New beginning: Billionaire love story

Claire was still fuming from her confrontation with Mr. Andrews when her phone rang. The sudden break in her thoughts made her grimace, and she glanced at the screen to see it was Alexander.

Her ex-husband. Business partner. The man who had a knack for popping up at the most inconvenient times.

She sighed and swiped to answer the call, her irritation creeping back to the surface. "What is it, Alexander?"

"Claire," came his voice, smooth as ever but with an edge of something that didn't quite sit right. "Is Matthew still in the hospital?"

Claire raised an eyebrow, her grip tightening around her phone. "Where did you hear that?" she asked, her voice colder than she intended.

Alexander's response was casual as if he were asking about the weather. "I have my sources." "Sources?" Claire's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes narrowed as the annoyance from earlier boiled over. "Are you seriously calling me to ask about Matthew?"

"I wasn't calling to ask, Claire," Alexander replied, his tone firm now. "I'm just checking in. Is he okay?" Claire couldn't hide her irritation anymore. "I don't need you checking in, Alexander. I'm dealing with it, okay?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but there was an edge to it now-something that revealed just how much everything, from the meeting with Mr. Andrews to Matthew's condition, was getting to her. There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. "I didn't mean to upset you, Claire," Alexander said, his voice softer now, though still carrying that familiar hint of concern. "I just thought you might want to talk. You've been quiet lately."

"I'm fine," she snapped, a little too quickly. The words were automatic, and defensive. "I don't need to talk about it with you."

"Then what's going on, Claire?" Alexander pressed, not letting up. "You've been on edge. I can hear it in your voice. You're not the same. What's really going on?"

Claire's stomach twisted. She didn't want to admit it, not to him—not to anyone. But the frustration, the exhaustion, the helplessness, they all seemed to be bubbling up, threatening to spill over. She rubbed her temple, trying to force herself to calm down.

"Can you just drop it, Alexander?" she said, her voice quieter now but laced with frustration. "I don't need you lecturing me. I'm dealing with it all, okay? Just... just leave me alone for a while."

Alexander paused, and for a moment, Claire thought he might say something more, push further. But he didn't. Instead, there was a soft exhale on the other end of the line, followed by a resignation she wasn't used to hearing from him.

"Alright," he said, finally. "I'm not trying to make things harder for you. I just... I know you're under a lot of pressure. If you need anything-"

"I have work to do, Alexander," Claire interrupted abruptly, her patience thinning. "I don't have time for this right now."

The words felt sharp, too sharp, but she didn't care. She was tired-tired of being strong, tired of

pretending like everything was under control. Tired of people poking around in her personal life. She had too much on her plate already.

"Okay," Alexander said again, his voice taking on an odd note. "But just... think about it. You know where to find me."

"Yeah, I do," Claire said curtly. Without another word, she hung up the phone, her hand trembling slightly as she set it back down on the desk.

She sat back in her chair, staring at

the blank screen in front of her. The silence that followed felt

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suffocating, the weight of her own; thoughts pressing down on her chest She'd snapped at Alexander. And for what? He had just asked a simple question. He hadn't been trying to get under her skin, not like Mr. Andrews. He'd only been concerned, and she'd shut him down.

But why? Was it because she was tired of everyone constantly poking around in her business? Or was it because, deep down, she didn't want to confront the truth about how badly Matthew's accident had affected her?

The thought lingered in her mind, unspoken but undeniable.

She closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair. It felt like her entire world was falling apart. The business deals, the constant juggling of responsibilities-none of it seemed to matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was Matthew.

Matthew is unconscious in the hospital. Matthew, lying there, vulnerable, while she ran around trying to keep everything in her life from crumbling.

It was hard to admit, but the anger that had been bubbling up in her wasn't just about Mr. Andrews or Alexander. It was about her own helplessness. About how she couldn't fix Matthew. About how, despite all her strength and all her power, she was powerless to make the situation better.

The thought made her feel even more irritated, more raw, and that was why she had snapped at Alexander. He had been right to be concerned, but she couldn't let anyone see her like this. Not him, not anyone. She was Claire Peterson, and she didn't let people see her weakness.

Her phone buzzed again, making her jump. She glanced at the screen, groaning when she saw it was Alexander again. He was probably calling to apologize for being "too much" or asking her if she was sure she was okay.

Her thumb hovered over the screen, but she hesitated. Should she answer?

No. She couldn't. She needed a moment to think-away from everyone, away from all the questions. She needed space to breathe.noveldrama

Without hesitation, Claire silenced her phone and pushed it aside. She stared out the window, watching the busy city below as a sense of exhaustion washed over her.

Meanwhile, Alexander stood in his

office, his phone still in his hand, staring at the screen. He hadn't expected Claire to hang up on him so abruptly. He wasn't used to seeing her like this-not the Claire he knew, the Claire who always had everything under control, who never let emotions cloud her judgment.

But now, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

And that tone in her voice so unlike her usual, cool, calculated self-had unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he mulled over the conversation. He knew something was wrong. And, somehow, he had the nagging feeling that it had something to do with Matthew.

Could her frustration be because of him? Was it possible that the accident was affecting her more than she was letting on?

It wasn't like Claire to lose her composure. She was a force, cold and unyielding, and now... now, she sounded confused, disoriented, something he hadn't heard from her in years.

It was strange. Alexander was used to being the one who saw through people, the one who could read their moods, but now he felt completely out of his depth. Claire wasn't the same person she had been when they first started working together, and even less so since their divorce. Something had changed. Something was breaking.

He stared down at the phone in his hand, conflicted. Maybe he should give her some time. Maybe she just needed space. But he couldn't help but wonder-was he making the right call by staying out of it? With a sigh, he tossed the phone aside. Whatever was going on with Claire, she wasn't ready to talk about it yet. He would just have to wait. But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that this time, things were different.

And Matthew's accident... was more than just a physical injury.