Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 549 Nicholas' POV The name 'Christian' echoed in my head. It was strange and unfamiliar, yet heavy with a weight I couldn't quite place. "Can you go get her?" I asked my mother, doing my best to keep my voice steady. "I think she's still with Bella in the TV room." Martina nodded and hurried off, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. I looked at Paula, who was watching me with an expression that probably mirrored my own. "Christian," I repeated quietly, more to myself than to her. "Who could that be?" "A boyfriend?" Paula suggested, but her tone had lost its earlier sharpness.

There was real uncertainty there now. "She has a daughter. Maybe he's the child's father." Or a brother. Or a cousin. Or a friend. Or literally anyone from Gwen's life that I knew nothing about, because the truth was, I knew absolutely nothing about her. I left the kitchen and walked down the corridor toward the reception area. The small room at the front of the villa doubled as an administrative office, with an old wooden desk, a computer that had clearly seen better days, and the landline phone that rang occasionally with reservations or questions from potential guests.

The phone was off the hook, the red light blinking, signaling that the line was still open and waiting. I picked up the receiver and brought it to my ear. "Hello," I said, keeping my voice professional. "This is Nicholas Valemont, Valemont Estate. Who am I speaking with?" "Gwen Parker," a male voice replied. It was deep and controlled, with that quality that comes from someone used to giving orders and being obeyed. Polite, refined. "Christian." "I see," I said, not entirely sure what to say next. "And you are...?" There was a pause on the other end of the line.

sense. "Gwen knows who I am. I don't need to identify myself beyond that." At that moment, the lights in the reception flickered. The computer let out an

and now there was clear frustration in his voice. "Several times. She's not answering. That's why I called the inn. She mentioned the signal there isn't great." The signal here was bad, yes. Especially with a snowstorm. But it wasn't nonexistent. Some carriers worked better than others. Even with weak signal, at least one call should

The lights flickered again. This time harder. The fluorescent glow stuttered violently, throwing strobe-like shadows across the walls. "The signal really is unreliable here," I said, trying to sound natural. "But the truth is, sir... Miss Parker had a

kind of incident?" "We're trying to get in touch with a family member," I said. I couldn't just explain everything without knowing who he was. He would have to identify himself, whether he wanted to or not. "Brother," he said finally. "I'm her brother. What happened to Gwen? Is she okay?" "She's okay, but..." The lights flickered one last time, far more violently now. The entire building seemed to

only noticed it when it vanished, disappeared instantly. The phone in my hand let out a sharp, piercing hiss before going completely dead. "Hello?" I said into the receiver,