Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 274

Chapter 274

“Okay… so, there’s something I need to tell you,” I said, fidgeting with my coffee cup like it might suddenly save me. “But it’s a secret, alright?”

Gwen immediately arched an eyebrow, that teasing look she always got when she knew some juicy confession was coming. Leaning a little closer over the tiny café table, she gave me a conspiratorial smile.

“You and the boss, right?”

My face went hot, and I couldn’t help laughing. You couldn’t hide anything from Gwen for long-she had this almost spooky gift for reading people and situations.

“Yeah,” I admitted, unable to stop the smile that always crept in whenever I thought about Nate. “We’re… trying. Just not ready to make it public yet. Mostly because I’m still under his direct supervision.”

“And how’s that going?” she asked, genuinely curious, no judgment anywhere in her voice.

“Better than I imagined,” I said, remembering the weekend we’d spent together. “He’s… not what I expected. Kinder, funnier. Way less controlling when he’s not in full executive mode.”

Gwen nodded like she’d known that all along.

‘Zoey already knows everything, of course,” I added, rolling my eyes with that particular affection only sisters can provoke. “She said that if this story doesn’t end with a ‘happily ever after’ somewhere quaint and picturesque, she’s going to feel personally betrayed by the plot.”

“Fair enough,” Gwen said, biting the rim of her cup with a little grin. “After everything, this storyline really does deserve a good climax.”

“And she actually said ‘storyline,'” I added, laughing. “She’s convinced I’m living inside her favorite book.”

“Honestly? It sounds like you both are,” Gwen shot back, pointing at me playfully. “With a slightly sadistic author… but looks like he finally decided to cooperate.”

“A positive plot twist,” I murmured, smiling to myself.

We laughed, and then I took a deep breath, bracing for the part I really wanted to share.

“But that’s not all,” I said, shifting my tone a little. “He invited me to spend Christmas with his family.”

Gwen let out an exaggerated gasp of mock outrage, pressing a hand to her chest like I’d personally offended her.

“Hey! I invited you first!” she protested, though her eyes were sparkling.

“But he has a certain power of persuasion even you can’t compete with…” I teased, making both of us laugh.

“Fair,” she said, lifting her hands in surrender. “I can’t compete with British charm and green eyes.”

“Especially in bed when-”

“Too much information, Annabelle! Too much!” She pretended to cover her ears while we burst into laughter.

We sat in a few seconds of comfortable silence, each of us drifting into our own thoughts. I found myself rewinding the moment Nate had invited me-the gentle way he held my face, the sincerity in his voice when he said we’d waited long enough.

“What is it?” I asked, leaning forward.

“It’s nothing, it’s just…” She hesitated again, running a hand through her hair. “Sometimes the answers we’re looking for are closer than we think.”

The vague way she said it only made me more uneasy. It was exactly the kind of line that sounded loaded, like she was trying to give me a hint without actually revealing anything.

“Gwen, if you know something…” I began, but she quickly shifted gears.

“Have you two decided when you’re going public?” she asked, her voice suddenly casual again, though her eyes stayed sharp, almost cautious.

The abrupt subject change frustrated me, but I decided not to push her. Not here, not now.

“Not yet,” I said, reluctantly letting her redirect the conversation. “Nate wants to wait until I’m out from under

supervision. He says he’d rather keep it ours while there’s still any shadow over my situation at the company.”

“Makes sense,” Gwen agreed, but her tone was oddly mechanical, like she was just filling space.

We finished our coffees talking about lighter things. But the whole time, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something… that there were clues right in front of me, and I just wasn’t putting the pieces together.

Especially when it came to Gwen and the way she always acted just a little too strange whenever Wanderer’s name came up.