New beginning: Billionaire love story

It had been a long day for everyone. Matthew decided enough was enough and waved goodbye to Claire and Adrian, heading home for some much-needed rest. Claire, however, remained at Cryptonic, not working but stewing over everything that had unfolded. Her mind buzzed like an angry hive of bees. Adrian noticed her sitting on the couch, arms crossed, eyes darting back and forth as if trying to crack an invisible code. He sighed and plopped down beside her, leaning back casually.

"Claire, you've got to let it go. Rest," Adrian said softly, nudging her arm with his elbow.

Claire shook her head, looking at him like he'd just suggested she run a marathon in heels. "I can't, Adrian. If I let my guard down even for a second, Eligos will twist this whole situation into something worse. He always finds a way."

Adrian frowned, watching her fingers twist a strand of hair absentmindedly. He reached over, gently taking her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.

"Claire," he said, voice low and serious, "I need to talk to you about something. I was going to say this before you stormed off from the party."

Claire blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. "What is it?"

Adrian pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. Amazingly, it was still intact despite all the chaos they'd gone through earlier. Claire's heart skipped a beat as he flipped it open, revealing a stunning diamond ring that sparkled even in the dim office lighting.

"I want you to be mine," Adrian said simply, his eyes locked onto hers.

Claire froze, her breath hitching. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the ring, her wide eyes reflecting the glimmer of the diamond.

"Adrian," she whispered, pulling her hand away and standing up so fast she almost tripped on the coffee table.

Adrian followed suit, frowning slightly as he stepped closer. "Claire, I'm serious. I love you. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

She shook her head, taking a step back. "You don't understand. If we do this if I say yes you could get hurt. Eligos isn't someone you can just ignore. He'll come after you, Adrian."

"I'm already in this, Claire," Adrian said firmly. "I've been hurt before, and I'm still here, aren't I? We're already together. What's the difference if we take this step?"

"The difference is...it's serious. It's permanent," Claire said, her voice cracking slightly. "What if I can't protect you? What if you end up regretting this?"

Adrian groaned, running a hand through his hair. "We've talked about this before, Claire. Remember the safe house? You promised me you'd stop pushing me away. Was that just something you said to make me feel better?"

Claire opened her mouth to respond but closed it again. She was tongue-tied. Every logical part of her brain told her to push Adrian away for his own good, but her heart screamed for her to grab him and never let go.

Adrian softened his tone, stepping closer. "Listen, you don't have to give me an answer right now. I just needed to tell you how I feel.

Before Claire could protest, he gently took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, like it had been waiting for this moment all along.

"I'll wait for you," Adrian said, lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "No matter how long it takes."

With one last lingering smile, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving Claire standing there like a statue.

Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears. She glanced down at the ring on her

finger, the weight of it feeling heavier than it should. She was shocked, yes, but there was also a warmth blooming in her chest-a fluttering she couldn't ignore.

Adrian Saint Laurent just proposed to her. And she didn't know what to do.

Hours passed, but Claire couldn't shake the moment from her mind. She paced back and forth in her office, mattering to herself like a madwoman. The silence of the

room seemed to grow heavinet

her

thoughts ricocheting off the walls as she tried to make sense of everything.

"What is he thinking? Does he even realize what he's getting into?" she said aloud, her voice sharp as

she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.

Her eyes darted to the small velvet

box on her desk. It sat there, innocent and unassuming, yet it carried the weight of a thousand possibilities. With hesitant fingers, she opened it once again, the diamond ring inside catching the dim light and sparkling as if it held answers she desperately sought.

She sighed, snapping the box shut with a frustrated click. "Why did he have to make it so...so perfect?" she muttered, the sparkle of the ring burned into her memory like a mocking reminder of her indecision. The sound of a knock on the door jolted her out of her spiral. Startled, she blinked and turned toward the noise, clearing her throat as if to summon some semblance of composure.

"Come in," she called, her voice steady but tinged with weariness.

The door opened slightly, and Matthew peeked his head in. He glanced around the room before stepping inside, looking a bit sheepish. "Hey. Sorry to barge in. I think I left my laptop in here earlier."

Claire blinked at him, momentarily caught off guard by the intrusion. "Your laptop?" she repeated, her tone a mix of surprise and relief.

"Yeah," Matthew said, scanning the room. His gaze landed on the device sitting on the corner of her desk, and he pointed at it. "There it is."noveldrama

But instead of leaving, Matthew lingered, studying her with a curious expression. "You okay? You look confused and surprised?"

Claire sighed, feeling the weight of his concern. Her shoulders slumped slightly as she admitted, "Adrian proposed."

Matthew froze mid-step, his eyebrows shooting up so fast they nearly disappeared into his hairline. "Wait, what? Like proposed proposed? With a ring and everything?"

"Exactly that," Claire said, her tone flat as she reached for the velvet box. She opened it and held it out for him to see.

Matthew let out a low whistle, plopping down on the couch. "Wow. Didn't see that coming tonight. So, what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything," Claire admitted, flopping down beside him. "I just...froze. And then he left, saying he'd wait for me to decide.

Matthew tilted his head, studying her. "And how do you feel about it?"

"That's the problem!" Claire groaned,

throwing her hands in the air. "I don't

know. I love him, but this feels huge. Like, 'no turning back' huge. And

what if Eligos comes after him because of me? I couldn't handle that."

Matthew nodded slowly, rubbing his chin. "I get it. But, Claire, Adrian's a grown man. He knows the risks,

and he still wants to be with you. That says something, doesn't it?"

Claire buried her face in her hands. "Why do you have to be so reasonable right now?"

"Because someone has to be," Matthew teased, nudging her shoulder. "Look, just take your time. Adrian's not going anywhere. And neither am I, for that matter. We've got your back, okay?"

Claire peeked at him through her fingers, a small smile breaking through her stress. "Thanks, Matthew." "Anytime," he said, standing up and stretching. "Now, go to bed. You're gonna drive yourself crazy if you keep this up all night."

As he left, Claire leaned back on the couch, staring at the ring once more. Maybe Matthew was right. Maybe she just needed to trust Adrian-and herself.

But that was easier said than done.