Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 548

Chapter 548

Nicholas’ POV

As soon as the episode of Miraculous ended, Bella protested and begged to watch another one. But I knew that if I let her, she’d binge the entire series without stopping. So I stayed firm. I told her it was time to do her homework, and that she could watch more tomorrow.

She pouted, but she obeyed.

Gwen helped her fold the blanket and straighten the couch pillows, and the two of them chatted excitedly about which episode they’d watch next.

I left the room with a strange warmth in my chest.

It had been so… domestic.

So natural.

Like Gwen really belonged in our family.

And that should have scared me a lot more than it did.

There was work to do.

There was always work to do.

The inn didn’t run itself, and there were a thousand little things waiting for my attention. Checking if the boiler was working properly in this cold. Making sure the pantry was stocked. Organizing the cleaning schedule for the next day…

I walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, guided by the familiar clatter of pots and the comforting smell of something baking in the oven.

But it wasn’t my mother I found.

Paula was at the counter, arranging bread into baskets for the guests’ dinner. She looked up when I

walked in, and something in her expression made me stop short.

“I can’t believe you, Nick,” she said without preamble, her voice low but heavy with disapproval.

“Believe what?”

“I can’t believe you gave her your mother’s ring.”

Of course.

Of course Paula had seen it.

Nothing escaped her.

“I didn’t have a choice,” I replied quietly. “I have to keep pretending. The doctor was clear. I can’t

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contradict her or create stressful situations.”

Paula let out a dry, humorless laugh.

“Sounds like you’re enjoying this pretending.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw you two coming out of the cellar earlier,” she said, setting down the bread and crossing her arms.’ You were in there a long time. And when you came out… well, the way she was looking at you. The way you were looking at her…”

She paused, staring straight at me.

“Did you sleep with her?”

My face burned with anger.

“Paula, you don’t have the right to be that invasive and demand answers about-”

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“I do,” she cut in, her voice turning sharp in a way she rarely used with me. “I absolutely do. I’m practically family, Nick. I fight just as hard as you do to keep this inn running. I have loans in my name too, in case you forgot. And I’m not going to watch everything fall apart because of a pair of blue eyes.’

“Everything will fall apart if she finds out the truth and decides to sue us for negligence,” I shot back. This way, at least I’m taking care of her. Keeping her calm. Safe. Without any extra stress.”

Paula shook her head, frustration etched into every line of her face.

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“You know what it would mean to sleep with her, right?” she said, lowering her voice to almost a whisper. “It would be taking advantage of someone vulnerable, and I’m not even using the strongest word for it. The girl has no memory. She’s confused, thinks she’s engaged to a man she’s never seen before. If you think her suing us over a fall would be bad, imagine what she’d do if ”

“I didn’t sleep with Gwen,” I cut in, my voice louder than I meant it to be.

I took a breath and continued more quietly. “And I won’t.”

The words came out firm.

But my mind immediately went back to that moment in the cellar. To the look Gwen had given me as she went upstairs. To the invitation that had been perfectly clear. To her room. Tonight.

And how badly I’d wanted to accept.

How much I still wanted to, if I was being honest with myself.

If things were different. If she hadn’t lost her memory. If there weren’t all these lies and confusion

between us.

But there were.

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And I couldn’t forget that.

The problem was that Gwen wasn’t the only one trapped in a fantasy.

I was starting to get caught in it too.

Starting to believe it, even knowing it was all false.

And that was dangerous.

More dangerous than any lawsuit she could ever bring against us.

I had never been the type to believe in overwhelming passions. In love at first sight. Not even with Renee had it been like that. With her, it had been gradual. Built over months of friendship that slowly turned into something more.

But with Gwen…

With Gwen, it was different.

Intense in a way I couldn’t explain. Like she had slipped into every corner of my life. My mind. My-

“Nick.”

Martina’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I turned sharply and saw my mother standing in the kitchen doorway, still wearing her flour-dusted apron. Her expression was serious. Worried.

“There’s a call for Gwen Parker at the front desk,” she said. “Christian.”

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