Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 293

Chapter 293

Nate’s phone was right there, in plain sight, sitting beside his elbow on the corner of the table, it hadn’t buzzed with a new message, hadn’t lit up with any notification. No sign at all that it had received anything, in the minutes since I’d sent my devastating question.

I watched it discreetly while pretending to follow the lively conversation around us. Every passing second without a response gave me this fragile, misleading sense of relief, as if the silence alone could somehow undo the truth that was slowly crystallizing in my mind.

“Is your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’?” I asked casually, breaking my own silent observation.

Nate stopped mid-bite and looked at me with genuine surprise.

“No,” he said, brow creasing slightly, “Why? Did something happen?”

My heart started racing as I scrambled for a response that sounded natural.

“Just… in case Alexandra tries to contact you,” I explained quickly, trying to sound breezy, “If she needs to change the plans again or something”

Nate nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation, though a flicker of curiosity still lingered in his eyes.

“Let’s hope she does change them,” he joked.

And then almost on cue, as if the universe were determined to shred what remained of my sanity-a loud, sudden notification ping cut through the noise of the restaurant.

I actually jumped in my chair, my body reacting before my brain could. Nate immediately set his hand over mine in an instinctive, grounding gesture, concern tightening his expression.

“Hey,” he murmured gently, his thumb tracing small soothing circles over my skin. “You okay?”

But the sound hadn’t come from his phone. It was Sarah’s. She was already picking it up, smiling down at the screen as she typed a quick reply.

“Sorry,” she said, not looking up. “My sister. She’s sending pictures of the kids in their Christmas outfits.”

Nate’s phone remained completely still and silent on the table.

I drew a long breath, feeling muscles I hadn’t even realized were clenched finally start to unwind. It wasn’t him. It was just another bizarre coincidence. Maybe I really was being paranoid, stringing together dots that weren’t actually connected, building some elaborate conspiracy out of strange but explainable accidents.

Maybe I just had a type. Other people chose partners based on physical appearance, personality, or social status. 1, apparently, fell for men who… favored the same obscure pizza flavor. It was almost funny, if it weren’t so deeply unsettling

That was when another ringtone sliced through my thoughts.

And this time I recognized it immediately. It was my own phone, chiming with the melody I’d set specifically for family calls.

“Sorry,” I blurted, grabbing it and seeing Zoey’s familiar face on the incoming video call. “It’s my family. I’ll be

1/3

super quick.”

“Go ahead,” Nate said immediately, and the others nodded with warm, understanding smiles.

I answered, and was instantly greeted by a cheerful chorus of “Merry Christmas!” from a handful of beloved voices. The screen showed my whole family gathered in the mansion’s living room with my mom and dad on the sofa, Zoey holding Matt, and Christian half visible at the edge of the frame.

“Merry Christmas to you too!” I said, a wave of homesick tenderness washing over me at the sight of them all together.

“Look who’s here,” Zoey said, turning the camera toward Matt, who was wearing an adorable little red `Christmas hat and drooling on his fist.

“Say ‘Aunt’ to Annie, Matt. Aunt!”

Matt looked straight into the camera with those big, curious eyes, opened his mouth, and let out a string of completely jumbled syllables that sounded nothing like “aunt,” yet managed to melt my heart on the spot.

“Bah-dah-gah,” he announced solemnly, like he’d just delivered the most important declaration of the century.

Everyone laughed, including me, and a wave of homesickness hit me so hard it almost hurt physically.

“Where are you, sweetheart?” my mom asked, leaning closer to the screen, clearly trying to identify the background behind me. “That doesn’t look like your place. Looks like a restaurant.”

I hesitated for a few seconds, then chose honesty.

“I’m… spending Christmas with Nate’s family.”

The silence that followed lasted only a moment, but it carried weight. I watched my mom’s eyebrows lift slightly, and Zoey gave me that I knew it face she’d perfected since childhood.

“And when exactly do we get to meet this Nate?” my mom asked, her tone equal parts curious and lightly investigative. “Your father and I are the only ones who haven’t met him yet.

Nate, had heard part of the conversation and leaned in a little with a questioning look, pointing subtly at himself and then at the phone.

“He… he’s right here and wants to say hi,” I said, glancing up at him to make sure he really meant it.

He nodded enthusiastically and shifted closer so he could appear on the screen beside me.

“Good afternoon everyone,” he said in Maravinese, his accent charmingly imperfect but earnest. “I’m Nathaniel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He didn’t need more than two minutes and a sprinkle of that natural British charm to win my parents over.

“We’re at a pizzeria in Bath,” I explained. “Nate’s family brought me to see the city.”

“Bath!” my dad exclaimed with genuine interest. “I’ve always wanted to go. Is it as beautiful as they say?”

“Even more,” I answered honestly. “Especially with the snow.”

2/3

“And how is it spending Christmas with the in-laws?” my mother asked, in that maternal tone that managed to be curious while low-key protective.

“Mom,” I groaned, feeling my cheeks heat.

“It’s been wonderful having Annie here, Regina,” Nate replied smoothly. “Though I think I’m more nervous about meeting you than Annie was about meeting my family.”

“And when will that be happening?” my dad asked, clearly intrigued.

“Very soon, I hope,” Nate promised. “I’m really looking forward to meeting the people who raised such an incredible woman.”

“He’s good,” Zoey muttered to Christian, loudly enough that the whole table heard and laughed.

Matt chose that exact moment to yell “BAH!” at full volume, as if giving his official opinion on the conversation, which made everyone laugh again.

We chatted for a few more minutes with my parents asking about Bath and my first Christmas away from home, Matt contributing with more adorable nonsense syllables, and Zoey using every opportunity to tease both Nate and me about how “romantic” we looked.

It was one of those moments that felt suspended in time. It was simple, warm, and filled with that kind of family love that kept you grounded no matter how far away you were.

When the call finally ended after more failed attempts to get Matt to say anything close to “aunt”, I set my phone down and drew a deep breath.

“Your family is wonderful,” Nate said softly, taking my hand again. “Your parents seem like incredible people.”

“They already adore you,” I said, giving him a warm, honest smile.

And for a few precious minutes, it felt like maybe things really could work out. My paranoia about Wanderer seemed distant and ridiculous, my parents had fallen for Nate immediately, and we were here in a cozy pizzeria in Bath, surrounded by people who genuinely cared.

It was almost perfect. Too perfect.

“Guys,” Tori’s voice sliced through the warm haze like a cold blade. “Alexandra just texted. She’s almost here.”

3/3