New beginning: Billionaire love story

Late that evening, Claire paced her room, phone pressed to her ear. She'd been trying to call Matthew for the past fifteen minutes, and when he finally picked up, his cheery tone caught her off guard. "Hey, Claire! What's up?" Matthew greeted, his voice bright and completely oblivious.

Claire didn't share his enthusiasm. Her tone was clipped, serious. "Matthew, have you seen the news?"

Matthew's brows furrowed. "Uh, no? I've been busy keeping Metacortex and Cryptonic systems airtight. You know, since certain people like to mess with our tech. Why? What's going on?"

Claire sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Check the latest headlines. Right now."noveldrama

"Alright, alright. Hold on," Matthew replied, the sound of his keyboard clicking faintly over the line. The pause that followed was deafening, and when Matthew spoke again, his voice was lower, more serious. "What the-? Claire, this isn't possible. Adrian would never-"

"I know!" Claire cut in, exasperation lacing her words. "That's exactly what I thought. But then again... I don't know what to think right now, Matthew. The picture is everywhere."

Matthew's voice softened. "Claire, listen to me. Adrian is not that guy. If he were, don't you think I would've noticed something before you two even started dating? This has to be a setup."

Claire plopped down on her bed, running a hand through her hair. "You're probably right, but seeing that picture... I don't know. It's hard not to doubt, just a little. What if-?"

"Nope," Matthew interrupted firmly. "We're not doing this. You're not spiraling. Adrian doesn't deserve it, and you don't deserve to stress yourself out over some fake scandal. This isn't him."

Claire let out a long, shaky breath. "Alright. Fine. But we need answers, Matthew. Can you find out where Adrian was last night? And who that woman in the picture is?"

"On it," Matthew replied without hesitation. "I'll start digging right away."

"Thank you," Claire murmured, her voice quieter now. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably solve this yourself but take twice as long," Matthew joked lightly, trying to lift her spirits. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out."

As soon as the call ended, Claire leaned back against her pillows, staring at the ceiling. She trusted Adrian. She did. But the image of him kissing another woman had shaken her in ways she hadn't anticipated. Who was the woman? And why did it look so real?

In London, Adrian was pacing his study, a single photo displayed on the tablet in his hand. It was the same photo Claire had seen, the one splashed across every media outlet: him, leaning in to kiss a woman who wasn't Claire.

He stopped mid-step, pressing his fingers to his temples. "Think, Adrian. Think!" he muttered to himself, frustration evident in his tone. He was sure absolutely sure that the woman he'd been with last night was Claire. He remembered her outfit, the way she walked, even the way she spoke. But looking at the photo now? It wasn't her.

"Who the hell are you?" he muttered to himself.

The knock on his door broke his concentration. Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Come in," he called out.

The door creaked open, and his mother stepped inside, her expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Adrian, darling, care to explain the news?"

He groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not what it looks like, Mom."

She crossed her arms, giving him a pointed look. "You're telling me you didn't kiss that woman? Because the evidence suggests otherwise."

Adrian gestured to the photo, exasperated. "I thought I did, alright? But last night, I swear, I saw Claire. I was with Claire or at least I thought I was." His mother raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. "You thought?"

"Yes!" Adrian threw his hands up. "She-this woman-she dressed like Claire, walked like Claire, talked like Claire. How was I supposed to know it wasn't her?" His mother sat down on the couch, her expression softening slightly. "Adrian, are you sure this isn't just a misunderstanding? Maybe it's a trick of the light or " "No," Adrian cut her off. "Look at the photo. It's not Claire. I don't know who this woman is, but she went out of her way to mimic Claire. And she fooled me." His mother sighed, her gaze thoughtful. "Then someone's trying to set you up. The question is... who? And why?"

Adrian nodded grimly. "Exactly what I'm trying to figure out."

The next morning, Claire was groggily sipping her coffee when there was a knock on her hotel door. She frowned, setting down her mug. She wasn't expecting anyone. When she opened the door, she was greeted by Alexander, his usual smug smile plastered on his face. "Morning, Claire," he said, leaning casually against the doorframe. Claire raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

Alexander shrugged. "I just wanted to see how you're doing. You know, after everything in the news."

Claire folded her arms across her chest, her expression cool. "If you think Adrian and I are breaking up because of this, think again."

Alexander's smile didn't falter. "I'm just saying, Claire. Maybe you should reconsider. That photo? It's real. And let's be honest, Adrian's always been a bit of a-" "Stop right there," Claire snapped, her eyes narrowing. "You don't know Adrian like I do. That picture doesn't mean anything."

Alexander leaned in slightly, his tone softer but no less infuriating. "Come on, Claire. You're smart. You know I'm just looking out for you. Adrian is "

"A good man," Claire interrupted coldly. "And unless you have something useful to say, you can leave."

Alexander chuckled, clearly enjoying pushing her buttons. "You're so loyal. It's almost admirable. But don't say I didn't warn you when this all blows up."

Claire's jaw tightened. "You don't get to 'warn' me about anything, Alexander.

Alexander's smirk faded, replaced by a hint of frustration. "Claire, wake up. The guy kissed another woman, and it's plastered all over the internet. How are you still defending him?" "Because I trust him," Claire shot back. "And I'm not about to let a picture destroy what we have."

The argument escalated, their voices growing louder until Claire finally had enough. "I'm done with this conversation," she said firmly "I'm booking a flight to London and don't make an excuse saying 'our work is not done yet' cause I'm sure my work is done here. Goodbye, Alexander, and thank you for your hospitality." She added the last part with a hint of sarcasm.

She slammed the door in his face and leaned against it, exhaling sharply. Alexander always had a knack for getting under her skin, but she wasn't going to let him shake her faith in Adrian. Not now, not ever.

"Damn, that woman is so stubborn. What did Adrian do to make her so loyal to him?" Alexander muttered to himself as he made his way to the lift.

Claire will be back in London, and he

doesn't have much reason to make her stay a little longer in Vegas, why? Because most of her work is done, he dumps his work on Claire to make her stay a little longer in Las Vegas.

It shows how desperate Alexander is.