Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 294

Chapter 294

We walked back home in a tense silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts about what was coming. Sarah said goodbye with a kiss on Oliver’s cheek and a promise to come back the next day to help with the golden retriever puppies, since she was having dinner with her own family that evening. The snow had stopped completely, leaving Bath covered in a white blanket that sparkled under the streetlights.

We had barely stepped inside and removed our coats when the doorbell rang.

“That must be her,” Tori said, practically running to answer it with a level of enthusiasm that made me wonder whether she really understood the implications of Alexandra being there.

`I heard two female voices coming from the entry hall-Tori’s bright and welcoming, and another that I

recognized instantly, even after weeks without hearing it. Alexandra Kensington had one of those voices you never forget: melodic, confident, dipped in a kind of natural authority that made people pay attention.

When she stepped into the living room, she looked exactly as I remembered. She was flawlessly dressed, this time in a designer beige wool coat, hair styled to perfection, and that smile she wore like a signature: warm and calculated at the same time.

“Elizabeth!” she exclaimed, hugging Nate’s mom as if they were lifelong friends. “You look gorgeous, as always. And Richard!” She turned to Nate’s father with equal enthusiasm. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home on Christmas. I know I’m intruding.”

“Oh, nonsense, dear,” Elizabeth said with her characteristic kindness. “It’s always a pleasure to have you here.”

“Hi, Oliver,” Alexandra greeted Nate’s brother with a warm hug. “How’s the life of a veterinarian? Still out there saving little creatures?”

I watched everything unfold with building discomfort. The way Alexandra moved through the room, greeting each family member with intimate familiarity, like she truly belonged there. It was staged, but convincingly so.

“Nathaniel,” she said at last, walking toward him with a smile that managed to be both friendly and slightly intimate. “I was so happy when you invited me. I was nearby and my family decided to fly to Switzerland last minute, so I was feeling a little lonely for the holidays.”

Nate shot Tori a quick look, one she deserved. Tori at least had the decency to look mildly embarrassed. We all knew she’d already explained the situation, that she had responded using Nate’s phone, not him. But Alexandra seemed happy to pretend that the correction had never happened. It was very much like her to rewrite a situation to fit whatever story she wanted to tell.

“And Annie!” Alexandra turned to me with that radiant smile of hers. “What a wonderful surprise to find you

here.”

“Surprise?” I repeated, keeping my voice perfectly neutral.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to spend Christmas in Bath,” she replied sweetly.

Then she began handing out gifts. From a series of shopping bags clearly from expensive stores, she pulled out elegant wrapped boxes.

“I brought little presents for everyone,” she announced, like a hostess running her own holiday gathering.

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For Tori, she handed over a box that obviously held shoes.

“Tori, these boots will match your sophisticated style perfectly,” she said, watching with satisfaction as Tori opened the box to reveal a pair of black leather boots I vaguely recognized as belonging to a designer I’d only ever seen through shop windows I didn’t dare walk into.

Tori practically gasped.

“Alexandra, you shouldn’t have… these are Louboutins! Aren’t they gorgeous, Annie?” she asked, turning to me with sparkling eyes.

A warm ache tugged at my chest. It was the first time Tori had included me like that, asking my opinion as if I were someone close, someone whose approval mattered to her.

“They really are…”

“Annie,” Alexandra said, turning toward me with a smile that never reached her eyes, “I imagine you prefer something more… practical.”

The pause before “practical” was intentional and sharp. A polite way of saying I lacked the sophistication to appreciate something truly luxurious.

“Yes,” I replied calmly, matching her smile with one of my own, “I prefer things that last and have real value. Like character, for example.”

I saw a flash of something pass through her eyes, but her smile didn’t falter.

“But the boots really will look gorgeous on you, Tori,” I added gently.

For Richard, she’d brought a bottle of wine that looked like it came straight from the Kensington private cellar. For Elizabeth, a French silk scarf I recognized immediately as designer. For Oliver, a top-of-the-line smartwatch he accepted with polite surprise.

And for Nate, the most extravagant gift of all: a watch so expensive that even I could tell it cost a small fortune even though I knew absolutely nothing about men’s watches…

“I know you’ve always wanted one of these, but you never found the perfect model,” she said as he lifted the lid, revealing a gold-and-steel watch that looked like it had stepped straight out of a luxury magazine.

“Interesting…” I commented casually. “I would’ve thought someone who knows Nate as well as you claim to would know he’s not into flashy things.”

Nate shot me a subtle look of gratitude, clearly uncomfortable with the excessive gift.

“It’s very generous, Alexandra, but—’

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“I won’t take no for an answer,” she interrupted with a laugh. “You deserve nice things.”

Then she turned to me with an expression of rehearsed remorse.

“Sorry, Annie, I honestly didn’t know you’d be here…”

“Really?” I asked, tilting my head slightly. “And where else would I be on Christmas besides with my boyfriend?

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Chapter 244

“Boyfriend?” Alexandra repeated, as if the word were brand new to her. “So you’re admitting it’s that serious already?”

“It’s been serious for me since the moment I laid eyes on her,” Nate said without hesitation, taking my hand in a way that was both affectionate and unmistakably possessive.

Dinner that followed was a masterclass in civilized social tension. Elizabeth had prepared a wonderful meal, but I could barely taste it with my stomach churning from Alexandra’s presence and her constant attempts to dominate the conversation.

She talked about her family, about recent trips, about important people she knew-always sprinkling in the kind of details meant to remind everyone of her elevated social status.

“…and then when they opened the door of the room next to mine, it was none other than Beyoncé,” she said with that polished laugh, making everyone at the table smile politely. “We ended up sharing an insanely expensive bottle of wine and laughing about the paparazzi in the lobby.”

Nate and I exchanged a tired look. Both of us were clearly drained by her nonstop performance.

“And what about New Year’s?” she continued casually, slicing her steak with delicate precision. “I’m so excited for the Kensington New Year’s party. It’s going to be the event of the year, as always. Are you going, Tori?” she asked, turning toward Nate’s sister.

“I’m not sure what I’m doing for New Year’s yet,” Tori answered, clearly flattered to be included.

“But of course you’re going,” Alexandra insisted with that smile that refused contradiction. “As my personal guest. I need my friend there.”

Something in the way she said that unsettled me deeply. It wasn’t a casual invitation between friends. There was an urgency to it, like Tori played a role in some larger plan I couldn’t quite piece together.

“And what about you two?” Alexandra finally turned her attention to me and Nate. “Are you really going to risk showing up as a couple? Especially after Annie nearly got Nate fired from Kensington.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Richard froze with his fork halfway to his mouth, staring between Nate and me with pure confusion.

“What?”

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