New beginning: Billionaire love story

Claire's fingers gripped the edges of the tablet tightly, her eyes scanning the guest list one more time, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. No matter how many times she looked, the name Andre stood out like a stain on pristine linen. An uninvited guest who, somehow, had walked straight into her party and delivered a bombshell she was still reeling from.

She leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. Her temples throbbed as she replayed the night in her mind -the smug expression on Andre's face, his use of the word sis, the wave of confusion and disbelief that had surged through her.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she called, her voice tight.

Sandra stepped inside, her brow furrowed with concern. "Here's the tablet with the security access," she said, handing it over. "Are you sure everything's okay, Ms. Peterson?"

Claire forced a smile, though it barely touched her eyes. "I'm fine. Just need to check something." Sandra hesitated, studying her boss carefully. "Alright. Let me know if you need anything else." "I will," Claire replied, her voice distant.

Sandra nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Claire immediately turned her attention to the tablet. With a few swipes and taps, she accessed the security footage from the Christmas party. The familiar images of guests mingling, laughing, and toasting filled the screen. She fast-forwarded through the night, eyes narrowed, searching for something-anything-that could explain how Andre had gotten in.

After several minutes, a knot formed in her stomach. There were gaps in the footage-sections that were clearly missing. The timestamp jumped inexplicably, and the scene changed abruptly, as if someone had carefully snipped away the parts she needed most.

Her jaw clenched. "What the hell?" she muttered.

She leaned forward, scrutinizing the footage more closely. The missing sections weren't random; they were strategic. Whoever had tampered with the recordings had known exactly what they were doing. The thought sent a chill down her spine.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away. She glanced at the screen. A message from an unknown number. The words sent a surge of cold anger through her veins.

"How's my surprise?"

Her fingers tightened around the phone, her knuckles white. Before she could react, the message disappeared, leaving her staring at a blank screen.

She closed her eyes briefly, willing herself to stay calm. Eligos. The name echoed through her mind, dripping with menace. He had orchestrated this, just like he orchestrated everything else. His web of manipulation was growing tighter, and now he was dragging her personal life into it.

A soft knock interrupted her spiraling thoughts.

"Ms. Peterson?" Sandra's voice came through the door.

"Come in," Claire said, taking a deep breath and composing herself.

Sandra stepped in, her expression still concerned. "Is everything alright? You seem... off today."

Claire hesitated, then shook her head. "Something came up, Sandra. It's complicated."

Sandra tilted her head. "You know I'm here if you need to talk. Or if there's something I can do to help."

Claire gave her a small smile. "Thank you, Sandra. I appreciate it, but this is something I need to handle on my own."

Sandra frowned. "Are you sure? You've been carrying a lot on your shoulders lately. I don't want you to burn out."

"I'll be fine," Claire assured her, though even she wasn't sure if that was true. "I just need to figure out who this... Andre is and how he got in."

Sandra nodded. "I can double-check the guest list and cross-reference it with the security logs if you'd like."

"That would be helpful," Claire said, her tone softening. "But be careful. There might be more to this than we realize."

Sandra's eyes widened slightly. "More? What do you mean?"

Claire hesitated. She wanted to protect Sandra, keep her out of the tangled mess that was unfolding. But at the same time, she knew she couldn't do everything alone.

"Let's just say there's someone who doesn't want me to have peace," Claire said carefully. "I don't want

you getting too involved. Just focus on the guest list for now."

Sandra nodded slowly. "Alright. But if you change your mind and need more help, you know where to find me."noveldrama

"I know," Claire said, offering a grateful smile. "Thank you, Sandra."

As Sandra left, Claire turned back to the tablet. She tapped her fingers against the desk, thinking. If Eligos was involved, then this was just the beginning. He never made one move without setting up another. And now, with Andre's sudden appearance, she had more questions than answers.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Adrian.

Adrian: How are you holding up?

She stared at the message for a moment before typing back.

Claire: I've had better days.

His reply was immediate.

Adrian: Want me to come by? We can figure things out together.

Claire sighed. She appreciated his support, but part of her still felt like she needed to handle this on her

own.

Claire: Not right now. I need to clear my head.

Adrian: Alright. But don't shut me out. I'm here.

She smiled faintly, his words offering a small comfort in the chaos.

Claire leaned back in her chair, her thoughts swirling. If Eligos thought he could rattle her, he was wrong. She had faced worse and survived. She would survive this, too.

But first, she needed to know everything about Andre. Who he was, what he wanted, and why Eligos had chosen him to deliver this message.

Claire opened her laptop and began

typing. The screen filled with search results as she looked up any information she could find. Newspaper articles, social media profiles, anything that could give her a clue. She narrowed her search parameters, focusing on recent activity.

After several minutes, a profile caught her eye. Andre Bianchi. The name fit, and the face was unmistakable. Her heart twisted painfully as she read the brief biography.

•Mother: ill in the hospital.

⚫Financial struggles: Extensive medical debt.

•Employment history: inconsistent jobs mostly low-paying.

The more she read, the more the pieces fell into place. She needs to find the truth but where? Her parents are dead and she can't talk to them and ask them about the truth. This is frustrating for Claire. She wonders who is in the wrong? And here she thought her parents love each other and would not cheat on one another. Guess her thoughts was wrong all along.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She needed to talk to him. To understand his pain, his resentment, and to figure out where she fit into his life. But more than anything, she needed to stop Eligos from pulling any more strings.

She couldn't help but wonder how

did Eligos manage to find Andre? Is Eligos really that resourceful? A lot of questions running through her mind. Claire indeed did meet Eligos but she never sees his face. Even at the surveillance camera, some footage disappears and the only one who would tamper with such things, if it is not Claire and Matthew, it would be Eligos.

Determined, she needed to find Andre's location. With a lot of things going on, it confuses her on where to start.