Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 402 Marcus' POV After the conversation in the office, I knew I needed to talk to Madeline. She deserved to know the truth about Our tuation, no matter how hard it was. The weight of that conversation followed me as I walked through the mansion's corridors, every step reminding me of how drastically our plans had changed in just a matter of hours. Just that morning, we had been getting ready to leave for Valentia, to start a new life together far away from all this chaos.

Now I was about to tell my wife that she would likely be forced to leave with people who were using her as a pawn in a dirty game I could barely fully understand. I found her in the bedroom that had been hers before the wedding, sitting in the armchair by the window with Olivia beside her. They were speaking in low voices, but there was a tension in the air that was noticeable even from the hallway. Madeline had that rigid posture I was starting to recognize as her way of mentally bracing herself for bad news. I could tell she had been crying.

Her eyes were slightly red, even though she was clearly trying to keep herself together. When I walked in, Olivia immediately stood up. "I'll give you two some privacy," she said simply, squeezing Madeline's shoulder in a quiet gesture of support before leaving. Madeline didn't even wait for Olivia to fully step out of the room before speaking, as if the words were burning in her throat and needed to come out right away. "I'm going to have to go with them, aren't I?" she asked. Her voice was calmer than I expected, but there was a resignation in it that broke my heart.

the lines. A small, sad smile curved her lips, an expression that blended affection and melancholy. "You're very transparent sometimes," she said. "Especially when you're trying to protect me. You get this look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders." I walked over and took her hand, noticing how cold her fingers were despite the warm day. I sat down beside her. "It's only temporary," I said, trying to put more confidence into

she were trying to memorize the moment. "He

conflict over how could trust me with information that could be dangerous. "uch she should reveal, over how much she "Illegal casinos," she finally said, the words coming out almost as a whisper, as if she were afraid someone might be listening. "What do you mean?" I asked, leaning closer. "He wants the parks to set up his

anger and relief rushed through my veins. Anger at what Dominic was trying to do to her, at the way he was using our family as pieces in his criminal schemes. But also relief, because now we finally had something solid. Something real we could investigate and use against him. "Good," I said, feeling a smile form on my face for the first time since those

a hurt that went far beyond disappointment. "And they agree with all of it. They profit from it too. More modern attractions. More aggressive marketing campaigns. The Sullivan name back at the top of the entertainment industry." The betrayal by her own parents was tearing her apart,