Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 307 "I'm Christian Kensington's sister-in-law," I explained simply, watching Tori nearly drop the card she was holding. Her eyes went wide, her mouth fell slightly open, and she blinked several times, like she was trying to process something impossible. "You're... what?" she asked, taking a step back and shaking her head in disbelief. "Nate never mentioned that! And he and Christian have been best friends since college." I discreetly rubbed my temple, a dull headache starting to form.

The noise of the party felt louder all of a sudden, and the chandelier lights were beginning to bother me. "Yeah," I said, leaning lightly against the nearby counter. "My sister Zoey is married to him." Tori ran a hand through her hair, still clearly processing the revelation. "I can't believe you never mentioned it... and that Nate never said anything either," she murmured, looking at me with a whole new perspective.

"Why didn't you ask Nate to make that connection with Christian for you?" I asked, genuinely curious about the family dynamic, while subtly shifting more of my weight onto the counter. Tori grimaced and looked away, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of the card. "Nate isn't exactly a fan of my... plans," she admitted with a sigh, her shoulders dropping slightly. "Your plans to work as close as possible to billionaires?" I asked with a half-smile, watching her blush. " Especially the young, single ones?" Tori's cheeks flushed visibly, but she lifted her chin defensively.

"I have to think about my future," she said, crossing her arms. I leaned more fully against the counter, a wave of light dizziness washing over me. It was probably the wine on an empty stomach. Tori was gesturing as she spoke, clearly feeling judged. "I'm not judging you," I said honestly, lifting a hand in a calming gesture. "If I were, I wouldn't have helped. But the day you actually fall in love, you'll realize there are things that matter more than money or... pedigree." Tori stopped gesturing and looked at me more softly, her arms slowly uncrossing.

did this for me. And... why did you? I just gave

increasingly overtaken by the growing sense of discomfort. The music from the ballroom felt amplified now, and I had to grip the counter more firmly. "Annie, are you okay?" Tori asked, stepping closer, real concern written all over her face. Her eyes scanned me 1/3 carefully. "You look kind of pale." "I didn't eat

me to stay hydrated and eat well. The wine probably wasn't my best idea, but... hey, it's New Year's Eve, right?" Tori moved even closer, extending a hand as if ready to steady me if needed. "You should eat something," she said, all earlier awkwardness completely replaced by genuine concern. "I will," I agreed, carefully pushing away from the counter and testing my balance. "I think I'm going to sit in

forward. "No need," I said, forcing a reassuring smile and motioning for her to stay. "Stay here and enjoy the party. I just need a few minutes of quiet." I left the ballroom and walked slowly toward the hotel's main lobby. The contrast was immediate, and deeply inviting. The space was empty, softly lit, and the music had faded into a distant murmur. It was exactly what I needed. I made my way to one of

down carefully, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to steady the dizziness that was getting worse by the second. Instead of easing, everything intensified. The headache had turned into a constant pressure, and a subtle wave of nausea crept in. It felt like my body was reacting to something-the accumulated stress, not eating properly, the wine, or all of it together. I tried to focus on my breathing, but I