Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

I'd spent the whole night turning in bed, replaying every word of my conversation with Nate in his office. "I'll keep waiting." The sentence echoed in my head like a stubborn mantra. Waiting for what exactly? For the conversation we never had in the garden? For a decision from me? For some burst of courage I clearly didn't have? I sat at my desk and turned on my computer, trying to focus on the report I needed to finish by noon.

But every movement in the hallway made me glance up, searching for a familiar silhouette, dark brown hair, those green eyes that always felt like they saw right through me. Pathetic. When I finally saw him walking toward the elevator, folder in hand and talking on the phone, my stomach flipped. He didn't look my way. He was completely absorbed in the call, but my whole body reacted like someone had plugged me into a power outlet. This had to stop. 'Annie?" a whispered voice made me turn quickly. It was Sarah from accounting, leaning against the divider between our cubicles.

She glanced around before leaning closer. "Is it true that you and Mr. Carter...?" She didn't finish the question, but the meaning was crystal clear in her curious eyes. Heat rushed up my neck. This was exactly what I'd feared ever since Alexandra's stunt at the party. The gossip, the looks, and the whispered assumptions that echoed down every hallway. "I have no idea what you're talking about," I said flatly, turning back to my screen. Sarah made a face like she didn't believe a single word, but at least she had the decency to walk away without pushing further.

I took a deep breath, fighting the irritation that crawled up my chest. If Sarah was bold enough to ask openly, how many others were speculating? How many nasty comments were circulating across the company? "Annie!" Gwen's voice sliced through my stormy thoughts like a burst of sunshine. She appeared by my cubicle carrying two cups of coffee and a bright smile that didn't match my mood at all. "You're early today," she noted, setting one of the cups on my desk. "Double shot, the way you like it when you're stressed." "How do you know I'm stressed?" I asked, taking the cup.

Gwen always read me too well. 1/3 "I just have a lot of work to do," I lied. "Sure," she said in a tone that made it very clear she didn't believe

thought. "But relax," Gwen said when she noticed my mortified expression. "Most people don't read body language like I do. They probably just think you two were... working intensely." "We were

for the subject change. "Apparently he mixed up the words for 'growth' and 'exploding', and spent twenty minutes talking about how our company was 'exploding in unexpected ways."" Gwen was

I asked. "He's great. He actually closed the deal even after the linguistic disaster. The Niharan investors called his honesty 'refreshing."" She made air quotes. "Sometimes I think Matthew has an easier life because he doesn't take himself so seriously." Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to stop twisting everything into a knot inside my head. We chatted for

me. She pulled me out of my own thoughts when I got stuck in them too deeply. When she left for a ten o'clock meeting, I went back to the report with a clearer mind. I actually managed to work for two whole hours without thinking about Nate, without glancing at the hallway, without worrying about people gossiping. Everything changed during lunch. I was sitting in the company's little café, picking at a salad I didn't really want, when my phone vibrated.

sure no one was paying attention before opening the message. Wanderer: You asked if I'm emotionally broken. The honest answer is yes, probably. My last serious relationship was about five years ago. She wanted something I couldn't give. Emotional stability, real commitment. After that I got used to superficial connections. No risks, no vulnerability. It's easier to keep your distance