Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Zoey’s POV

The parking lot was nearly empty, giving me a few precious minutes to breathe and try to collect my thoughts. Edward was probably already spreading word at the event that I had resigned. In a few minutes, my phone would start buzzing with messages from Lisa and the rest of the team-surprised, confused, maybe even disappointed.

But before I could deal with any of those consequences, I had something more important to do.

I turned back and reentered the complex, this time avoiding the main hall. I needed to find Christian-and fast.

I spotted Marcus first, overseeing some final adjustments to an interactive display. When he saw me, his brows shot up in surprise.

“Zoey Bennett.” He smiled-polite, but distant. “I heard you had… an interesting afternoon.”

“News travels fast.” I kept my tone neutral. “I need to speak with Christian. It’s urgent.”

Marcus hesitated, clearly weighing whether or not he should help me.

“He’s in a quick meeting with the tech team.”

I nodded my thanks and headed in the direction he indicated. Christian stood with his back to me, talking with two men who were gesturing toward an open laptop. I took a deep breath and stepped closer.

“Christian?”

He turned, surprise flickering across his face. For an instant, something else flashed in his eyes-concern? relief? but it was quickly replaced by the CEO mask I knew so well.

“Zoey.” He turned to the technicians. “Give me a minute, please.”

When the men stepped away, Christian led me toward an even more secluded corner, well out of earshot.

“Are you alright?” His voice was softer now. “I heard what happened with Elise.”

“I’m fine.” I dismissed it with a wave of my hand. “That’s not why I came.”

He waited, focused.

“Sunvale is planning to sabotage Kensington’s presentation tomorrow,” I blurted out, keeping my voice low.” Something about an important contract with Ascian importers you’re competing for.”

Christian’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re sure of this?”

“Absolutely.” I swallowed hard, aware that I was possibly violating confidentiality clauses. “Technically, I could be sued just for telling you this. But I couldn’t let it happen.”

“Why?”

The question caught me off guard.

“What do you mean, why?”

“Why are you telling me?” His gaze was intense, searching. “This could hurt your career.”

“I don’t have a career at Sunvale anymore.” I lifted my chin, holding his eyes. “I resigned the moment Edward suggested I should take part in the sabotage.”

A shadow crossed Christian’s face.

“Edward Mendez.” The name came out almost like a growl. “I always suspected his tactics.”

“Well, you were right about him from the start.” I glanced around nervously. “I only found out today that he hired me because of my… connection to you.”

More than that, I kept wondering where she would go. She had quit her job and was far from home. My concern only deepened when I quietly learned from the event organizers that Zoey was staying at the same hotel as the Sunvale team.

When the day’s events finally wrapped up, I drove to the hotel, an elegant establishment a few kilometers from the convention complex.

The lobby was nearly empty when I walked in. And there she was, standing near the reception desk, a medium suitcase at her side, her phone pressed to her ear. Her expression shifted from frustrated to defeated as she spoke.

“I understand the ticket is still valid for the scheduled date, but I need to know if it’s possible to move it up… Yes, I know the rescheduling fee is high. No, I can’t cover that right now… Fine. I’ll keep the original booking then.”

She hung up, clearly irritated, running a hand over her face in exhaustion.

When she turned, it happened so quickly neither of us had time to avoid it. We collided, her shoulder bumping against my chest.

“Sorry, I-” She looked up, her eyes widening when she recognized me. “Christian? What are you doing here?”

“I came to see how you were.” I kept my tone casual, despite the obvious tension between us. “I couldn’t help overhearing your call. Trouble with your flight?”

She sighed again, the frustration still evident.

“Nothing major. I was trying to move up my flight, but the fee is basically the price of a new ticket.” She glanced around, uneasy. “And apparently, I’ll have to find somewhere else to stay until Saturday. Sunvale canceled my reservation the moment I resigned.”

“Can I help in any way?”

She gave me a look that was part incredulity, part wounded pride.

“Unless you know of a really cheap hotel around here, I don’t think so.”

I hesitated, weighing what I was about to suggest. It was probably a bad idea. Definitely complicated. But the thought of Zoey with nowhere to go-especially after she’d been honest with me about the sabotage-was unbearable.

“You can stay at the mansion.”