New beginning: Billionaire love story

natural at drawing people in with his smooth talk and magnetic presence.

Cindy swirled the champagne in her glass, the bubbling liquid catching the dim lights of the banquet hall. She had been keeping her eyes locked on Adrian for the better part of the evening, tracking his every move from across the room. He was charming as usual, a She glanced at her watch. Ten minutes had passed since her last check. Her lips curled into a sly smile. Showtime, she thought.

Taking a deep breath, Cindy adjusted her dress, making sure every detail was flawless, from her perfectly styled hair to her calculated smile. She swayed her hips deliberately as she made her way toward Adrian, who was deep in conversation with a group of well-dressed socialites.

As she approached, she turned on the charm, her smile warm and inviting. "Good evening, everyone," she said, her voice smooth as silk. Her gaze flicked to Adrian, who noticed her immediately. His expression changed, his usual composure faltering ever so slightly. "Claire?" he asked softly, his tone tinged with surprise.

Cindy's smirk widened. She had nailed it-the look, the demeanor, even the faint trace of mystery that Claire seemed to carry naturally.

"Adrian," she said sweetly, tilting her head slightly, her voice dropping just enough to mimic Claire's tone. "Would you mind if we talked privately? It's important."

Adrian nodded, his brow furrowing. "Of course. Excuse me," he said to the group, offering a polite smile before following Cindy.

She led him down a hallway into a small, dimly lit lounge that was mostly unused for the evening. The faint hum of the banquet's activity drifted in from the distance, but the space felt isolated enough for her plan.

The moment they were alone, Adrian turned to her, a look of concern on his face. "Claire, where have you been? You've been so distant," he said, stepping closer.

Cindy smirked inwardly. Oh, this is going to be easier than I thought.

"I've been... busy," she said, letting her words hang, drawing him in. She tilted her head, her eyes looking onto his with an intensity that could almost convince even herself.

"Too busy to even text me back?" Adrian asked his tone a mix of frustration and vulnerability.

Cindy stepped closer, her heels clicking softly against the floor. She reached out, her long, manicured nails lightly tracing his cheek. His breath hitched, and she almost laughed at how effortlessly he was falling for it. "Let's not talk about that," she murmured, her voice low and inviting. "Kiss me."

Adrian hesitated for a split second, but the moment their lips met, it was like a dam breaking. The kiss started soft, tentative but quickly deepened into something passionate. Cindy found herself caught off guard-Adrian was... good at this. She hadn't expected to enjoy it, but there was something intoxicating about the way he kissed her.noveldrama

Focus, Cindy, she reminded herself. This wasn't real-it was just another job.

And then, right when she was getting lost in the moment, her phone vibrated against her wrist. The insistent buzz pulled her back to reality, breaking the kiss abruptly.

Adrian looked confused, his breathing heavy as he blinked at her. "Claire?"

"Hold on," Cindy muttered, pulling her phone out of her clutch. The screen lit up with a message from Eligos.

Eligos: Photos are captured. You can leave now.

Cindy rolled her eyes, irritation bubbling beneath her composed exterior. Of course, he'd interrupt now.

She slipped her phone back into her clutch and stepped back, smoothing her dress. "It was nice seeing you," she said, her tone light and dismissive. She leaned in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek, her lipstick leaving a faint mark.

Adrian reached for her arm as she started to turn away. "Wait. Claire, what's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

She pulled her arm free gently, keeping her smile firmly in place. "Don't worry about it," she said breezily, already moving toward the door.

"Claire!" Adrian called after her, but she didn't look back.

Her heels clicked against the marble floors as she walked out of the lounge and through the hotel, her exit as smooth as her entrance. Inside, though, her mind was racing.

The plan had worked-Eligos had his photos, and the setup was complete. But something about that kiss lingered in her thoughts, an unexpected twist she hadn't accounted for. Shaking her head, she dismissed it. It's just another job, she reminded herself.

As she stepped outside into the cool night air, the city lights reflecting off the windows of the waiting cars, she sighed. "One more piece in Eligos's game," she muttered under her breath, slipping into her car and disappearing into the night.

Claire woke up the next morning

feeling like she'd been hit by a truck.

Las Vegas might have been a city that never slept, but she sure could've used a few more hours of it. Stretching lazily in bed, she stared at the ceiling, the weight of the week pressing on her. It wasn't just the work; it was Alexander dumping half his responsibilities on her. Help, he called it.

Claire was pretty sure that was code for "deal with my mess."

Dragging herself out of bed, she stumbled into the bathroom. A splash of cold water to the face helped somewhat. Brushing her

teeth felt like a monumental tounet

but she got through it. She checked her phone after, scrolling through a barrage of emails and texts. That's when she realized something.

"Oh, Adrian," she muttered, realizing she hadn't contacted him in a while. She'd been so buried in work she completely forgot about him. Typing out a quick text, she hit send, only to see the message bounce back "Great, seems like his phone is off." she sighed. "Fine, I will text him later." She set her phone down with

a mental reminder.

Skipping breakfast-who had time for that?-Claire threw on an outfit that said "business, but I'm still cooler than you" and headed to Harris Hotel. She was cutting it close, as usual, and hustled to get there on time.

When she walked in, she immediately spotted Alexander talking with a group of employees. He was gesturing animatedly about something, and they all nodded like their jobs depended on it-which, to be fair, they probably did. Claire approached, flashing a polite smile. "Morning," she greeted.

Alexander glanced her way, finishing whatever he was saying to the group. With a wave of dismissal, he sent them scurrying off. Now, his full attention was on Claire, which was rarely a good thing.

"How's it going?" he asked, his tone a little too casual.

Claire frowned. That was...odd. "I'm fine," she replied slowly. "Why are you asking?"

Alexander folded his arms, clearly enjoying the suspense. "Oh, I just heard some news."

Her confusion turned to mild irritation. "What news?" she asked, her tone sharp.

Instead of answering, Alexander pulled out his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. He found whatever he was looking for and handed it to her.

Claire took the phone, glancing at the screen. Her stomach dropped.