Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

The morning was fresh and clear when I decided to have my coffee on the villa’s veranda, taking in the view of the vineyards glowing under the rising sun. I was starting to get used to the slower rhythm of Castorian life, the long meals, and the star-filled nights.

Christian had left early for a meeting with local producers-something about organic certifications for his new project. I thought I’d use the morning alone to gather my thoughts before another of Gwen’s “lessons” scheduled for the afternoon.

When I opened the veranda door, the smell of strong coffee hit me first, followed by the sight of Francesca Montgomery comfortably seated in one of the chairs, an espresso cup in her hands. She wore a simple yet elegant white dress that contrasted dramatically with her dark hair. The last person I expected to find so early, and alone.

“Good morning, Zoey,” she greeted, her cordiality clearly fake. “Coffee?”

I hesitated for a moment, tempted to retreat inside, but backing away would be showing weakness.

“No, thank you. I’ve already asked Lucy to prepare mine,” I replied, sitting in the chair opposite hers. “I didn’t expect to find you here so early.”

“Isabelle likes to have me around,” she explained, her smile perfectly calculated.

That explained everything. Of course my charming mother-in-law would make sure to keep Francesca close as a constant reminder of Christian’s past.

Silence stretched between us for a few seconds, broken only by the wind in the vines and the distant call of birds. Just when I thought the situation couldn’t get more uncomfortable, Francesca gave a low laugh.

“So, he screwed you in the vineyards, didn’t he?”

The deliberate vulgarity and unexpected aggression caught me off guard. For a moment, I could only stare at her, shocked at her sudden loss of the composure she usually wore like armor.

“Excuse me?” I finally managed.

“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes, setting her cup down on the saucer with a deliberate clink. “Word gets around. The new mister and missus, in Zoey Vineyards.” Her smile was poisonous.

She leaned forward, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.

“Christian has always been… theatrical… with his romantic gestures. When we were together, he put my name on a fountain in the back garden.” She gestured vaguely toward a distant part of the estate. “The old man had it destroyed the moment we ended. But not before I had plenty of… delicious memories… there.”

I kept my face neutral, refusing to rise to the obvious bait.

“Must be hard for you,” I said evenly. “Seeing that he’s moved on.”

She sipped her coffee, her eyes never leaving mine.

“Moved on?” She laughed. “You really believe that? You think you were the only one? That he never brought anyone else to those vineyards?”

“I know perfectly well I wasn’t the first woman in Christian’s life, Francesca,” I replied, my expression steady despite the tightness in my chest. “But I’ll be the last.”

She laughed again, but there was bitterness in her tone this time.

“Let’s just say I’ve always had a thing for complicated men,” she said, running a hand through her hair in a calculatedly casual gesture. “I never liked good boys.”

Her gaze sharpened, turning calculating.

“And besides, Chris and I represent the natural fusion of the Montgomery and Kensington vineyards.” She sounded like a business executive now, presenting a merger deal. “Our grandfathers may have been rivals, but both Joseph and my grandfather always knew uniting the estates was the best move for both families. A few… detours… don’t change that.”

“So this is about money?” I asked, unable to keep the disdain from my voice. “All this game, these provocations … it’s about business?”

“For Isabelle, certainly,” Francesca said with a careless shrug. “Why do you think she keeps me around?” She smiled-a predator’s smile. “But for me… not everything is about money.”

“That’s very telling,” I replied, holding her gaze. “You still think you have a chance.”

“Christian and I have history, Zoey.” Her voice dropped, almost intimate. “We have secrets, memories, scars you’ll never share with him.” She ran her tongue slowly across her lips in deliberate provocation. “Some things are about business, others about… pleasure. And Christian knows very well which is which.”

She rose gracefully, smoothing invisible creases from her white dress.

“Enjoy the vineyards while you can, Zoey. The Valentian summer ends, and winter comes faster than you expect.

Francesca glided back into the house, the white fabric of her dress trailing behind her like a flag of surrender- one she would never raise.

I was left alone on the veranda, staring out at the vineyards, trying to process the conversation. Francesca’s deliberate malice didn’t surprise me, but the doubts she’d planted were more dangerous than I wanted to admit.