New beginning: Billionaire love story

Thousands of miles away, in a luxurious hotel room in the Maldives, Lisa paced back and forth, her frustration palpable. She had been trying to contact Max for updates on her plan, but his phone went straight to voicemail every time. "Damn it, Max," she muttered, tossing her phone onto the bed in exasperation.

She sighed deeply and sat down, grabbing her phone again to distract herself from social media. As she scrolled through the replies to a photo Max had uploaded earlier, a smile spread across her face. Claire and Alex were still trending on X, their wedding photos receiving endless likes and comments.

"At least this is going well," Lisa thought, feeling a sense of satisfaction. "I can sleep well tonight."

As she continued reading the replies, her phone buzzed with a new message.

It was from Max.

"Sorry for the delay, Ms. Thompson. Everything is on track. Will update you soon."

Lisa's smile widened, and she felt a wave of relief. She typed a quick reply.

"Keep me posted."

The next morning, Claire was getting ready for the press conference at Metacortex. She wore her best outfit: a designer tweed blazer and a matching skirt that could turn everyone's head. Claire curled her hair and added accessories to complete the look. She thought to herself that if she wanted to make a press conference, she needed to play the part and look perfect.

As she finished getting ready, she headed downstairs and left the penthouse.

"Morning." She greeted the doorman and hoped inside her Rolls Royce.

Claire opened her phone and saw another photo of her wedding with Alex on social media. She smiled looking at the photo as she muttered to herself. "Keep thinking that you are winning, Lisa."

Not long after, she received a phone call.

It was Matthew.

Claire answered it. "Hello..." Matthew greeted over the line. Before Claire could speak, Matthew quickly asked, "Where are you?"

Claire rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically, "Good morning to you too, Matthew."

Matthew chuckled and said, "Good morning, Claire. I just wanted to let you know that I've told Max to post the photos about you online."

Claire nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Yeah, I saw them. Glad that Max can be dealt with Can you ask Max to send over the proof? I want to make sure everything is in order."

"Sure thing," Matthew replied. "I'll get on that right away. Anyway, you should enter from the back door because the front door is filled with journalists and paparazzi."

Claire sighed. "Okay, got it. Thanks for the heads-up."

"Be careful, Claire."

"I will. Just make sure everything is in place."

"I got you, Claire. Don't worry about it."

She ended the phone call and looked out of her window, suddenly filled with nervousness. This was her first time having a press conference. In the past, she had only dealt with press releases for new software, but now she was going to clarify her wedding with Alex. As the car rolled through the bustling city streets, Claire tried to calm her nerves. She took a few deep breaths and reminded herself of her reasons for holding this press conference.

"I can't mess this up. Metacortex future is in my hand." Claire assured herself as she rey to control her nerves.

The car finally arrived at Metacortex, and Claire's driver navigated to the back entrance as Matthew had suggested. As she stepped out of the car, she was greeted by a few security personnel who escorted her inside. The hallways buzzed with activity, staff members rushing, preparing for the press conference.

Claire made her way to a small room off the main hall where Matthew was waiting for her. He greeted her with a warm smile. "You look amazing, Claire. Ready for this?"

She smiled back, trying to hide her anxiety. "Thanks, Matthew. I think so. Just a bit nervous." Then she glanced around, curiosity in her eyes. "Where's Alex? He should be here by now."

Matthew shrugged. "He's probably on his way. I told his secretary where he should enter."

Claire gave Matthew a knowing smile. "It's funny," she said with a chuckle, "even though you don't like Alex, you're still willing to help him."

Matthew rolled his eyes. "I'm doing it for you, not for Alex. I could care less if Harris's company went under."

Claire chuckled again, feeling lighter. "Thanks again, Matthew. I really appreciate it."

Just then, the door opened, and Alexander Harris himself walked in. Claire and Matthew turned to look at him. Matthew frowned, his tone annoyed as he said, "Finally, you arrive."

Claire took a seat in a nearby chair and took a sip of water, trying to calm her nerves.

Alex approached her and sat down next to her. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice steady.

With a stiff posture, Claire nodded. "Yes, I'm ready," she said, hiding her nervousness behind a mask of confidence.

Matthew stood up, ready to leave. "I'll check the situation once more before the conference begins," he said.

Claire nodded. "Thanks, Matthew."

Alex leaned back in his chair, his eyes on Claire. "What do you expect from the conference, Claire?" he asked, his voice calm but curious.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Claire didn't look at him as she answered, her focus on the papers in front of her. "I want Metacortex's stock market to recover, and I want all the drama about my private life to end."

Satisfied with her answer, she finally turned to Alex, raising her brows. "What about you?"

Alex sighed. "I want the same thing. And I also want my hotel project to move forward without any more issues."

Claire nodded, understanding his frustration. "I haven't been able to contact the robotics company for your hotel because of all the news."

Alex waved it off, a reassuring smile on his face. "It's fine. We didn't see this coming."

A comfortable silence filled the air as they both got lost in their thoughts.

"You know, it's strange. I never thought we'd be in this position, working together like this."

Claire nodded. "Life has a funny way of bringing people together, doesn't it?"

Alex sighed. "Yeah, it sure does."

A few minutes later, Matthew returned. "Everything's set. The press is ready, and the room is filled."

Claire stood up, smoothing down her skirt. "Alright, let's do this."

Matthew gave her a supportive nod. "You got this Claire."

Alex who saw Matthew and Claire interaction dislike it. He joined in as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll ace this conference, Claire. Just stay focused." Matthew frowned seeing Alex but didn't say anything.

"Let's get this over with."

They stepped out of the room, walking side by side towards the conference hall.

As they approached the hall, Claire glanced at Alex. "Are you ready?"

Alex nodded, his face determined. "Ready as I'll ever be."

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The hall was filled with reporters and business professionals, all waiting for the conference to start. The sound of chatter and camera flashes filling the air. Claire and Alex took their places at the front, the bright lights of the cameras focused on them.

Sandra appear next to Matthew. "Alex already arrived?"

"Yeah. Let's hope he didn't fuck it up." Matthew said in a serious tone.