Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 394

Chapter 394

Madeline’s POV

The tried keep up with all the introductions Marcus insisted on making. It felt like he wanted me to personally meet every important person in his life in a single night. It was a task my already overwhelmed brain was clearly not prepared for.

edding reception was in full swing in the mansion’s illuminated gardens, and my head was spinning as I

“This is my mother, Beatrice,” Marcus said, guiding me toward an elegant woman with impeccably styled hair. She radiated that effortless aristocratic grace some people simply seemed born with.

“It’s a pleasure, dear,” Beatrice said, kissing both my cheeks with practiced ease. Her eyes assessed me quickly. Not unkindly, but more curious than anything.

“And this is my father, John,” Marcus continued, introducing me to a more reserved man who greeted me with a polite but distant nod.

I tried to memorize their faces, their energy, their presence, but I could already feel the names starting to blur together in my mind when Marcus led me toward the next group.

“Nonno Joseph-he’s been eager to meet you,” he said, guiding me to the family patriarch, who pulled me into a warm, genuine hug that instantly melted something inside my chest.

“Welcome to the family, Madeline,” Joseph said, his weathered hands holding mine firmly. “It was about time our Marcus settled down. I can see he chose well.”

Before I could fully process the weight of his words, Marcus was already steering me toward more guests.

“You’ve already met Christian,” he said, gesturing to his cousin, who raised his glass toward us with a smile. ” And this is Nathaniel-Annie’s husband.”

Nathaniel was tall, with a faint British accent and a genuinely warm expression as he greeted me.

“I’ve heard quite a bit about you,” he said with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

“And this is my brother, Luke,” Marcus continued, introducing me to a man who clearly shared the same genes –but with a much more extroverted personality.

“Finally!” Luke exclaimed, wrapping me in a hug like we were old friends. “The mysterious woman from the Maldives.”

I smiled politely, trying to absorb all the information as more and more people came up to greet me. Faces blurred together, names tangled in my head, and I started to feel like I was trapped in a strange dream where everyone knew my story, but I knew nothing about theirs.

After an hour of polite conversations with dozens of people whose names I’d already forgotten, I finally managed to slip away and escape to the bar set up on the terrace. I needed a moment to breathe. To process everything that was happening.

“A tonic water, please,” I asked the bartender, feeling instant relief just standing somewhere I didn’t have to smile or make small talk.

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“I’m guessing you’d rather have a real drink,” a familiar voice said beside me.

I turned to see Zoey standing there, holding what looked like a colorful cocktail. I hadn’t even noticed her approach.

“I would kill for a drink,” I admitted, laughing in a way that mixed desperation and humor.

Zoey laughed too, clearly understanding.

“I have the perfect solution,” she said, leaning in as if she were about to share a secret. “When I was pregnant and needed to relax, I used to make a non-alcoholic drink that saved my sanity. Cranberry juice, sparkling water, lemon juice, a little ginger syrup, and some mint leaves. No alcohol, but enough flavor to work wonders on your nerves.”

“That sounds perfect,” I said, already feeling less suffocated just imagining it.

“I’ll have the bartender make one for you,” Zoey said, stepping away with a conspiratorial smile.

I was alone for a few precious minutes, watching the party unfold around me. Couples danced on the improvised dance floor, groups chatted animatedly under the soft lights, and Marcus moved through the guests with the ease of someone born for that kind of social setting.

“Finally. A chance to talk to the bride.”

I turned.

“Mia, right?” I pulled the name from memory.

She looked a few years younger than me, maybe mid-twenties. She had the same elegant bone structure as the Kensingtons, the same eyes-but there was something more direct, more unguarded in her expression.

“The sister,” she confirmed, watching me closely. “You two make a beautiful couple.” She smiled, but there was something serious beneath the casual tone. “But… can I be honest with you?”

I nodded, even though part of me was already bracing myself.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen my brother truly commit to someone,” she said, leaning against the bar beside me. “And the fact that it all happened so fast that we didn’t even get the chance to know you beforehand -is… strange.”

I opened my mouth to explain, to find words that could justify the complicated chain of events that had brought us here, but Mia stopped me with a small wave of her hand.

“Marcus told me everything,” she said simply. “I know the situation. I know the reasons. I know this wasn’t a reckless decision.”

Relief flickered briefly in my chest. I thought she might be about to reassure me, maybe even offer support.

But then her tone shifted, turning more serious.

“What I wonder is this: are you willing to give yourself to this marriage as much as he is?” she asked quietly. “Or are you going to walk away and move on as soon as you feel safe enough?”

The question hit me like a punch to the stomach. I looked at her and saw genuine concern in her eyes.

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“Because…” she continued, choosing her words carefully, “I don’t want to be the annoying sister-in-law. But I love my brother, and I don’t want to see him get hurt. So just think about it, okay? Either you stay for real and give yourself fully to this… or you walk away before it’s too late.”

She paused, looking straight at me.

“No..hat it isn’t already late. But… before it’s even later. Before he truly falls in love.”

With that, Mia walked away, leaving me alone at the bar with her words echoing in my head like warning bells.

Was I being selfish with Marcus?

The question settled in my chest like a physical weight. I scanned the party, spotting Marcus laughing with a group of older men, probably talking business or wine. He looked completely at ease, in his element, surrounded by people who had known him for years.

And there I was. A stranger in the middle of his life. Using his last name as protection. Carrying a child who might not even be his. Accepting his proposal because I was desperate and out of options.

He had offered me safety. Protection. A new life. He had mobilized his entire family, rearranged his plans, married me within days.

And what was I offering in return?

Gratitude?

That didn’t seem like enough.

Mia was right to question my willingness to fully commit to this marriage because, honestly, I didn’t know yet if

I could. I was still trying to process everything that had happened. Still adjusting to the idea of being a

Kensington. Still figuring out who Marcus was beyond the man who had saved me.

But he deserved more than that. He deserved someone who stayed by choice, not out of desperation. Someone who could meet his devotion with something equally meaningful.

The real question was this: could I be that person?

Or was I just using his kindness until I found a better way out?

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