Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 373 Marcus' POV "You had to admit the proposal for the Ascian market was brilliant," Christian said, savoring the Kensington Ve I'd poured. "Even coming from Gwen." I watched my cousin from the armchair where I sat in my Belmonte apartment. The place was discreet but refined-nothing flashy, nothing that drew attention, but comfortable enough to host family without looking like I was completely hiding from my social life. "Gwen had always had good ideas," I admitted. "The problem was execution." "Speaking of execution..." Christian leaned forward, wearing that look I knew far too well.

"When were you going back to your position? You'd been 'taking time off' for six months now. Joseph was starting to ask questions." Zoey, seated beside her husband on the couch, rolled her eyes. "Leave Marcus alone, love. He deserved some time." "Thank you, Zoey," I said with a small smile. "But Christian is right. I need to go back eventually." "So why haven't you?" Christian pressed. "Unless there's something keeping you here in Belmonte..." I dropped Gwen's name into the conversation to steer it elsewhere.

"Maybe I'm waiting to see if Gwen could actually pull off those genius ideas of hers first." "You didn't hear?" Zoey laughed. "Gwen created the most insane online concept. She called it Wine & Love-a show where people could only meet if they had exactly the same taste in wine." "How does that even work?" I asked, genuinely confused. I'd stepped back from almost everything these past months, showing up only for a few key board meetings.

"She rented a studio in Hangok and created a show where participants tasted wines blindfolded and then chose a romantic match based on their reactions to the same wine," Zoey explained animatedly. "The idea is that' soulmates shared the same palate." Christian shook his head, laughing. 111 "Joseph nearly had a heart attack. Said it was 'ridiculous to use wine as a matchmaking tool in Ascian media."" "And everyone thought it was going to flop," Zoey continued.

about these kinds of dating shows, right?" "And did it flop?" I asked, already suspecting the answer. "Quite the opposite," she said brightly. "Turns out everyone wanted a chance to date a pop idol from Hangok. It became an absolute

fell into a brief silence, drinking and taking in the city view through the apartment windows. It was a pleasant late afternoon, and having Christian and Zoey there made me feel less isolated than I'd been over the last two months. Zoey studied me quietly for a few seconds, wearing that analytical look she always had when she was piecing something together. "But what about you?" she

"Of course you do," she pressed. "You've been different since you got back from your 'mysterious vacation.' Christian might not have noticed, but I notice these things." Christian glanced between the two of us, clearly lost. "What are you talking about?" I sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding it from Zoey. When it came to secrets, she was

been electrocuted. "Wait." She straightened on the couch, setting her wineglass on the table. "Madeline... Dominic...? You have to be kidding me, Marcus." I frowned, thrown by the intensity of her reaction. "Why would I be kidding?" "I read about that wedding in the society columns!" she exclaimed, gesturing animatedly. "It was one of the most talked-about stories of the past few months!" "Really?" I

like I'd just asked what color the sky was. "Madeline Sullivan's wedding to Dominic Blackwood," she said slowly. "It was everywhere, Marcus. Every gossip blog, every society magazine. It was a huge scandal when she ran from the altar." The blood in my veins went ice-cold. Sullivan. That was her last name. "But then," Zoey continued, far too excited to notice the look on my face, "they released an official statement saying she'd been admitted to a luxury psychiatric clinic for treatment." 2/3 +25 Bonus "A clinic?" I managed, my voice coming