Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 325 "And what did you do?" Gwen asked, leaning slightly over the small pub table, her dark eyes full of curiosity and concern. We were sitting at The George Inn, a traditional pub in Southwark that Gwen had chosen because it was " authentically British," as she'd put it. The atmosphere was exactly what you'd expect from a classic London pub with dark wooden beams overhead, timeworn tables, and the constant hum of overlapping conversations mixed with clinking glasses and bursts of laughter.

Our plates of fish and chips were still steaming in front of us, alongside two pints of strong beer I'd ordered, desperately needing something to dull the anxiety that had settled in my chest ever since the conversation at the house in Notting Hill. "I lied!" I shot back, louder than I meant to, slamming my beer down on the wooden table hard enough to make a few people nearby glance in our direction. "What else was I supposed to do?" Foam spilled over the rim of the glass, spreading across the tabletop in small golden puddles that reflected the pub's warm yellow lights.

The bitter taste of the beer lingered on my tongue, mixing with the guilt that had been eating at me ever since we left the house. "Annie..." Gwen started, her voice full of understanding and something that sounded like compassion. "No," I cut in immediately, lifting my hand to stop her before she could say anything comforting. "Don't give me the 'Annie' speech. Nate is literally the most perfect man I've ever met. He's handsome, kind, protective... I want to marry him. I want a family with him.

me. "And I want those kids to come from me," I admitted, my voice dropping, softer and more exposed. "That's incredibly selfish, isn't it?" Gwen shook her head immediately, her expression softening with genuine understanding. "That's

though I'd barely eaten all day. "I mean, I've always known it's a beautiful and important option, and if it's something

her like he was completely mesmerized... I always hoped that at least once, I'd get to experience all of that. Feeling a life growing inside me. Feeling the first kicks. Seeing Nate touch my belly and talk to our baby." Gwen nodded slowly, clearly understanding the depth of what I was sharing. She'd been around for parts of

for myself. 1/3 Chapter 325 +25 Bonus "There's nothing wrong with wanting that," she said gently. "Adoption is beautiful, but that doesn't mean you have to give up the desire to experience pregnancy. They're different experiences, and both are valid. Both are about love." "But the thing is..." I started, struggling to find the right words for the knot that had formed in my heart. "When he told me about the infertility, the first thing that went through my mind wasn't 'that's so sad' or 'we'll find

of the situation. "And then I lied to him," I confessed, the words coming out like a painful admission. "When he asked if I was okay with adoption, I said yes without even hesitating. Because in that moment, all I could