Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 278

Chapter 278

Nate rang the doorbell, and I swear my stomach did a full somersault. I stood there on the porch, taking in the house now clearly visible under the warm glow of the streetlamps-elegant, classic, with tasteful Christmas decorations framing the Georgian windows. Exactly the kind of home someone like Nate would’ve grown up in… someone who carried that effortless refinement everywhere he went.

The door opened to reveal a woman of medium height with light brown hair pulled into a loose, understated bun. She wore a gray sweater that somehow managed to look both casual and perfectly elegant. Her smile was small but genuinely warm-and instantly, I understood where Nate’s green eyes came from.

“Mum,” Nate said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “This is Annie.”

Elizabeth looked at me for a few seconds with that instinctive, maternal kind of evaluation-not judgmental, just… attentive.

“Annie,” she repeated, as if trying out my name. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Carter,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound as nervous as I felt.

“Elizabeth, please,” she corrected gently, greeting me with two soft cheek kisses and a light touch on my arm. Come in, you must be freezing out there.”

We stepped into a foyer that managed to be impressive without feeling intimidating. A few paintings that were probably originals hung on the walls, and the house carried that unmistakable scent of well-kept old homes: polished wood, fresh flowers, and something faintly sweet… like a cake baking somewhere.

Elizabeth helped us with our coats while I stole discreet glances around. It was exactly the kind of environment I had pictured for Nate’s childhood-cultured, refined, but not cold or ostentatious.

“Richard!” Elizabeth called. “They’re here!”

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and soon a tall man appeared slightly taller than Nate, with neatly cut gray hair and a calm, dignified presence that instantly put me at ease.

“Annie,” he said, extending a warm hand and an equally warm smile. “Richard Carter. It’s wonderful to have you here.”

His handshake was firm and sincere, the kind that grounded you.

“Consider this your home while you’re with us,” he added-and I could tell he meant it.

“Thank you, Mr. Carter,” I said, feeling the tension in my shoulders actually start to loosen.

“Richard,” he corrected with an easy smile. “We keep things informal here.”

Elizabeth guided us into a cozy living room where a fireplace crackled gently. Bookshelves lined the walls, sheet music was scattered across the piano, and an assortment of plants made the room feel alive in that elegant, lovingly curated way.

“Please, sit,” Elizabeth said, motioning to a brown leather sofa. “Can I get you tea? Coffee? Something stronger?

“Tea would be perfect,” I said, settling in next to Nate.

“So,” Richard began as he took a seat in an armchair, eyes curious but kind, “how did you two meet? Nate was rather vague with the details.”

Nate and I exchanged a quick look. We’d rehearsed this on the drive-choosing a version that was technically true while leaving out… well… the more complicated chapters.

“We work at the same company,” I explained. “We met on a corporate flight a few months back and… well, realized we had a lot in common.”

“Nate told us you moved from Verdania to work there,” Elizabeth said, returning with a tray of tea cups. “That must’ve been quite a change.”

“It was,” I admitted, taking the delicate porcelain cup she offered. “But London has been… eye-opening. I’ve learned things about myself I didn’t know were there.”

“Like the fact that you enjoy stubborn men who work too much?” Nate teased, making his parents laugh.

“Among other things,” I said, elbowing him lightly.

The conversation flowed easily after that-right up until we heard footsteps coming down the staircase. Slow, deliberate footsteps, the kind meant to announce themselves before the person even appears.

“Ah,” Elizabeth said, glancing toward the hall. “Tori has finally decided to join us.’

The woman who stepped into the doorway caught me completely off guard. Tori Carter was stunning—the kind of stunning that looked curated. Perfectly blown-out blonde hair cascading in soft waves, flawless makeup highlighting sharp blue eyes, and she was dressed like she was headed to a gala. Black fitted dress, heels, understated-but-expensive jewelry.

It was nighttime. We were at home. With family. And she looked like she’d stepped out of a magazine spread.

“Hi,” she said, her gaze flicking over me before settling on Nate. Everything about her demeanor felt calculated, as if every gesture had been chosen for maximum effect.

“Tori,” Nate said, standing to greet his sister. “This is Annie.”

Tori looked at me for a few seconds with a smile that managed to be polite and appraising at the same time.

“Oh…” she said, like she was slotting a new puzzle piece into place. “When Nate said he was bringing someone, I thought it would be Alexandra.”

The silence that followed wasn’t long, but it was thick enough for me to feel every pair of eyes in the room shift toward me.

“Well, I hope the disappointment wasn’t too dramatic,” I replied lightly, keeping my smile in place.

“Of course not,” Tori said quickly. “I just wasn’t expecting… someone new.”

Elizabeth thankfully swooped in with a cup of tea for Tori, and Tori took it before settling into an armchair directly across from where Nate and I sat. Conversation drifted on, but I could feel her observing me between sips of tea.

“You’re Verdanian, right? Bennett…” She paused, sifting through whatever mental Rolodex she had. “I don’t recall any notable families with that name. Are they known for anything?”

“It’s my old bedroom,” he said as he led me up a wooden staircase that creaked pleasantly beneath us. “My mum keeps it almost exactly the way it was when I was a teenager.”

The room was exactly what a teenage Nate room should look like-walls lined with books, an old desk by the window, and understated posters of classic rock bands.

I sat on the edge of the bed, hugging my arms around myself as I watched Nate set our bags in the corner.

“She knows Alexandra, doesn’t she?” I asked, not bothering with subtlety.

Nate froze mid-motion and turned to face me.

“Tori? Yeah. They’re pretty close.”

“And you didn’t think that was something I should know?”

He walked over and sat beside me.

“I didn’t think it mattered,” he said honestly.

“It does… when your sister assumed she’d see Alexandra at Christmas.” I sighed. “I’m not mad. I just wish I’d been prepared.”

Nate took my hands in his, rubbing my fingers to warm them.

“You’re doing great,” he said softly.

“I hope so,” I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder.

He kissed my forehead, and we stayed like that for a while, savoring the quiet before the next round of introductions.

Then Elizabeth’s voice drifted up from downstairs, “Dinner is ready!”

I took a deep breath, stood, and smoothed my clothes.

“Showtime,” I muttered.

Nate smiled, stood up, and extended his hand.

“Let’s win them over. One Carter at a time.”

“I think I have a bit of experience with that,” I said, giving him a playful wink as I took his hand.