Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 663

Chapter 663

Renee’s POV

I squeezed her hand gently.

Like I was protecting her.

Like I had just said something painful purely out of love.

And then I let the truth do the rest.

Bella stared at her slice of pizza like it had suddenly become heavier.

“But she likes me,” she insisted, clinging to that certainty.

I smiled, warm and maternal. And then I did the most dangerous thing of all.

I agreed before twisting.

“I think she does,” I said softly, brushing my thumb over her hand. “But… people are complicated. Sometimes they care about you and still want something that’s only theirs.”

Bella blinked.

“Only theirs?”

“A ‘perfect’ family,” I said casually. “You know… daddy, mommy, baby. No mess. No past. No reminders that there was a life before.”

I watched her go very still.

And then I softened immediately, like I regretted saying too much.

“I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen,” I lied smoothly. “I just… I notice things. Because you’re my daughter.”

She swallowed.

“Like what?”

I lowered my eyes briefly, as if it were hard to admit.

“Have

you noticed how when adults really want something, they start saying things like, ‘You’re a big girl now?” I asked gently. “You understand.’ ‘You can handle it.’ ‘You can stay by yourself for a little while.”

Bella’s lower lip trembled.

“I hate when they say that,” she whispered, and suddenly she sounded small again.

“I hated it too,” I replied quickly, and that much was true enough to sound honest. “And when there’s a baby… it happens a lot.”

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I let silence stretch again.

“Babies cry,” I continued softly. “Babies need to be held. Babies need attention. And then everything becomes about… the baby.”

Bella put the pizza down.

“But…” Her breathing quickened. “But Daddy is going to like the baby more?”

I tilted my head, sympathy carefully arranged across my face.

“I don’t know, sweetheart.” I squeezed her hands. “I know your father loves you. I do. But love doesn’t stop people from making mistakes when they’re tired. Or busy. Or enchanted by something new.”

Something new.

I said it lightly, like I hadn’t meant to.

Her chin started to shake.

“He’s going to forget me.”

“No, no-” I moved quickly, holding her hands tighter. “Look at me. You are not going to be alone. Ever. Do you understand? Mommy is here.”

Tears spilled down her face, hot and angry.

“I want it to be just me and Daddy.”

I nodded, like that was reasonable. Like it was possible.

“I know, baby. I know.” And then I placed the anchor. “And if you ever feel like you don’t fit anymore… you call me. You come with me. You talk to me. Mommy will always be here.”

Then I finished my wine calmly.

The rest of the afternoon, I made sure to perform perfection. Ice cream. A small toy store. A headband she picked out. A little bag of candy “to take home.”

I wanted her walking back into that apartment carrying something that was mine.

A mark.

A reminder.

When the sun had begun to lower, I drove her back.

I saw Nick standing at the door, like he’d been waiting too long.

He smiled when he saw Bella.

“Hey, princess… did you have fun?”

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Bella ran inside, and for a split second I thought she was going to throw herself into his arms like usual.

She didn’t.

Her body was stiff. Twisted energy.

She was holding the new stuffed animal in her hand and, out of nowhere, she threw it on the floor like it was trash.

“NO!” she screamed, face red, eyes still puffy. “I did not like it! I don’t want it!”

Nick froze.

“Bella… what happened? Sweetheart, calm down. What’s wrong?”

She pointed at him, her finger trembling like she was an adult delivering an accusation.

“You’re going to leave me!” she shouted, her voice thin and unsteady. “You and Gwen!”

Nick stepped toward her slowly, hands raised slightly, like he was approaching a frightened animal.

“Bella… baby… I’m not—”

“You are!” she cut him off, a sob breaking through. “Because there’s going to be a baby! A brand new baby! And then I’ll be pushed aside because I’m already big!”

She kicked the stuffed animal like it had betrayed her.

“You’re going to hold the baby and forget about me!” she cried. “And Gwen is going to love the baby more than me! Because the baby is hers! I’m not hers!”

The color drained from Nick’s face.

I watched from the doorway with a calm that almost felt affectionate.

I could have pretended to be shocked. Could have pressed my hand to my chest like those dramatic

women who perform innocence.

But I wasn’t in the mood to act.

Nick crouched down to Bella’s level, reaching for her shoulder.

“Bella, look at me. You are not going to-”

She slapped his hand away. Not hard. Childlike. But the sound sliced through the air.

“Don’t touch me!” she sobbed. “You’re going to leave! You’re going to replace me! When the baby comes

you’re going to… you’re going to… leave me here and I’ll be alone!”

Nick went still for a second, like that sentence had struck somewhere deep.

Then he lifted his head.

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And looked straight at me.

And finally, I saw it.

Panic.

“Renee…” His voice was low. Dangerous. “What did you do?”

I tilted my head slightly, like he was overreacting. Like I was the reasonable adult in the room.

“Me?” I said calmly. “I just spent the day with my daughter.”

His jaw tightened.

“She doesn’t come up with this out of nowhere.”

Bella sobbed louder, clutching her backpack like a shield.

Nick closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, the accusation was fully formed.

“You told her.”

I let the silence stretch.

Just enough for him to feel it.

Just enough for it to hurt.

Then I smiled.

“Oh.” I shrugged lightly. “You hadn’t told her about the pregnancy yet?”

I paused, deliberately innocent.

“Oops.”

Before he could respond, I bent down and kissed the top of Bella’s head. Quick. Possessive.

“I’ll call you, my love,” I said sweetly. “Mommy will always be here.”

I walked past Nick without looking at him again.

I didn’t need to.

The message had been delivered.

And the best part?

I hadn’t even had to raise my voice.

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