Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 100

“Do you have any idea the mess you’ve made?” Marcus stood in the middle of the living room, gesturing wildly the way only a truly exasperated Valentian can. “I had to come up with some ridiculous story about Anthony falling down the stairs to explain the broken nose and the blood all over his face!”

Christian, now in a clean dark-blue cotton shirt, wore an impassive expression, though the bruise on his cheek and the cut on his brow told a different story.

“Did Joseph believe it?” he asked, ignoring his cousin’s dramatic outrage.

“Not for a second.” Marcus dropped onto the sofa beside Annabelle. “But he pretended to, which might actually be worse. And those two-” he shook his head. “Victoria was literally throwing clothes into her suitcases. They left like the place was on fire.”

“Good,” Christian said, settling into the armchair opposite them, his posture only slightly betraying the ache in his ribs. “That’s exactly what I wanted. Them gone as quickly as possible.”

I perched on the arm of Christian’s chair, still trying to process everything that had happened-the fight, Anthony’s accusations, and most of all, the moment in the bathroom cut short, leaving my lips tingling and my heart racing.

“What exactly happened in the garden?” Annie asked, looking between Christian and me. “Marcus just said there was a… ‘confrontation.””

“I-“I began, but Christian’s voice interrupted softly.

“Anthony crossed every line.” His voice was measured, but I could still feel the anger simmering beneath. “He grabbed Zoey. Left marks.”

I lifted my wrist, showing Annie the bruise in the shape of fingers already forming. Her eyes widened, and her usual lighthearted expression was replaced by a fury I rarely saw on my sister’s face.

“That son of a-”

“Exactly,” Christian agreed, the faintest shadow of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Marcus let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair.

“I get why you reacted the way you did. I’d have smashed his face in too.” His eyes flicked briefly toward Annie, something protective in his expression. “But Christian, you’re the CEO. You can’t just go around breaking the noses of Euradian council members.”

“Actually…” Christian shifted in the chair, his shoulder brushing lightly against mine. “He’s no longer on the council.”

Marcus’s eyes widened.

“What?”

“I removed Anthony from the Euradian council.” Christian’s calm delivery contrasted sharply with the weight of the decision. “Formal proceedings start tomorrow.”

A stunned silence fell over the room. Even Annie, usually quick with a witty remark, seemed at a loss for words.

“You…” Marcus finally spoke, leaning forward. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done? Anthony has connections all across Euradia. Relationships with distributors we’ve spent decades building. Not to mention his stake in the company-”

“I’ve already considered all of that.” Christian didn’t flinch. “And I’ve made my decision.”

“Joseph is going to lose his mind,” Marcus muttered, slumping back against the sofa.

“Joseph will understand.” Christian’s voice carried absolute confidence. “He’d throw any of us out if we crossed certain lines. Family matters to him, but respect comes first.”

Marcus studied his cousin for a long moment, as if seeing him in a new light.

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