Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 234

Chapter 234

Nathaniel’s POV

Monday came with that familiar back-to-work energy. But this time it felt amplified by Christian’s presence in the office. He walked in at eight sharp wearing a flawless gray suit that basically screamed CEO on inspection tour. And he hadn’t stopped since. He spent the whole morning reviewing quarterly reports line by line. Talking with the regional directors about performance and targets. Checking every detail of Kensington’s London operations himself.

That was his style to be hands-on and never satisfied with numbers on a spreadsheet or surface-level summaries. When Christian visited a branch, he wanted to understand not only what was working, but why it was working.

I was used to his routine when he came to London. But this time there was extra weight to it. He wasn’t just the CEO checking financials and logistics. He was my best friend from university. Someone who knew me too well to be fooled for long. Especially when I was trying to hide something. And especially after Marcus’s comment at brunch and the way I’d reacted like a man with no self-control.

All morning I could feel Christian’s eyes on me from time to time. Studying me. Looking for signs of something he couldn’t quite pin down. It was a familiar feeling. The same one I had in college whenever he suspected I was keeping something from him.

Around two in the afternoon, after a long meeting with the finance department, Christian appeared in the doorway of my office. He closed the door behind him deliberately and leaned back against the desk with his arms crossed.

“You shut down Marcus pretty fast yesterday,” he said. No warm-up. No small talk. Straight to the point, like he always got when he wanted the truth.

I kept my eyes on my laptop, pretending to focus on the emails in front of me. The words blurred together. I couldn’t read a single line.

“He needed to be shut down,” I said. “He was disrespectful.”

“He was,” Christian agreed. “But your reaction was… intense. Almost like it was personal.”

I hesitated for a fraction of a second. Long enough for him to catch it.

“Marcus was being insensitive,” I said, closing the laptop and finally looking at him. “Anyone decent would’ve reacted the same way.”

“Anyone,” Christian repeated slowly. “Or someone who cares more than he wants to admit?”

“Annie and I have become friends.”

“Friends,” he echoed, testing the word. Turning it over. Measuring it against everything he’d observed.

“Yes, friends. We’ve been working together for months. It’s natural to develop mutual respect when you spend that much time collaborating.”

Christian watched me in complete silence. I could almost hear his thoughts turning, analyzing not just my words but my tone, my posture, my breathing. Everything.

Before I could change the subject or come up with a better explanation, the office door swung open without warning. Alexandra burst in like a perfumed tornado. She filled the room with her signature scent and a theatrical smile that seemed to take up half the space.

“Christian!” Alexandra exclaimed, dramatic as ever, like she hadn’t seen him in weeks instead of a few hours.” So good to find you here, cousin. I was looking for both of you.”

“Hi, Alexandra,” Christian said politely. He didn’t move from where he was. He knew she had walked in on something serious.

“I hope you have a few minutes.” She stepped closer to my desk with that carefully practiced walk she used whenever she wanted attention on her body. “Because I came to talk about something much more interesting than reports or spreadsheets.”

“Of course I know,” she said, trying to regain her composure. “But everyone expects the COO to show up with someone at events like this. And who better than a true Kensington at your side?”

That was when my eyes drifted, completely on their own, to the glass wall facing the main hallway. Annie was walking by, carrying a thick folder, moving with that focused determination she had when she was deep in work. She looked absorbed in her thoughts, unaware she was being watched.

Who better. I knew exactly who would be better.

“Nate?” Alexandra’s irritated voice snapped me back.

“Sorry. What did you say?”

“I asked what color tie you’re wearing Friday.”

“Oh. Navy blue, probably,” I said without thinking.

“Perfect. It’ll contrast beautifully with my red. We’ll be unforgettable.”

Christian watched me with that knowing look I dreaded. And I knew exactly what he was thinking. He had seen me drift off entirely and stare at Annie instead of listening to the woman planning our grand coordinated entrance.

If he’d had suspicions after the Marcus incident on Sunday, now he probably had all the confirmation he needed.