Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 348

Chapter 348

Marcus’ POV

The Kensington estate in Highridge Valley had been completely transformed.

Gardens meticulously decorated with white and gold floral arrangements. Elegant tents spread across the property. A festive energy that reached even the most serious staff members. Annie and Nathaniel’s wedding had mobilized the entire family, along with friends, business partners, and important clients. The result looked

ke something straight out of a luxury magazine.

I parked my Ducati near the main entrance, pulled off my helmet, and ran a hand through my wind-tousled hair. A few curious glances came my way. After all, it wasn’t every day someone showed up to a Kensington wedding on a motorcycle. But I needed that sense of freedom on the road, especially today.

The white envelope inside my leather jacket felt like it was made of lead.

“Marcus!” Christian appeared in the entrance hall, impeccable in his tailored suit, but his expression shifted the moment he saw me. “What’s with that face? Today’s a celebration.”

I forced a smile that never quite reached my eyes.

“I need to talk to you. In the office.”

“Now?” Christian frowned, glancing at the guests arriving. “The ceremony starts in two hours.”

“That’s exactly why.”

Something in my tone made him stop questioning me. He led me through the familiar corridors of the mansion to the office I’d known since childhood, the same place our grandfather used to gather us to talk business when we were teenagers.

Christian closed the door and turned to face me, arms crossed..

“Talk.”

I pulled the envelope from my jacket and handed it to him, feeling the weight of years of postponed decisions.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” I said simply.

Christian took the envelope reluctantly, his blue eyes studying me with growing intensity. When he tore it open. and read the first lines, his expression changed completely.

“A resignation letter?” His voice rose. “You’re stepping down as COO?”

“I am.”

“Marcus, what the hell is this?” Christian slammed the paper onto the desk, clearly angry. “You drop a bomb like this on me out of nowhere? I needed time to plan! Kensington Ascia doesn’t run itself!”

“Everything’s already been planned,” I replied calmly, even as the tension thickened the air. “Gwen is more than ready to take over the operation. She knows every contract, has solid relationships with our key clients, and more strategic vision than I’ll ever have.”

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“Gwen?”

“And

will be the perfect right hand,” I continued. “He understands the local culture, speaks fluently,

and has the kind of young energy the company needs to keep growing in the Ascian market.”

Christian watched me for a long moment, and I could see the exact second when everything clicked.

“This has something to do with your early-thirties crisis?” he asked, irritation giving way to something almost clinical. “Or that bike outside? Or maybe your ex getting married in a few hours?”

I let out a deep sigh and walked over to the window overlooking the gardens where Annie would be celebrating her wedding in just a few hours.

“Maybe Annie’s wedding sped things up a bit,” I admitted.

“Do you still love her?”

“No,” I answered without hesitation, and it was the truth. “What I feel for her now is almost brotherly affection. I’m genuinely happy she found happiness with Carter. They complete each other in a way we never did.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

I turned back to face my cousin, searching for the right words to explain the restlessness that had been eating at me for months.

“The problem is that I didn’t know how to recognize something real when I had it,” I said, surprised by my own honesty. “With Annie, I had an incredible woman who was smart, passionate, and extraordinary… and I let her slip away because I was too focused on… having fun.”

“Marcus…”

“Let me finish,” I cut in. “Today, seeing her so happy and complete with someone who truly values her made me realize I wasted my chance. Not because I still love her romantically, but because I learned something important: the next time the right moment shows up, I won’t let it slip away.’

Christian nodded slowly, starting to understand.

“And that isn’t going to happen with me sitting behind a desk in the Imperial City,” I went on. “It won’t happen working eighteen-hour days, flying from meeting to meeting, living for spreadsheets and quarterly reports.”

“You want to know what it means to actually live.”

“I want to know who I am when I’m not COO Marcus Kensington,” I confirmed. “I want to travel without a schedule, see places that aren’t on the company itinerary. Maybe even meet someone who makes me feel what

Annie feels when she looks at Nathaniel.”

Silence stretched between us. Christian walked back to the desk, picked up the letter, and reread it more carefully.

“You’ve really thought this through?” he asked at last.

“I’ve been thinking about it for months. Annie’s wedding just gave me the final push.”

“And what if you regret it?”

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“Then I deal with the consequences,” I said. “But I’d rather regret trying than regret never having tried at all.”

Christian folded the letter neatly and slid it into the desk drawer.

“Alright,” he said, even though his expression still showed some resistance. “I’ll accept your leave. But you’re not off the board, understand? If I need you, I’m calling.”

“Always,” I promised, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

ristian stepped closer and pulled me into a tight hug.

“You’re an idiot,” he muttered. “But I get it.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Now let’s go,” he said, stepping back and straightening his suit. “My sister-in-law and my best friend are about to get married, and I need my cousin by my side to celebrate.”

We left the office together, and for the first time in months, I felt like I was finally walking in the right direction. Annie’s wedding would mark the end of one chapter of my life, and the beginning of another. One I would write on my own terms.

Life was just beginning.

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