Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 476

Chapter 476

Marcus’ POV

I called Christian the next morning, knowing the conversation wouldn’t be easy. He answered on the second ring, his voice already thick with the exasperation I recognized instantly.

“You barely just got back and you’re already asking for time off again?” he snapped, not even bothering with a greeting. “Do you have any idea how much work we put into strengthening your leadership with

the Valentian team?”

I couldn’t help smiling at the familiar frustration in his voice. Christian had always been the most business-focused one, the person who kept everything running while the rest of us occasionally got sidetracked by personal matters.

“You know who was also at the camp?” I asked, deciding to use a little humor to soften the blow. “Dante. Ever thought about him as a leader? Gwen trained him well.”

Christian laughed on the other end of the line, and I could picture him shaking his head in disbelief.

“You cannot be serious.”

“More or less,” I admitted, laughing too. “I know you’ll know what to do for now, but… I need to be here for Madeline.”

Christian’s tone shifted immediately, the lightness disappearing, replaced by genuine concern.

“Marcus, this is insane. You both need to go back somewhere safe. Dominic is there, with all his resources, and you want to stay?”

“I’m going to make this a safe place,” I replied, with a conviction that surprised even me.

“And I’m the one with the reputation for being stubborn,” Christian muttered, though there was something in his voice that sounded almost like reluctant admiration.

I smiled, recognizing the truth in that.

“I think it’s worth being stubborn for the right person.”

Christian let out a heavy sigh, and I could hear him leaning back in his chair, probably running a hand through his hair the way he always did when processing something complicated.

“Alright,” he said at last. “Go be happy with your wife. I’ll handle Kensington Valentia for now-even though the timing couldn’t be worse.”

That last part immediately caught my attention. My posture straightened, my mind snapping into work

mode.

“Worst timing how?”

“I was actually going to tell you,” Christian said, and from his tone I could tell something serious was

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coming. “We’ve had complaints about the quality of some batches from the organic line. They had to be

recalled.”

My stomach tightened. Quality complaints were almost unheard of at Kensington, and recalls were practically nonexistent.

“Do you know how many times Kensington has had to recall product, Marcus?” Christian continued, his

voice carrying a tension I rarely heard from him. “Never.”

I frowned, trying to process the weight of what he was telling me. Kensington’s reputation had been built over generations on unquestionable quality standards. A recall wasn’t just a logistical or financial problem-it was a stain on our history.

“What exactly was alleged?”

“That the quality didn’t meet the winery’s standards,” Christian explained, clearly choosing his words carefully. “They weren’t bad wines, but they weren’t Kensington-level. We recalled them for a full analysis, and we’re trying to contain this before the specialized press turns it into a bigger scandal.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, mentally calculating the implications. An isolated issue could be managed. But if it was systemic-if something was wrong with our production process or quality control

“How many batches?”

“Three so far,” Christian replied. “All from the organic line. All from the same production period. We’re investigating whether it was an issue with the harvest, fermentation, or storage. Matthew is personally overseeing the investigation.”

“I get how serious this is, but…” I said, trying to inject a bit of confidence into the conversation. “You’ve

handled far worse.”

“Yes,” Christian agreed, “but always with my favorite cousin by my side.”

I laughed, but there was truth in that. Despite having other cousins in the business, Christian and I were more like brothers-we grew up together, learned together. We were the duo everyone knew worked.

“I’m always available. Anything you need, call me. I can work remotely, join meetings by video. I won’t

leave you completely on your own.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Christian warned, though I could hear the smile in his voice. “And Marcus? Be happy. Truly. After everything you’ve been through, you both deserve it.”

“Thanks, Christian. For everything.”

“That’s what family is for.”

We hung up, and I stayed there for a few moments, phone still in my hand, reflecting on my reality. Once again, I was stepping away from Kensington-at least temporarily. The first time had been in search of myself, trying to understand who Marcus was beyond being a Kensington heir. Now I was stepping back

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again, but this time I wasn’t alone or lost.

It was Madeline and me, working together to rebuild the Sullivan Parks. Madeline and me, living together not as a marriage of convenience but as true partners. Madeline and me, becoming a real family, with a daughter on the way.

This time, the distance was a choice-made out of love, to build something new. And I knew, deep down, that I was doing the right thing.

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