New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex)

Adrian found the hotel manager on the floor Alex had told him about. The manager's eyes widened when he saw Adrian, but he didn't say a word. He quickly unlocked the door with a key card, the sound of the lift dinging just as they stepped inside. A doctor walked out of the lift, timing that couldn't have been better. "Doctor, over here!" Adrian called out, his voice urgent.

The doctor, a man in his fifties with graying hair and a serious expression, nodded as Adrian explained Claire's condition. Without wasting any time, they hurried into the penthouse. Adrian carefully laid Claire down in one of the plush bedrooms, his worry etched on his face. The doctor immediately set to work, checking Claire's heartbeat and breathing.

Adrian stood by, feeling utterly useless, his hands clenching and unclenching. "What's wrong with her, Doc?" he asked, his voice tight with anxiety.

The doctor pulled out a syringe and, what looked like an antidote, injecting it into Claire's arm with a steady hand. "She's been poisoned," he said, his tone calm but grave. "Someone spiked her drink. Fortunately, it wasn't a high-level poison, so she's not in immediate danger."

Adrian's eyes widened. "Poisoned? Are you sure?"

The doctor nodded as he continued his examination. "She's going to be fine. The antidote I just gave her will counteract the poison. But I'll need to come back with an IV and some medicine to make sure she recovers fully."

"Please hurry," Adrian urged, his concern evident.

The doctor finished checking Claire's pulse and breathing, his expression easing slightly. "Her breathing is back to normal. She'll need some rest, but she's stable now."

Adrian let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you, Doctor. Really, thank you."

The hotel manager, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward. "Mr. Adrian, is there anything else you need?"

Adrian shook his head. "No, that's all for now. But please, make sure no one disturbs us."

The manager nodded, his professionalism unwavering. "Of course. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

Adrian watched as the manager and the doctor left the room, the door clicking softly behind them. He then turned his attention back to Claire, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his fingertips lightly grazing her cheek. "Who did this to you, Claire?" he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Back at the event, Alex was in no mood to mingle. His face was a mask of barely contained anger, and the scowl etched into his features was doing little to hide it. He was pissed-pissed that someone had tried to harm Claire, pissed that Adrian was with her instead of him, and pissed that Matthew had ordered him to stay at the event to keep the guests from getting suspicious.

Despite the fact that the presentation had gone perfectly, something happened.

The buzz and excitement that had filled the room earlier had been replaced by a tense undercurrent that Alex couldn't shake. He couldn't care less about the compliments being thrown his way about the robot they had unveiled. He didn't care about the success of the event; all he could think about was Claire.

As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, Abigail approached him, her usual bright smile in place. But as soon as she saw the look on Alex's face, her smile faltered. "Alex are you okay?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Alex forced himself to nod, but his tone was flat. "I'm fine."

Abigail wasn't convinced. "You don't look fine. Did something happen?"

Alex hesitated, remembering Matthew's words. No one should know what happened. He forced a small, tired smile and said, "I'm just tired, that's all. It's been a long day."

Abigail studied him for a moment, clearly not buying it. "You sure? You look like you're about to punch someone."

Alex let out a short, humorless laugh. "Maybe I am. But seriously, I'm fine. I just need to get through the rest of this event."

The doctor had just finished setting up an IV drip for Claire and had left behind a small bottle of medicine, instructing everyone to let her rest and keep a close eye on her.

After the doctor exited, Adrian made

his way to the bathroom. He splashed some cold water on his face, trying to shake off the stress of the situation. When he emerged, he couldn't help but glance at Claire lying in the bed, her pale face barely of the

Visible under the soft glowe barely

bedside lamp.

He walked over to the chair next to her bed and sat down, taking her hand in his. The room was quiet except for the gentle hum of the IV drip. Adrian's heart skipped a beat when he felt Claire's hand move slightly. Her eyes fluttered open, looking around with a dazed expression.

Adrian's eyes widened in relief. "Claire! Are you okay?"

Claire's voice was barely a whisper, hoarse and weak. "What happened?"

Adrian quickly reached for the water on the bedside table and helped her take a sip. "Here, drink this," he encouraged gently. Claire took a few slow sips before settling back against the pillows.

Adrian started explaining everything

that had happened, from the

poisoning to the events leading up. to her being brought to the penthouse. "Someone tried to kill you, Claire. It's a mess, but Matthew caught the guy. You just need t

rést," Adrian said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

Claire's eyes widened with shock. "Someone was trying to kill me?"

Adrian nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry about that right now. Matthew has it under control. You need to focus on getting better."

Claire's gaze turned serious. "Where's Matthew?"

Adrian's face softened. "He's dealing with the guy who did this. He'll come by later."

As Adrian stood up, ready to leave her side for a moment, Claire's eyes caught the bruise on his elbow. She reached out and grabbed his arm. "What happened to you?"

Adrian forced a smile, trying to downplay it. "It's nothing, just a small bruise. I'm fine."

Claire wasn't convinced. "If it's nothing, then why don't you get the safety kit and let me take a look?"

Adrian shook his head. "Really, Claire, it's okay. It doesn't hurt that much."

Claire's eyes narrowed slightly. "If you don't want to, I'll get it myself."

Adrian sighed, realizing he wouldn't win this one. "Alright, alright. I'll get the kit," he said, grabbing it from the cabinet. He handed it to Claire, who then pulled him back down into the chair next to her. She took out the bandages and began tending to his bruise with careful hands. "Is it fractured or just bruised?" she asked, focusing on her work.

Adrian chuckled. "I'm as strong as the Hulk, don't worry."

Claire smiled but didn't comment

further. She carefully wrapped the bandage around his elbow, her touch gentle and precise. Once she finished, she looked up, only to find Adrian staring at her with an expression that was a mix of

V

admiration and something else she couldn't quite place.

Just as Claire was about to say something, the door to the room burst open with a dramatic flair. Alex stormed in, his tone sharp. "What's going on here?"