Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 485 Madeline's POV I was standing on the lookout terrace of the Kensington mansion, gazing out over the vineyards stretching in perfect rows as far as the eye could see. The gentle hills formed an almost hypnotic scene, the vines arranged in geometric patterns that seemed to sway and dance with the light breeze. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Zoey approaching, carrying two steaming cups of tea. "I thought you might want some company," she said, offering me one of the cups. I took it with a small, grateful smile.

"Thank you." Zoey leaned against the railing beside me, her eyes settling on the same view I'd been lost in. "You know, every time I let Christian drag me out into the middle of those vineyards..." she said with a mischievous grin. "There's something about it. Magical. And slightly aphrodisiac." I laughed despite everything, feeling some of the tension loosen in my chest.

"I'd even like to try," I said, gesturing to my very noticeable seven-month belly, "but definitely not like this." Zoey laughed too, then grew serious, looking at me in a way I recognized as the lead-in to something important. "I was absolutely terrified toward the end of my pregnancy, you know?" she admitted, her voice softening. "I counted the weeks and thought, okay, I still have twelve... ten... eight weeks to prepare myself to be the perfect mother." She laughed at herself, shaking her head. "And what happened?" I asked, genuinely curious.

as I remembered what I'd heard about that time. "I know what happened afterward..." I said carefully. Zoey nodded, her expression turning somber. "Pushed down the stairs," she murmured. "And I

the neonatal ICU. And he didn't leave mine either, of course. Our whole family 1/3 came together in a way I'd never experienced before." She turned fully toward me. "Madeline, you can't keep this baby inside your belly forever, thinking that's the safest place in the world. At some point, she's going to have to come out." I let out a small, obvious laugh, but Zoey continued seriously. "And when she does, you'll have Marcus. You'll have Olivia. You'll have all of

our best isn't enough, we can

control, so perfectly capable of handling anything. "How do you do it?" I asked, my voice more vulnerable than I intended. "How do you sleep at night knowing Matt could be in danger just for being a Kensington?" Zoey looked at me with deep

this little girl..." My voice broke. "She's going to be born with a target on her back because of me." "Not because of you," Zoey said