Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 419 Marcus' POV I instinctively widened my eyes when I saw the look on Madeline's face. There was something completely unexpected there. A mix of surprise and shock that made me instantly forget our argument about schedules and missed calls. "Are you okay?" I asked, alarmed, taking a step toward her. My mind immediately jumped to every medical possibility. Pregnancy complications? Pain? Was it something going wrong that I wouldn't know how to handle? She didn't answer. She just kept staring at me with that strange expression, one hand still resting on her belly.

"Madeline, please tell me what's happening," I insisted, urgency creeping into my voice. "I'm sorry I got home late. I'm sorry I didn't call. I don't want to worry you, I don't want to stress you out or do anything that could hurt you or the baby and-" She interrupted me with another small cry, very similar to the first one, but this time there was something different in her expression. It wasn't fear. It was... amusement? "Madeline?" I said again, completely lost. Then she laughed. It was a soft, almost awed sound that only confused me more.

"I think he likes your voice," she said gently, her eyes shining with an emotion I couldn't immediately name. "What?" I asked, frowning, completely confused. stead of answering, Madeline reached for my hand and guided it carefully until it rested against her belly. Her in was warm through the thin fabric of her shirt, and I could feel the gentle curve that had formed over the ast few months. "Keep talking," she said softly, covering my hand with hers. "About what?" I asked, still disoriented, but instinctively doing what she asked.

I began hesitantly. "Christian had this kind of crazy idea today

1/3 It was subtle, but unmistakable. Like something small and determined had pushed back against my hand from within Madeline's belly. A gentle wave of movement that

but from emotion, wonder, and a joy so intense it needed somewhere to go. "My God," I murmured, keeping my hand exactly where it was, waiting for it to happen again. "That was real. I felt it." "It's never happened before," Madeline said, her voice thick with emotion. "It's like he was waiting for you to get home." I stood there, my hand resting on her belly, feeling our baby move for the first time, and suddenly everything became overwhelmingly real in a way

and planning and constant worry, part of me had still treated the baby as something abstract. A concept. A future possibility. A reason to protect Madeline, but not quite a real person yet. But standing there, feeling that small yet unmistakable movement, I understood it

now," Madeline said softly, like she was reading my thoughts. "I know," I agreed, my voice still full of awe. "Before it was like... like an idea. Something that would happen someday. But now..." "Now it's a person," she finished. "A tiny person who recognizes your voice." We stayed quiet