Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 452

Chapter 452

Madeline’s POV

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The morning was freezing, a low fog hovering over the river where the rafting activity would take place. I was wrapped in a thick coat and still felt the cold sinking straight into my bones. Zoey stood beside me in the spectator area, just as bundled up and just as visibly irritated about not being able to participate.

“This is torture,” she muttered, adjusting her orthopedic boot. “Standing here watching while everyone else gets to have fun.”

“I know how frustrating it is,” I replied, watching the teams get ready. “But at least we’re staying warm.” “You’re not even a little tempted to join?” Zoey asked.

I looked at the river, where small waves crashed against the rocks and steam rose from the icy water. “Honestly?” I admitted. “I’m kind of grateful I’m not competing. It’s freezing, and just thinking about falling into that water gives me chills.”

Zoey laughed but shook her head, clearly wishing she were out there.

“At least we’re guaranteed some entertainment,” she said, pointing to where Dante was helping carry one of the rafts. “If it’s up to your substitute over there, he’ll seduce every Ross woman so they’re too distracted to paddle.”

Zoey laughed loudly, watching as Dante had already managed to make at least three women from the opposing team laugh at something he’d said.

“He’s effective, I’ll give him that,” she commented.

We kept watching the preparations, but soon I noticed an interesting dynamic unfolding. Luke was helping Olivia with her life jacket, his hands lingering a little longer than necessary around her waist as he tightened the straps.

“Looks like Dante isn’t the only charmer here,” Zoey observed, clearly having noticed the same thing. “Luke is being very… attentive.”

“He is,” I agreed, watching the way Olivia smiled at Luke in a way that went well beyond polite gratitude.

“Teams, take your positions!” the organizer shouted through a megaphone.

Each team selected eighteen representatives for the rafting challenge. Three rafts per team were placed in the water, with six people in each. Marcus captained the first Kensington raft with Mia and four employees. Luke led the second raft with Olivia, Dante, and three more team members. Christian took the third raft with five other employees.

“The race beings… Now!”

The rafts shot forward, paddles slicing through the water with determination. The competition was clearly intense. The teams weren’t just racing for speed, they were actively trying to sabotage each other in creative

ways.

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“Look at that,” Zoey said, laughing. “The Ross team is trying to splash the Montgomery raft!”

The race was competitive and slightly aggressive, with some rafts deliberately ramming others with their paddles as they sped downstream toward the finish line. It was pure chaos, and I was very thankful not to be in the middle of that freezing mess.

But then I noticed something wrong with Marcus’s raft.

“Zoey,” I said, pointing. “There’s water coming in.”

“What?” Zoey stood up, squinting to see better from a distance.

“They’re taking on water,” I insisted, my heart starting to race.

“Probably sabotage again,” Zoey said immediately, her voice tight with anger. “Vivian just doesn’t quit.”

Marcus’s raft was sitting noticeably lower in the water than it should have been. I could see him gesturing sharply at Mia and the others, clearly trying to figure out where the leak was coming from and how to block it. “Do you think they’ll make it?” I asked, my anxiety spiking with every second.

“Marcus’s smart,” Zoey tried to reassure me. “He’ll figure something out.”

And he did. I could see him organizing the people in his raft, ordering some to keep paddling while others searched for the source of the leak. But they were losing speed and height in the water fast.

“Careful!” I shouted instinctively when I saw one of the Ross rafts drifting dangerously close to Marcus’s already compromised one.

But it was too late.

In the chaos of the race, the opposing raft slammed Marcus’s into a large rock jutting out of the river.

The impact was audible even from where we stood. The raft jolted violently, and in the next second I saw Marcus thrown straight into the icy water.

“Marcus!” I screamed, springing to my feet without thinking.

I held my breath, every muscle in my body locking up as I searched the water for him. The river wasn’t very deep at that point, but the current was strong, and the water was clearly freezing.

“There!” Zoey pointed.

I saw Marcus surface, disoriented but moving. The rescue team that had been monitoring the race reached him within seconds.

“Team Kensington disqualified!” the organizer announced through the megaphone. “Their leader did not complete the course!”

I didn’t care about the disqualification. Not even a little. All I could think about was Marcus being pulled from the water, visibly shaking even from a distance.

“Come on,” Zoey said, already limping toward the landing area. “They’re bringing him to shore.”

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We reached the rescue point just as Marcus was being helped out of the river. He was soaked from head to toe, shivering uncontrollably, his lips nearly blue from the cold.

“Marcus!” I cried, running toward him.

“Hey, hey,” one of the paramedics said, stopping me gently but firmly. “He’s wet and showing signs of mild hypothermia. You can’t risk catching pneumonia, especially while pregnant.”

“But is he okay?” I asked desperately, trying to look past the medic’s shoulder.

“He’ll be fine,” the man assured me. “But we’re taking him to the medical wing of the complex to warm him up properly and keep him under observation for a few hours.”

“Can I go with you?”

“Better not,” he said kindly. “You can visit later, once he’s stabilized.”

I stood there helplessly as they wrapped Marcus in thermal blankets and helped him walk toward the vehicle that would take him for treatment. Before getting inside, he lifted a trembling hand and gave me a weak wave, trying to reassure me even like that.

But it was impossible not to worry. Every part of me wanted to be at his side. To take care of him. To personally make sure he was okay. And not being able to do that, not even being able to touch him, was almost physically painful.

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