Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 303

Chapter 303

The days that followed dragged by in a gray, monotonous haze. My apartment became both my refuge and my prison, a place where I could sort through my tangled emotions without having to pretend I was fine for the outside world.

Nate texted me regularly. They weren’t desperate or suffocating messages. Somehow, he’d found a careful balance between staying present and giving me the space I clearly needed. Sometimes it was just a good morning. Other times he’d ask how I was, or share some small detail about his day. He never pushed for a reply, never begged to talk, never tried to make me feel guilty for my silence.

I read every single one. I didn’t answer any of them.

His calls followed the same pattern. My phone would ring, his name lighting up the screen, and I’d let it go to voicemail. He never called obsessively, respecting my choice not to pick up-but he didn’t disappear either. It was as if he was gently reminding me that he was still there, waiting, whenever I was ready.

Part of me appreciated the care behind it. It showed he knew me well enough to understand that pressure would only make me pull away more. Another part of me was irritated by just how well he could read me.

I tried to distract myself in every way I could. I binge-watched an entire season of a British series about Victorian detectives. I read two novels that had been collecting dust on my shelf for months. I even buried myself in work I could do from home by organizing projects for January, getting a head start on tasks I usually left until after the holidays. None of it managed to push Nate completely out of my thoughts.

Gwen reached out a few times, sending careful messages asking how I was, if I needed anything, if I wanted to talk. I replied briefly that I was fine, thanks for checking in, but that I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. She respected my space, even though I could feel her worry through the screen.

told

Zoey stayed in touch like she always did. She sent pictures of Matt, shared funny stories about motherhood, me about their New Year’s plans in Verdania. I responded normally, keeping things light, giving no hint that anything was wrong. I didn’t want to worry her with my problems during the holidays-especially when I was still trying to process everything myself.

But when December 30th arrived, I knew I couldn’t keep avoiding the decision. The Kensington New Year’s party was the next day, and I had to decide whether I was going to go. Whether I would try to talk to Nate. Whether I was ready to face what was between us, or keep hiding indefinitely.

sat on the couch with a cup of tea that went cold in my hands as I stared at my phone. Finally, I called Zoey and

asked for a video chat.

My sister’s familiar face appeared on the screen, Matt asleep in her arms in a position that looked uncomfortable but was clearly working for him. Behind her was the luxurious living room of the Kensington mansion in Verdania, decorated with subtle New Year’s touches.

“Hey, love,” Zoey said, flashing that warm smile that always made me feel at home. “How are you? It’s so good to see you.”

“Okay… kind of,” I replied, searching for the right tone. “Actually, I need to tell you something. Something kind of happened here.”

“Uh-oh.” Zoey adjusted Matt so he was more comfortable and gave me her full attention. “Spill. And don’t you

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dare give me the short version. I want all the juicy details.”

So I told her everything. The devastating discovery that Wanderer had been Nate all along. The confrontation. My fainting. Our fight. My silence over the past few days. Zoey listened without interrupting, her expressions shifting from surprise to shock, then to understanding, and finally settling into that analytical look I knew all too well.

“Wow, Annie,” she said when I finished. “That’s… a lot. Like, a lot. Nate being Wanderer? Seriously? All this time?”

“All this time,” I confirmed. “And Gwen knew. She knew the whole time and didn’t tell me. And I was walking around like an idiot, torn between two men who were actually the same person.”

Zoey went quiet for a moment, studying me through the screen with that piercing gaze that always made me slightly uncomfortable.

“I know what’s really bothering you,” she said finally.

“What do you mean?” I asked, frowning.

“You’re mad because you’re not actually mad,” she said with the infuriating confidence only an older sister can pull off.

“Zoey!” I protested automatically.

But she was right, and we both knew it. I had tried to be angry. I’d fought with Nate, confronted Gwen, clung to that outrage because it felt like the correct response, the expected reaction when someone lies to you. But deep down I wasn’t truly furious. I was hurt by how it was done, by the lie, by the feeling of being deceived. But the truth itself? The revelation that Wanderer was Nate? That part didn’t make me angry.

I sighed, my shoulders finally sagging.

“How do you know me so well?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“Because we’re not just sisters, Annie. We’re soulmates,” she said simply. “And because I know what this feels like. Remember when I found out about Christian? All that initial chaos?”

I remembered. Zoey had gone through her own emotional roller coaster with Christian at the beginning of their relationship.

“It’s just that… I think I need to be angry because, in a way, Nate did deceive me,” I said slowly. “But at the same time, I’m relieved. The two men I had feelings for are the same person. And that’s… actually amazing. It proves we connected on every level. Physically, emotionally…”

I paused, heat creeping up my cheeks.

“Sexually,” I added softly.

“I know,” Zoey said with a grin. “But you feel like you should be angry, right? Because what he did wasn’t fair.”

“Exactly. I need to be angry, don’t I?” I asked, hating how unsure I sounded.

“You don’t need to be anything, Annie,” Zoey said firmly. “Since when have you let society’s expectations run

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your life? You’ve always been the most authentic person I know. Don’t change that now.”

“When did you get so philosophical?” I asked, impressed by my sister’s wisdom.

“Becoming a mom changes a lot,” she replied, glancing down at Matt with affection. “You learn that life’s too short to waste time being unhappy over how you think you’re supposed to feel.”

We sat in silence for a moment, me turning her words over in my mind while I watched her gently stroke Matt’s.

hair.

“So what should I do?” I asked at last.

“Talk to Nate,” she said without hesitation. “Make it clear you won’t tolerate any more lies or half-truths. But… try to find a way to understand each other, because-”

She looked straight at me through the screen.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

I thought about it for a long moment, letting the truth finally settle. Despite all the confusion, all the hurt, all the sense of betrayal… deep down, I knew the answer.

“That’s what I want.”