Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 452 Madeline's POV +25 Bonus The morning was freezing, a low fog hovering over the river where the rafting activity would take place. I was wrapped in a thick coat and still felt the cold sinking straight into my bones. Zoey stood beside me in the spectator area, just as bundled up and just as visibly irritated about not being able to participate. "This is torture," she muttered, adjusting her orthopedic boot. "Standing here watching while everyone else gets to have fun." "I know how frustrating it is," I replied, watching the teams get ready.

"But at least we're staying warm." "You're not even a little tempted to join?" Zoey asked. I looked at the river, where small waves crashed against the rocks and steam rose from the icy water. "Honestly?" I admitted. "I'm kind of grateful I'm not competing. It's freezing, and just thinking about falling into that water gives me chills." Zoey laughed but shook her head, clearly wishing she were out there. "At least we're guaranteed some entertainment," she said, pointing to where Dante was helping carry one of the rafts.

"If it's up to your substitute over there, he'll seduce every Ross woman so they're too distracted to paddle." Zoey laughed loudly, watching as Dante had already managed to make at least three women from the opposing team laugh at something he'd said. "He's effective, I'll give him that," she commented. We kept watching the preparations, but soon I noticed an interesting dynamic unfolding. Luke was helping Olivia with her life jacket, his hands lingering a little longer than necessary around her waist as he tightened the straps.

"Looks like Dante isn't the only charmer here," Zoey observed, clearly having noticed the same thing. "Luke is being very... attentive." "He is," I agreed, watching the way Olivia smiled at Luke in a way that went well beyond polite gratitude. "Teams, take your positions!" the organizer shouted through a megaphone. Each team selected eighteen representatives for the rafting challenge. Three rafts per team were placed in the water, with six people in each. Marcus captained the first Kensington raft with Mia and four employees.

with five other employees. "The race beings... Now!" The rafts shot forward, paddles slicing through the water with determination. The

be in the middle of that freezing mess. But then I noticed something wrong with Marcus's raft. "Zoey," I said, pointing. "There's water coming in." "What?"

gesturing sharply at Mia and the others, clearly trying to figure out where the leak was coming from and how to block it. "Do you think they'll make it?" I asked,

could see him organizing the people in his raft, ordering some to keep paddling while others searched for the source of the leak. But they were losing speed and height in the water fast. "Careful!" I shouted instinctively when I saw one of the Ross rafts drifting dangerously close to Marcus's already compromised one. But it was too late. In the chaos of the race, the opposing raft slammed Marcus's into a large rock jutting out of the river. The impact was audible even from where we stood. The raft jolted violently, and in the next second I saw Marcus thrown straight

that point, but the current was strong, and the water was clearly freezing. "There!" Zoey pointed. I saw Marcus surface, disoriented but moving. The rescue team that had been monitoring the race reached him within seconds. "Team Kensington disqualified!" the organizer announced through the megaphone. "Their leader did not complete the course!" I didn't care about the disqualification.