Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 275

Chapter 275

Nathaniel’s POV

The afternoon had been unusually productive when I heard a knock on my office door. Through the glass wall, I saw Gwen walking in with a folder in hand and that perfectly professional posture she used whenever she was trying to pretend she wasn’t there for personal reasons.

“Come in,” I said, saving the document I’d been reviewing and leaning back in my chair.

“I brought the performance reports you asked for,” she said, closing the door behind her as she stepped closer.” The numbers from last quarter are better than expected.”

I took the folder she handed me and skimmed through it, but I could already tell there was something else behind the visit. I’d known Gwen long enough to recognize when she was just doing protocol-and when she had something real on her mind.

“Excellent work,” I said, setting the papers aside. “The team keeps outdoing themselves.”

“Yeah, they do,” she agreed, but she didn’t make any move to leave. Instead, she stood beside my desk, clearly waiting for the floor outside to clear out a bit before getting to whatever she actually came to talk about.

We filled a few minutes with small talk about deadlines and targets, until the hallway got quieter and everyone seemed absorbed in their own tasks. That’s when Gwen’s whole posture shifted.

“Annie told me,” she said bluntly, folding her arms. “About you two.”

Instinctively, I glanced toward the glass wall, checking if anyone might be close enough to overhear. The last thing I wanted was to feed office gossip-not when Annie was still working to rebuild her reputation here.

“We decided to keep it quiet,” I answered carefully. “For now, only the closest people know. At least until she’s out from under supervision. It feels safer this way.”

Gwen nodded, but something in her expression put me on edge. Not disapproval, exactly-more like tension. Like we were only at the beginning of why she was really here.

“And the other secret?” she asked, meeting my eyes head-on. “When are you going to tell her?”

I frowned, genuinely thrown by the direction this was going.

“What other secret?”

Gwen studied me for a few seconds, as if checking whether I was actually confused or just pretending. Apparently she decided I was being honest, because she didn’t bother softening the blow.

“That you’re the mystery guy from the app.”

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh. I’d known this moment would come eventually-Gwen had figured out I was Wanderer weeks ago, and she’d been patient, surprisingly so. But even patience had a limit.

“I know you two ‘ended things’ over there,” she went on, not giving me room to dodge. “But Annie deserves to know the truth. It’s not fair. You kind of took advantage of that to win her over in real life.”

Her words hit like punches-not because she meant to hurt me, but because she was right. From the outside, stripped of emotion, the whole situation did look manipulative.

I dragged both hands through my hair, trying to get my thoughts in order. I knew this moment would come, but I wasn’t ready for it. Not yet.

“I know,” I said finally, my voice coming out lower than I intended. “And I will tell her. But I need to do it at the right time.”

Gwen lifted an eyebrow, clearly not buying my answer.

“And when exactly is this ‘right time’?”

“I don’t like lying to Annie,” she said firmly. “And she’s starting to connect the dots.”

She paused, deliberately.

“So… you have until after the holidays. At most. Otherwise I’m going to have to tell her myself.”

The threat wasn’t hostile, but it was firm… determined. And I knew she meant it. Gwen genuinely cared about Annie, and she wouldn’t let me keep lying forever.

I met her gaze, feeling the full weight of the responsibility I’d created for myself. She was protecting Annie. And as much as the situation complicated things for me, I respected her for it.

“I know you’re trying to look out for her,” I said quietly, sincerely. “And I appreciate that.”

I stood, stepping closer to her, honest and unguarded.

“But you can trust me, Gwen. I’m in love with Annie. I would never want to hurt her.”

I paused, making sure she could see I meant it.

“I’ll tell her. When the moment is right.”

Gwen studied me for another few seconds, like she was trying to read straight through me. Finally, she gave one single nod-a reluctant agreement, but a real one.

“After the holidays at the latest,” she repeated as she headed for the door. “After that, I’m assuming you lost your nerve… and I’ll deal with it myself.”