I muttered. "Oh, it wasn't?" Mia raised an eyebrow. "Because you got back in the car the next morning looking like someone who had been completely-" "That sounds interesting." We both turned at the same time to find Dante standing beside our table,

Dante replied cheerfully, pulling out a chair and sitting down anyway. "So, were you explaining to Gwen about the myth of post-sex friendship?" "Exactly," Mia confirmed. "I completely agree," Dante said, attacking his plate of lasagna. "Actually, I'll go further. There's never friendship between straight men and women. It's always either before sex or after sex. There's no in- between." 2/4 Mia wrinkled her nose in

a jerk," I shot back. Dante laughed, clearly not offended in the slightest. "You mean... a charming jerk?" he corrected, winking. "No," I said firmly. "Definitely just a jerk." But he was already shaking his head and circling back to the main topic. "Listen, I'm going to