Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 730

Gwen’s POV

There was a kind of silence that only existed in the middle of the night.

A comforting silence.

Even with the lights on and the hospital still running, the world felt stripped down to the essentials.

The low hum of the air conditioning.

The distant beep of a monitor.

The soft shuffle of nurses moving through the halls like they were carrying the balance of the world on their shoulders.

I sat in bed with Clara in my arms.

Her tiny face was a collection of details I tried to memorize, even though I knew I couldn’t.

The little mouth.

The skin still carrying that just-arrived-into-the-world tone.

The delicate nose.

The heavy eyelids opening and closing like she was testing out her own body.

Nick sat beside me, leaning against the headboard, his arm stretched behind me in a quiet, protective gesture.

He didn’t say much.

He just looked.

Like silence was the most honest way to say, I don’t believe this and I do at the same time.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

I could’ve answered with a whole list.

‘I’m tired.

I’m sore.

I’m scared.

I’m whole.

I’m happy.

’ Instead, I looked at him and said the only thing that fit.

"I am.

" Nick rested his face against my hair for a second, and I felt his breath loosen, like something inside him had finally unclenched.

Clara made the smallest sound, a soft murmur, and my hand tightened around her instinctively, like I needed to confirm she was real.

The door opened gently.

A nurse walked in with that same professional tone that manages to be kind without getting personal.

"How are we doing?" she asked, her eyes going straight to the baby.

"Good," I answered.

She came closer, checked a few things, made sure Clara was calm.

"Time for Clara to get some sleep," she said, firm but gentle.

"And you both need to rest too.

" I made a face without meaning to."I can’t," I admitted, looking down at my daughter.

The nurse smiled, understanding.

"No one can the first night," she said.

"But your body will make you.

" She held out her arms.

176 "I’m going to place her in the bassinet, right here beside you.

" +25 Bonus The idea of letting go of Clara bothered something irrational inside me.

Like even a foot of distance was too much.

But I let her.

nurse took Clara carefully, like she was made of glass and

blanket, checked her face, then looked

anything, call," she

a

" I almost laughed.

task you

"Thank you," I murmured.

the door closed, the

the

"Lie down," he said.

am lying

body was, but my mind

let out a quiet

"Gwen.

I looked over at the

open, like the world was too heavy to

I watched her.

And watched.

tried to understand how someone could be so perfect

only the soft glow

sleep," he

"I’ll try," I promised.

I closed my eyes.

Opened them again.

Clara was still there.

heart was still

again, this time a

came, it was like falling into something

was to the soft sound of someone

had already slipped into the room before

and for a second, it took me a moment

+25 Bonus Then

And remembered.

phone in hand, wearing the expression of a

slept," he said, like it

little," I answered, my

got up and kissed

he

"Now?" "Now.

fixed my hair as best I could, not fooling myself into thinking I looked

placed Clara back in my arms, and I

The door opened.

Christian walked in first.

Zoey right behind him.

paused for a second at the entrance, like

didn’t say anything

to the bed and looked at Clara like he was seeing something

one,"

Zoey covered her mouth.

then gave up on

"Oh my God.

" I smiled.

beautiful

hand

whole family knows," he

come by in the next

visit you at home,

I said, because the idea of too many

a small

Grandpa is over

his newest great-granddaughter as soon

something sore in my body, reminding me I

us to build him a

both hands

"I’m out," she declared.

already

Christian let out a short laugh, and Nick did

felt a simple kind of

kind that didn’t come

Just belonging.

Then Zoey’s tone softened.

this moment," she

"It’s magical.

her tiny mouth

"I’m trying," I said.

a

try," she

"Just enjoy it.