Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Marcus’ POV

“You had to admit the proposal for the Ascian market was brilliant,” Christian said, savoring the Kensington Ve I’d poured. “Even coming from Gwen.”

I watched my cousin from the armchair where I sat in my Belmonte apartment. The place was discreet but refined-nothing flashy, nothing that drew attention, but comfortable enough to host family without looking like I was completely hiding from my social life.

“Gwen had always had good ideas,” I admitted. “The problem was execution.”

“Speaking of execution…” Christian leaned forward, wearing that look I knew far too well. “When were you going back to your position? You’d been ‘taking time off’ for six months now. Joseph was starting to ask questions.”

Zoey, seated beside her husband on the couch, rolled her eyes.

“Leave Marcus alone, love. He deserved some time.”

“Thank you, Zoey,” I said with a small smile. “But Christian is right. I need to go back eventually.”

“So why haven’t you?” Christian pressed. “Unless there’s something keeping you here in Belmonte…”

I dropped Gwen’s name into the conversation to steer it elsewhere.

“Maybe I’m waiting to see if Gwen could actually pull off those genius ideas of hers first.”

“You didn’t hear?” Zoey laughed. “Gwen created the most insane online concept. She called it Wine & Love-a show where people could only meet if they had exactly the same taste in wine.”

“How does that even work?” I asked, genuinely confused. I’d stepped back from almost everything these past months, showing up only for a few key board meetings.

“She rented a studio in Hangok and created a show where participants tasted wines blindfolded and then chose a romantic match based on their reactions to the same wine,” Zoey explained animatedly. “The idea is that’ soulmates shared the same palate.”

Christian shook his head, laughing.

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“Joseph nearly had a heart attack. Said it was ‘ridiculous to use wine as a matchmaking tool in Ascian media.”” “And everyone thought it was going to flop,” Zoey continued. “Because supposedly Ascian cultures are more conservative about these kinds of dating shows, right?”

“And did it flop?” I asked, already suspecting the answer.

“Quite the opposite,” she said brightly. “Turns out everyone wanted a chance to date a pop idol from Hangok. It became an absolute phenomenon. People started studying wine just to get on the show, we sold three thousand bottles in the first week alone, and now there was a six-month waiting list just to participate.”

“I can’t believe it,” I said, genuinely impressed.

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Yesterday he called asking if we could do a Verdanian version.”

“Gwen must’ve felt vindicated,” I said.

She did,” Zoey confirmed, laughing.

We fell into a brief silence, drinking and taking in the city view through the apartment windows. It was a pleasant late afternoon, and having Christian and Zoey there made me feel less isolated than I’d been over the last two months.

Zoey studied me quietly for a few seconds, wearing that analytical look she always had when she was piecing something together.

“But what about you?” she finally said. “You’re quieter than usual. Is this still about that woman?”

I felt my body tense without meaning to. Zoey had always been far too perceptive for her own good.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I dodged, taking a sip of my wine.

“Of course you do,” she pressed. “You’ve been different since you got back from your ‘mysterious vacation.’ Christian might not have noticed, but I notice these things.”

Christian glanced between the two of us, clearly lost.

“What are you talking about?”

I sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding it from Zoey. When it came to secrets, she was like a bloodhound.

“The problem isn’t Madeline,” I finally said. “It’s her ex-fiancé. Dominic.”

At that, Zoey’s eyes went wide, like she’d just been electrocuted.

“Wait.” She straightened on the couch, setting her wineglass on the table. “Madeline… Dominic…? You have to be kidding me, Marcus.”

I frowned, thrown by the intensity of her reaction.

“Why would I be kidding?”

“I read about that wedding in the society columns!” she exclaimed, gesturing animatedly. “It was one of the most talked-about stories of the past few months!”

“Really?” I asked, a sharp spike of anxiety hitting my chest.

Zoey stared at me like I’d just asked what color the sky was.

“Madeline Sullivan’s wedding to Dominic Blackwood,” she said slowly. “It was everywhere, Marcus. Every gossip blog, every society magazine. It was a huge scandal when she ran from the altar.”

The blood in my veins went ice-cold. Sullivan. That was her last name.

“But then,” Zoey continued, far too excited to notice the look on my face, “they released an official statement saying she’d been admitted to a luxury psychiatric clinic for treatment.”

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“A clinic?” I managed, my voice coming out rougher than I meant it to. “She was with me in the Maldives.”

“Everyone knows that was just to save face,” Zoey said casually, like she was commenting on the weather.” They rescheduled it. Th

wedding’s happening in a month.”

The world stopped.

Madeline was getting married to Dominic in a month.

Christian, who had stayed quiet the entire time, finally spoke, “Marcus? Are you okay? You’re pale.”

I couldn’t answer. My mind was still trying to process everything Zoey had just dumped on me all at once.

“How do you know about the Sullivan family?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.

“Marcus, everyone knows the Sullivans,” Christian answered for her. “The amusement parks? They’re a landmark in Verdania. Or they were, at least. They’ve been having financial trouble for a few years now.”

“And Dominic Blackwood?” I pushed.

Zoey and Christian exchanged a thoughtful look.

“Renowned executive,” Christian said. “Works in mergers and acquisitions, if I’m not mistaken. Buys companies, restructures them, then sells. Solid reputation in the market.”

“He’s not the type who shows up in the media much,” Zoey added. “More discreet, you know? Likes to keep business out of the spotlight.”

‘Of course he does,’ I thought bitterly. ‘A man who presses a gun to the back of another man’s head doesn’t want his name splashed across headlines.’

I closed my eyes, the weight of it all crashing down on me like an avalanche. Madeline wasn’t just going back to an unhappy marriage. She was going back to a marriage with someone far more dangerous than anyone around her realized. And the threats I’d witnessed firsthand proved he wouldn’t hesitate to use violence to get what he wanted.

And in one month, it would be too late.

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