Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 248 I was buried in a third-quarter sales report when something soft landed on my head. I looked up to find Gwen beside my desk, hands on her hips, wearing a mischievous grin like she was extremely proud of herself. "Gwen, what...?" I started, reaching up and feeling fuzzy fabric. "Christmas hat." She announced it with theatrical flair, like she was presenting a masterpiece. "It looks perfect on you.' I couldn't help laughing at how pleased she looked. I pulled the hat off and checked it out.

One of those classic red ones with a white pom-pom, probably bought at a department store nearby. "Isn't it a little early for this?" I asked, still laughing. "It's only November." "Annie, look outside!" she said with that contagious excitement that was basically her signature. "All of London is already in Christmas mode. There are lit-up trees on every corner, stores are fully decorated, even the red buses have garlands. How can you resist that?" She wasn't wrong. The Kensington lobby had turned into a full holiday installation.

A huge tree stood in the center, covered in gold lights and elegant ornaments that matched the company's polished aesthetic. Green garlands with red bows wrapped around the columns, and even the receptionists were wearing tiny snowflake pins. "It is pretty," I admitted, setting the hat on my desk. "But this time of year makes me a little emotional." Gwen frowned and leaned back against my desk like she was gearing up for a serious talk. 11 'Are you the Grinch?" she asked. Half joking. Half concerned. "The Grinch?" I echoed, laughing. "No, nothing like that. I actually love Christmas.

It's just... hard to get into the spirit when you know you're spending it away from your family." Her expression softened instantly. Understanding flickered in her eyes. "Why don't you go to Verdania?" she asked gently. "I'm sure the company would give you a few extra days, especially with how hard you've been working." I sighed, rolling the pen between my fingers while I tried to put words to a feeling I didn't always understand myself. "I'm kind of... scared." "Scared of flying?" "No, not that." I shook my head. Even though I remembered far too well how terrified I'd been on my last flight.

feel so at home in Verdania that London won't make sense anymore?" she asked. Her insight caught me off guard. 1/3 "Exactly," I said. "I've built a life here, Gwen. A job I love.

I paused, looking out the window at the gray November skyline. "And I'm scared that a hug from my sister. A coxinha made by my mom. An afternoon at the beach with my dad ... that all of it will make

her shoulder. "I'll think about it, I promise." "And if you change your mind about anything, let me know," she said, stepping back but keeping her hands on my shoulders. "Even about going to Verdania. Sometimes we underestimate our own strength." After that, Gwen got pulled into a stack of

she could shift from personal warmth to laser-sharp professionalism in seconds. While she was distracted, I slipped my phone out quietly. My heart sped up a little when I saw a new message from Wanderer, sent earlier that morning. Wanderer: [I get it. People who turn to dating apps are rarely whole. Everyone carries their broken pieces, hoping maybe one of

always managed to say things that hit deeper than casual app talk ever should. The part about "broken pieces" lingered in my mind. It was exactly how I felt sometimes. Like I was trying to match pieces of who I was in Verdania with who I was becoming in