Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 155 Christian's POV It was 3:27 in the morning. I knew the exact time because I'd checked the clock on the nightstand at least fifteen times in the past hour. The room was wrapped in darkness, only a sliver of moonlight slipping through the half-open curtains, casting shifting shadows on the walls. Zoey was lying beside me, her back turned, but from her uneven breathing, I knew she wasn't asleep either. I could feel the tension in her body, even without touching her. "I know you're awake," I murmured softly, my voice rough in the silence of the night.

She let out a deep sigh and turned to face me, her eyes glimmering in the dim light. "And I know you are too," she said, her voice thick with worry. "How long have we been pretending to sleep?" "About two hours," I admitted, sliding my arm around her. She nestled against my chest, her round belly pressing gently against my side. For a few minutes, we just stayed there, breathing together, taking comfort in the closeness. I could hear her heartbeat racing, matching the anxious rhythm of my own. "Are you scared?" Zoey finally asked, her voice muffled against my shirt.

The question was simple, but it carried all the weight of what neither of us had said out loud. Fear of losing Joseph. Fear that the surgery might not go well. Fear that our child would grow up without knowing the extraordinary great-grandfather he deserved. "Terrified," "I admitted, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Joseph has always been... more of a father to me than my own. The thought of losing him..." My voice broke, and a lump formed in my throat. I wasn't used to letting myself be this vulnerable, but with Zoey, I didn't have to hide anything.

"I remember when I was a kid and got pneumonia," I said quietly, letting the memory surface. "I must've been eight. I was really sick, burning up with fever. My parents were traveling for business, like always. Joseph stayed up with me night after night, putting cold cloths on my forehead, giving me medicine, reading stories to keep my mind off the pain. I mean, we had staff, nurses, everything. But he wanted to be the one there for me Zoey lifted her head, her eyes glossy with tears. "He taught me everything," I went on, my voice trembling.

you did," Zoey whispered, her hand brushing

"And to think we actually believed we could fool the old man with our fake relationship," she teased lightly. I tried to laugh, but a tear slipped down my face instead, something that almost never happened. "He has to meet our son, Zoey. He has to teach him about the vines

I could see the fire of determination in her eyes. "Joseph's a fighter," she said firmly. "You're the one who always tells me that. He survived the war-he was born into it. He built an empire, raised you practically on his own. He's not giving up now, not when he has so much to live for." 1/3 Chapter 155 Lalitha ke Shikache wen the radi "But he's eighty-three, Zoey. His heart- "His heart is strong," she cut in softly. "Strong enough to love this whole family, to care about every tiny detail of the business, to tear up every

of course. Joseph had shown incredible vitality in the past few weeks, especially when he talked about the future -about the baby, about the Vintara line, about all the plans he still had. "And besides," Zoey went on, a small smile curving her lips, "he promised to teach me that secret family tomato sauce recipe. Joseph's way too Valentian

even more strength. Joseph has something really important to fight for