Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 476 Marcus' POV I called Christian the next morning, knowing the conversation wouldn't be easy. He answered on the second ring, his voice already thick with the exasperation I recognized instantly. "You barely just got back and you're already asking for time off again?" he snapped, not even bothering with a greeting. "Do you have any idea how much work we put into strengthening your leadership with the Valentian team?" I couldn't help smiling at the familiar frustration in his voice.

Christian had always been the most business-focused one, the person who kept everything running while the rest of us occasionally got sidetracked by personal matters. "You know who was also at the camp?" I asked, deciding to use a little humor to soften the blow. "Dante. Ever thought about him as a leader? Gwen trained him well." Christian laughed on the other end of the line, and I could picture him shaking his head in disbelief. "You cannot be serious." "More or less," I admitted, laughing too. "I know you'll know what to do for now, but...

I need to be here for Madeline." Christian's tone shifted immediately, the lightness disappearing, replaced by genuine concern. "Marcus, this is insane. You both need to go back somewhere safe. Dominic is there, with all his resources, and you want to stay?" "I'm going to make this a safe place," I replied, with a conviction that surprised even me. "And I'm the one with the reputation for being stubborn," Christian muttered, though there was something in his voice that sounded almost like reluctant admiration. I smiled, recognizing the truth in that.

the right person." Christian let out a heavy sigh, and I could hear him leaning back in his chair, probably running a hand through his hair the way he always did when processing something complicated. "Alright," he said at last. "Go be happy with your wife.

organic line. They had to be recalled." My stomach tightened. Quality complaints were almost unheard of at Kensington, and recalls were practically nonexistent. "Do you know how many

exactly was alleged?" "That the quality didn't meet the winery's standards," Christian explained, clearly choosing his words carefully. "They weren't bad wines, but they weren't Kensington-level. We recalled them

production period. We're investigating whether it was an issue with the harvest, fermentation, or storage. Matthew is personally overseeing the investigation." "I get how serious this is, but..." I said, trying to inject a bit of confidence into the