Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 290 Chapter 290 I woke early on the morning of the 25th, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling. There was a weight in my chest that had nothing to do with Christmas anticipation and everything to do with what was coming. The conversation with Nate the night before had crystallized a reality I would've preferred not to face: Alexandra was coming for lunch, and our first official battle as a couple would be fought at the Carter family dining table. I went downstairs to find the house already moving with its morning rhythm.

Elizabeth was in the kitchen, while Richard flipped through a newspaper at the breakfast table. Snow was still falling softly outside the windows, creating a picture-perfect scene that sharply contrasted with the anxiety twisting in my stomach. "Good morning, dear," Elizabeth said when she saw me in the doorway. "Did you sleep well?" "Very well," I lied politely, taking the cup of tea she offered. "Your home is so cozy." "Nate left early," Richard said without looking up from the paper. "Went to help a neighbor with a heating issue.

Said he'd be back soon." I nodded, holding the cup between my hands and letting the warmth seep into my cold fingers. It was better this way as there was time to mentally prepare without the added pressure of pretending everything was fine in front of Nate. "I'll take a look at the library," I said, finishing my tea. "If that's not a problem." "Of course not," Elizabeth said with a warm smile.

"Feel free to explore the house." The Carters' library was exactly what I expected from a family of academics and musicians with floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books that were clearly read and loved, not just decorative. A comfortable leather armchair sat near the window, and I settled into it with a poetry book I grabbed at random, mostly for something to focus on rather than genuine interest. I was trying to concentrate on the verses when I heard footsteps in the hallway. I expected Elizabeth or Richard, but when I looked up, I saw Tori standing in the library doorway.

I come in?" she asked, her tone slightly different from usual. There was a hint of hesitation. "Of course," I said, closing the book and watching her walk closer. Tori sat in a nearby chair. It was the first time I'd ever seen her look even remotely uncomfortable or unsure of herself. "I want to talk about last night," she said at last, avoiding direct eye contact. "And apologize for the... mess." That was not what

eyes. "When I replied on Nate's phone, I didn't think he'd take it seriously. It was more of a... social reflex, you know? When someone you know is nearby, you automatically extend the invitation." There was something rehearsed about her explanation, like she'd put careful thought into

especially when the families have known each other for so long." Ah. There it was, the justification I'd been waiting for. The "in this circle" that always slipped into Tori's conversations, as if she lived in a world with entirely different social rules from the rest of humanity. I

a faint flush rise on her cheeks. "I..." she hesitated, searching for the right words. "Our friendship is..." "How?" "In this world, one hand usually washes the other," she finally said, almost shamelessly, as if explaining a basic fact

firmly, "Alexandra only thinks about herself. Always. You should surround yourself with ople who are more genuine." Something shifted in her expression. The earlier discomfort vanished, replaced by instinctive defensiveness, and I saw a faint, mocking sparkle in her eyes. "Like

say out loud. Tori stared at me with genuine surprise, like my answer was the last thing she'd ever expect. "You... what?" "I like your straightforwardness, even when it's inconvenient," I continued, sensing I'd found the right tone for this conversation. "I like