Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 263 Nathaniel's POV "You talk like Annie doesn't have a choice," I said, leaning back in my chair to look him straight in the eye. Marcus paused, then leaned forward slightly, wearing that calculated smile that irritated me to the core. There was something about him that always suggested he thought he was three steps ahead of everyone else, like he was the only one who could see the whole board. "She has a choice," he said, adjusting his posture. "But it seems something is keeping her in London.

Something that's making her hesitate about accepting an opportunity that's clearly better for her career." He leaned forward even more, studying my face with a sharp, probing gaze. It felt like he was dissecting every microexpression, searching for any flicker that might reveal what I really thought. "Would that something be you, Nathaniel?" The question dropped between us like a live bomb. I kept my expression neutral, but inside, it landed like a punch to the gut. "No," I said, trying to sound confident.

"Annie is a competent professional who makes her own decisions based on rational criteria." But even as the words left my mouth, my thoughts were spiraling. Was it me, Nate? Was it Wanderer? Or was it simply the job she loved so fiercely? The truth was, I didn't know what really anchored Annie to London anymore. Was it her passion for the position she'd fought so hard to earn? The tangled, confusing feelings between us as Nathaniel and Annie? Or the intimate connection she was building with Wanderer?

Marcus laughed softly, a sound that made it very clear he didn't buy a single word of my answer. He leaned back, relaxing even further into the chair. "If it's not you keeping her here, then you won't have any issue encouraging her to go to the Imperial City, right? " he said, crossing his arms. "After all, it would be the best thing for her." Then he launched into a list, as if he were giving a corporate presentation, "Starting fresh somewhere far from all the gossip and rumors. Keeping her professional reputation intact in a region where no one knows the messy details of what happened.

genuinely make an impact." He paused, locking eyes with me. "And it would be better for you too. It would shift the attention away from the rumors that are threatening your credibility. Without Annie around and without that tension everyone with functioning eyesight can see between you, you'd be able to focus on your work without distraction." Everything he said made logical sense, but the way he treated the situation with cold pragmatism

jaw tightened-just slightly, but it was there. The first crack in his polished façade. I'd hit a nerve. He didn't respond immediately, letting the silence stretch as he processed the jab.

closely. "Now that Christian's settled and married, the old man is looking to the next grandson. The COO of Kensington Ascia." Marcus kept his expression neutral, but something flickered in his eyes. I'd hit the mark. "Annie would be the perfect option for you," I continued, growing more certain. "A direct connection between the

carefully composed, but the fact that he didn't deny any of it told me everything I needed to know. Joseph Kensington was famous for his traditional values and his very clear expectations of how the family should conduct itself. For him, this wasn't about political maneuvering. It was about doing things properly: settling down with a good woman, building a stable family, keeping

pressure. Joseph wants you to settle down, and Annie is the ideal choice in his eyes. Maybe even in yours, considering you're still obviously attracted to her." Marcus shifted-barely, but enough. It was the first real sign of discomfort, and it told me

for the door, but this time there was a kind of urgency in the way he moved, like our conversation had revealed more than he intended. "Think carefully, Carter," he said, pausing with his hand on the