Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 270 The café I picked had that quintessential London charm I could never resist-exposed brick walls, weathered wooden tables, and the comforting aroma of freshly ground coffee mixing with the soft murmur of early- morning conversations. I'd taken a ride with Nate, who'd dropped me off before heading to the office-not without giving me a gentle kiss that still made my heart race every time I replayed it. I had texted Marcus early, right after waking up. We needed to talk, and I preferred a neutral space-somewhere away from the office and all the curious eyes.

He arrived exactly on time, as always. "Good morning," he said as he approached the table where I'd chosen to sit, right by the window facing the busy street. "Good morning, Marcus," I replied, motioning for him to sit. "Thanks for coming." He settled into the chair across from me, ordered an espresso from the waitress who appeared instantly, and studied me with that keen, probing look he always used when he was trying to read a situation. "So," he said once we were alone again, "have you made your decision?" I took a deep breath, knowing this conversation would shape a lot-not just for me.

All morning, ever since I'd in Nate's bed with the soft dawn light filtering through the curtains, I'd known exactly what I needed woken to say. up "I've decided not to go to Kensington Ascia," I said, surprising myself with how calm I sounded. "I'm staying here. I'll keep working with Nate." Marcus raised his eyebrows slightly-a subtle reaction that revealed his surprise, though there was no hostility in it. If anything, it felt like he'd half expected this answer, even if part of him had hoped for the opposite.

"You two talked about it?" he asked, taking the coffee the waitress set down and stirring in sugar with thoughtful, steady movements. I couldn't stop a small, ironic laugh as the memory flashed through my mind-the tense conversation Nate and I had had at his house, and how it had ended in a way neither of us had anticipated. "Yes," I said, tracing the handle of my mug with my fingertip. "He basically laid everything out in a pros-and- cons chart in a frame.

instantly recognizing Nate's overly analytical, overly logical approach to anything emotionally complicated. "And then?" "And then..." I paused, thinking of the words Nate had told me the night before... that my opinion was the only one that mattered. "The final decision is mine. And I belong in London." I watched his reaction carefully. There was a resigned acceptance in his eyes, but also something else that looked

honesty might be uncomfortable for both of us, but deciding he deserved it anyway. "Maybe," I admitted quietly. Marcus nodded

The question burst out of me louder than I intended, making a few people at nearby tables glance over with discreet curiosity. Marcus laughed more openly this time, clearly amused by how startled I was. "Joseph," he explained, as if that summed up everything. "Now that Christian has settled down with Zoey, apparently I'm next in line to 'settle' and strengthen the Kensington

a highly approved choice." Processing that, I couldn't help laughing too. There was something both absurd and unexpectedly touching about how bluntly honest he was being. "So that was what this was all about?" I asked quietly, leaning forward a little. Marcus leaned back in his chair, his expression shifting into something more serious, more vulnerable than I was used to seeing from him. "No,' " he said,

a version of Marcus I rarely saw-the man beneath all the confidence and calculated charm, someone who wrestled with his own insecurities and regrets. "Then don't let the next one slip away," I said gently, reaching across the table to touch his

a sincere smile-light, warm, completely free of bitterness or resentment. It was strange how, after all the tension and complications of the last few weeks, we could still find this space of mutual understanding and even something close to sibling affection. Marcus stood, set down a few notes to cover our coffees, and pulled me into a warm hug that carried months of shared history and a quiet, definitive goodbye to possibilities that were never