Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33

“Confirm with the Cabernet promoters that they’re supposed to be at station three, not two,” I instructed Lisa, while adjusting the small Sunvale pin on my navy blazer.

The event hall was flawless. The soft lighting created a sophisticated atmosphere, highlighting the wine displays and the infographics about the winery’s production process. The first guests would be arriving in ten minutes, and my team moved with coordinated efficiency, making the final adjustments.

“Zoey, Edward wants to see you in the lobby,” one of the assistants said as he passed by.

I found my boss near the main entrance, nervously adjusting his tie. Edward Mendez was a man in his early forties, with an energy that made it hard for anyone around him to stand still.

“Ah, Zoey!” His face lit up when he saw me. “Everything’s perfect. You’ve exceeded my expectations once again.”

“Thank you. The team worked hard.”

“The team followed your instructions.” He smiled, but there was something calculating in his eyes that I’d begun to notice more and more over the past few weeks. “Listen, I need you to pay special attention to the Association’s representatives. The president, Robert Sanders, is crucial for our expansion plans.”

“I’ve already assigned Lisa to accompany him throughout the event.”

“Excellent.” He checked his watch. “And what about the Kensingtons?”

That uncomfortable feeling returned. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, Edward’s insistence on the Kensingtons always left me uneasy.

“Christian Kensington himself confirmed,” Edward said, watching me closely as if studying my reaction. “Along with his export director.”

I kept my expression neutral, though my heart sped up. In just a few hours, I’d be face to face with Christian. After three months. Ninety-two days, to be exact. Not that I’d been counting.

“I’ll assign someone appropriate to receive them.”

“Actually…” Edward placed a hand on my shoulder. “I thought you could do it yourself. Considering your… previous relationship with him.”

The way Edward always mentioned my past with Christian grated on me. Ever since the interview, when he’d remarked that “personal connections can open professional doors, I’d been trying to prove my worth as more than just “Kensington’s fiancée.”

“Of course. No problem.”.

Edward gave my shoulder a light squeeze before moving off to greet the first guests as they arrived.

During the first hour of the event, I managed to keep my mind occupied with a thousand operational details. Lisa needed guidance with a difficult sommelier. One of the interactive displays malfunctioned. An influential critic arrived early and demanded immediate attention.

It was while I was explaining the oak notes in our Special Reserve to that critic that I felt it. That unmistakable sensation of being watched. Of being watched by him.

I turned slowly, and there was Christian Kensington, standing near the entrance. Impeccable in a charcoal suit that looked like it had been sewn directly onto his body. His hair perfectly styled, his stubble at that precise balance between careless and refined. Beside him, an older man carried a folder and appeared to be taking notes on a tablet.

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