Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 544

Chapter 544

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Chapter 544

Nicholas’ POV

At first, I thought no.

That I didn’t want to talk about it. That it was too personal. Too painful. Those were wounds I preferred to keep buried somewhere deep, where they couldn’t reach me in my day-to-day life.

I never talked about Renee.

Not really.

Not about what happened. Not about how I felt. Not about the scars it left behind.

Not even with my mother, who surely knew everything but respected my silence. Not with Paula, who had been there and seen it all happen.

And definitely not with strangers.

I preferred to keep the hurt buried.

It was easier that way.

Less painful.

But then I looked at Gwen.

At those blue eyes watching me with genuine attention. No judgment. Just… presence.

There was something about her that brought calm. Comfort. Like, somehow, she was a safe harbor where I could finally rest.

And if I was honest with myself, someday soon she would get her memory back.

She would learn the truth.

She would leave.

And we would never see each other again.

Maybe that was a good thing.

Maybe it would be good to finally open up to someone who wouldn’t be here long enough to carry the weight of my confessions.

“We were young when we met,” I began, my voice quieter than usual. “At a town party. Some mutual friends introduced us.”

Gwen didn’t say anything.

She just waited, giving me space to move at my own pace.

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Chapter 544

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“It wasn’t one of those explosive, love-at-first-sight things,” I continued, swirling the remaining wine in my glass without really seeing it. “We became friends first. We talked a lot. We laughed together. And then things started to change, almost naturally. One day we were friends. The next, we were kissing. And suddenly, we were dating.”

I paused, searching for the right words.

“We were different. We always were. She had this… this polished, sophisticated air. She bought clothes and accessories she couldn’t afford and paid for them in a thousand installments just to look richer than she really was. She wanted to fit into a world she didn’t belong to.” I shrugged. “But I loved her anyway. And I thought she loved me too.”

“You got married,” Gwen said softly. More statement than question.

“We did. And we had Bella.” A small, involuntary smile touched my lips as I thought of my daughter. “And for a while, it was good. Renee was proud to have me as her husband. The heir to all this.” I gestured vaguely around the cellar. “I mean, it’s not much, you know? But maybe for her, here in this town, it seemed like enough. It seemed… impressive.”

I took a sip of wine, feeling the bitter liquid slide down my throat.

“Business was good. We had a comfortable life. I could even afford some of her luxuries. The expensive clothes. The jewelry. The occasional trips to Virelia or Florentia. Until…” My voice faltered. “Until my father died.”

The silence that followed was filled only by the distant sound of water dripping somewhere in the cellar.

“It was sudden,” I went on, forcing the words out. “A heart attack. He was working in the vineyards that morning, and by afternoon, he was gone. And then… then we found out the business wasn’t doing as well as it looked.”

Gwen stepped a little closer, her presence offering quiet comfort.

“My father made a point of hiding all the debt from us,” I explained. “All the struggles. He carried everything alone because he thought it was his responsibility. That he shouldn’t worry the family. But things were so bad, we were on the verge of losing everything.”

I set my glass down on the barrel harder than necessary.

“That’s when I had to start taking out loans. Tightening our belts. Working more. Enjoying less. There was no more money for expensive clothes, for trips, for luxuries.” I let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Things started to seem a lot less… interesting to Renee.”

“Nick…” Gwen began, but I lifted a hand.

“And then there was this guest,” I went on, my voice turning rough in a way I couldn’t control. “One of those suit-wearing guys from Virelia or somewhere like that. He started showing up every week. Every weekend, he had some excuse to be here. And I…” I shook my head. “I was too stupid to see what was

right in front of me.”

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agreed bitterly. “There isn’t much to do in Montelira every weekend, you know? It’s not exactly a buzzing tourist destination. Unless he was…” I swallowed hard. “Unless he was sleeping with my wife.”

The words came out raw.

Painful.

Even after all this time.

Gwen gently touched my arm.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice full of real empathy. “You didn’t deserve that. No one does.”

I looked down at where her hand rested, feeling her warmth through my shirt.

“I suffered, of course,” I continued, my voice quieter now. “But the worst part was Bella. She was so little. Three years old.” I closed my eyes, remembering that terrible day. “Hearing her own mother say she was leaving. That I and Bella didn’t fit into her life anymore. That she’d be much happier without us.”

“Oh my God,” Gwen whispered.

“She went off with him, of course. The rich man who could give her everything I couldn’t anymore.” I opened my eyes and looked straight at Gwen. “She barely cares about her daughter on birthdays and holidays. A quick phone call, if we’re lucky. Sometimes not even that.”

Gwen stayed quiet for a moment. She just stood there, her hand still on my arm, her eyes filled with a sadness she truly seemed to feel for me, for Bella.

“Bella is an amazing little girl,” she said finally. “Sweet, smart, full of life. And you… you’re a wonderful father. Anyone can see that.”

Something tightened in my chest at her words.

“That’s why,” I said, my voice hardening, “I don’t trust people with money. They always think they can buy anything. Anyone. And in Renee’s case…” I let out a bitter laugh. “She really did let herself be bought. Like our marriage, our family, our daughter were just products that could be traded in for something better when a more attractive offer came along.”

Gwen watched me closely, taking in every word.

“People with money think the world revolves around them,” I went on, knowing I was generalizing, knowing I was letting my bitterness talk. “That they can have whatever they want, whenever they want, without caring who they hurt along the way. Renee wanted to be one of those people so badly that when she got the chance, she didn’t hesitate for a second to destroy everything we had.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger that still burned after all this time.

“Anyway,” I said, rubbing a hand over my face. “It’s in the past. But… I worry it left deep marks on Bella. That she’ll grow up thinking she’s not good enough. That there’s something wrong with her. When the

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Chapter 544

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truth is, her mother is…” I couldn’t finish the sentence.

Gwen stepped closer and, without warning, kissed my cheek.

It wasn’t romantic or seductive.

It was gentle. Comforting. Full of a tenderness that made my throat tighten.

“Bella has the best dad in the world,” she said with conviction. “She has you. She has Martina. She has Paula. She has a family that loves her unconditionally. She’s going to grow up knowing exactly how

loved she is and how much she’s worth.”

I held her gaze, seeing nothing but sincerity in her eyes.

“And believe me,” Gwen continued, a small, sad smile touching her lips, “I’m speaking from experience. From someone who had the opposite. From someone who had a terrible, completely absent father.”

Her words hit me like a slap.

“You remember?” I asked, turning fully to face her.

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Choptor 545