Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Annabelle’s POV

I had never seen Christian like that before. He sat in the waiting room chair with his head in his hands, sobbing like his whole world had collapsed. And maybe it had. Maybe ours had too.

My sister was behind those doors, fighting for her life, and I couldn’t do a damn thing to help her.

I kept staring at the double doors of the operating room, waiting for someone to come out with good news. But they stayed shut, holding secrets I was terrified to hear.

“Annie, sit down,” Matthew said softly, tugging me toward the chair beside him. “You’ve been pacing for half an hour.”

“I can’t sit still,” I said, but I let him pull me down anyway. “Every time I close my eyes, I see her falling down those stairs. The sound when she hit the floor…”

Matthew squeezed my hand.

“Zoey’s strong. She’s not going anywhere. She’s too damn stubborn to give up now.”

I looked around the room. Joseph sat silently, his face pale and hollow, like he’d aged ten years in the span of a few hours. My parents were huddled together, my mom crying quietly against my dad’s shoulder.

“How could this happen?” I whispered. “It was supposed to be a celebration. Just a wine fair. A good day.”

“It was an accident,” Matthew said, though his voice lacked conviction.

“Was it?” I turned to him. “Zoey’s walked up and down those same stairs a hundred times today. And suddenly she falls? With Elise?”

Christian’s head snapped up. His eyes were bloodshot, raw from crying.

“What are you trying to say, Annie?” he asked, his voice tight.

“I’m saying I don’t believe in coincidences,” I said, the fear in my chest starting to twist into anger. “Elise hates Zoey. We all know that. And now the two of them just happen to fall down the stairs together? Come on.”

Marcus, who’d been speaking quietly with Joseph, walked over.

“Annie, I understand you’re upset, but-”

“Where’s Elise?” I cut him off. “No one’s said a word about her since we got here.”

Marcus hesitated, the kind of pause that already tells you more than the answer will.

“She was brought here too,” he said finally. “She’s in surgery.”

“What kind of surgery?”

“I don’t know the details,” Marcus said carefully. “But she was injured in the fall as well.”

“How convenient,” I muttered.

“Annie…” Matthew started, but I didn’t let him finish.

“No, Matthew, think about it! Elise has done everything she could to hurt Zoey. She sabotaged her, lied about her, tried to destroy her relationship with Christian. And now she just happens to be right there when Zoey ‘accidentally’ falls?”

Christian stood abruptly, his entire body tense.

“You think she’d actually go that far? Deliberately?”

I met his eyes.

“After everything she’s already done? Why is that so hard to believ?” I said bitterly, “You know what she’s capable of. We all do.

I stopped myself before mentioning the car crash-before saying the words that would only make Joseph’s heart give out all over again.

Marcus smiled for the first time since we got there. “That baby’s going to be a handful. I bet he’ll be just like Christian… stubborn and overprotective.”

“Or like Zoey,” my mom added, her voice trembling with emotion Determined and brave.”

For a moment, we all breathed a little easier, finding strength in each other, holding on to the tiny spark of hope that had started to grow between us.

Then Marcus suggested we take a quick walk, stretch our legs, maybe grab some coffee.

“Come on, Annie,” he said gently. “Let’s get coffee for everyone.”

I nodded without a word. We needed to get out of that room, even just for a few minutes.

The hospital cafeteria was impersonal and sterile, the smell of fresh coffee mixing with disinfectant. Marcus ordered several cups to go, one for each family member waiting upstairs. We stood in silence while we waited, both of us lost in our own thoughts. The hiss of the espresso machine, the low murmurs of other worried families, and the constant shuffle of nurses and doctors blurred together, a backdrop to the anxiety that refused to let go of my chest.

While we waited, Marcus turned to me, his expression serious.

“Annie, you need to be careful what you say in front of everyone. The last thing we need is more people knowing things that could put them in danger.”

“You’re right,” I admitted, taking a deep breath. “I’m just… nervous.”

“I know,” he said, his voice softening. “We all are.”

We picked up the tray of coffees and headed back upstairs, silent again as we rode the elevator, careful not to spill a drop.

The moment we stepped into the waiting room, Dr. Porter appeared in the doorway, still wearing his surgical scrubs.

The shock was so intense I froze. The paper cup slipped from my hands, scalding coffee splashing onto the floor as everyone jumped to their feet.

We all stared at him, hearts pounding, waiting for the words that could change our lives forever.