Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 246 Saturday felt like a welcome reset after everything that had blown up at the party. I still woke with the tail end of a hangover, but I was determined to enjoy my last days with Zoey and Christian before they flew back to Verdania. It felt strange knowing they'd soon be an ocean away again. Back to video calls and Whatsapp messages. Matthew showed up around ten carrying coffee and fresh croissants from a Franconian bakery. "Bennett family program," he announced when I opened the door. "Zoey already approved.

Today we're tourists in your city." We spent the whole day visiting the London landmarks I'd somehow never seen properly since moving. We started at Regent's Park, where Zoey took dozens of photos of Matt in his stroller, laughing every time he made some new dramatic baby expression. "He looks exactly like Dad," I said, watching Matt scrunch his eyebrows the same way our father did when concentrating. "But he definitely has some of our stubbornness." "God forbid," Zoey laughed. "One stubborn Bennett personality is enough." "One?" Matthew lifted a brow.

"Try at least three of us." We wandered to a cozy café in Notting Hill and squeezed around a tiny table. We talked for over an hour about nothing and everything. Matthew told wild stories from his latest projects in Ascia. Zoey talked about balancing work and motherhood. And for the first time in weeks, I felt myself relax. "You know what I'll miss the most?" Zoey said as she stirred her coffee with a spoon way too small to be useful. "These silly moments. Being able to call you and say 'coffee?' without checking time zones." "Me too," I admitted as a tightness pulled at my chest.

"It's going to feel weird doing everything alone again." "You're not alone," Matthew said, tugging a strand of my hair the same annoying way he used to when we were kids. "Even when I'm back in Ascia, someone in the family will always be rooting for you." "And when you come to London for work, you can visit me," I added. "And supervise if you're behaving," he said with a wicked grin. Our final stop was Columbia Road Flower Market, where Zoey insisted on buying me an enormous bouquet of pink peonies. "For your apartment," she explained.

gorgeous apartment with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the London skyline. The view made it feel like we were floating above the city. Zoey made a brunch that blended London polish with Verdanian comfort. Elegant tableware but cheesy chicken pies and cheese buns she'd ordered from a Verdanian bakery. "Because a farewell without comfort food

corporate meetings. Nate added sarcastic comments at the perfect moments. Gwen, Matthew, and Marcus took turns trying to make Matt laugh, turning it into a full-blown competition for who could get the

onto the massive couch facing the skyline, pulling her knees up just slightly as she turned toward "So," she said, her tone gentle but curious, "how are you feeling about everything? The party. Henry. Nate... last night was a roller

"What did you do?" "I reinstalled the dating app," I blurted, the words tumbling out as fast as possible, as if speed might soften the shame. "In the middle of the night. After the party.

you say to him?" I told her about his question and the very honest message I'd apparently sent at three-something in the morning. "Well," Zoey said with a

long, tight hug. The kind that says everything you can't put into words about missing each other, about wanting to protect each other, about wishing distance wasn't a factor. "You'll be okay," she whispered. "You're stronger than you think." "I hope so," I murmured back. As I held her, my gaze drifted to the balcony. Christian stood there talking with Nate. At first it