New beginning: Billionaire love story

Alexander paced back and forth in his penthouse; his phone glued to his ear. His fingers drummed impatiently on the window frame as he stared out at the city lights below. The irritation in his voice could've been felt through the phone. "Have you found Lisa yet?" he snapped, voice laced with frustration.

On the other end, his bodyguard, Jake, sounded far less sure of himself. "Uh, no, sir. We're still looking. We've checked all the usual places, but-"

"You've been watching the surveillance cameras, and you still can't find her? How is that even possible?" Alexander cut him off, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off the headache that was creeping in.

"We're doing our best, Mr. Harris," the bodyguard replied quickly, his voice apologetic. "We'll work harder, I promise. We'll find her soon."

Alexander let out a low growl of annoyance. "I don't want 'soon,'. I want now. Find her, ASAP, or I'll" He stopped himself, knowing he was being unreasonable, but stress was making him snap. With a sigh, he shook his head, "Just find her, okay?" "Yes, sir," Jake said hurriedly.

Without another word, Alexander hung up and pocketed his phone with a sharp motion. He glared at his reflection in the mirror, his frustration still simmering under the surface. He reached for the silk butterfly tie he'd been trying to knot for the last ten minutes, but his fingers fumbled again, making him yank it off with a growl.

"Screw this," he muttered to himself, tossing the tie onto the dresser. He grabbed a plain black tie instead and managed to knot it perfectly on the first try, though it didn't make him feel any better. Staring at his reflection, he ran a hand through his dark hair and muttered under his breath.

"This stupid auction," he grumbled, adjusting his jacket. "Why am I even going to this thing? Saint Laurent jewelry?"

He could skip it, but something - or rather someone - was pulling him there tonight. Claire. The thought of her attending the auction was enough to make him want to keep an eye on her, especially after hearing Lisa words and with Lisa going M.I.A, Alexander worry that she might hurt Claire.

Meanwhile, Claire was in the back of a sleek black car, staring out the window. Her mind was far from the glittering event she was about to attend. Instead, she was still dwelling on her last conversation with Alexander. He knew who was behind Abigail's attack, and yet, he refused to tell her. The fact that he'd kept that information from her, despite her asking, gnawed at her.novelbin

"Why won't he just tell me?" she mumbled to herself, watching the city lights blur past.

Sitting next to her, Adrian glanced over. His brows furrowed in concern as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay? You've been awfully quiet."

Claire snapped out of her thoughts, turning to him with a forced smile. "I'm fine, really. Just... a lot on my mind."

"If you need help with anything, I'm here," Adrian said softly, his eyes searching hers. "You don't have to handle everything alone, you know."

Claire appreciated his offer but shook her head. "Thanks, Adrian, but I've got it under control."

He didn't look convinced but gave her a small smile anyway. "Just know you're not alone. I'm here for you, always."

Something about his words touched her. Claire wasn't used to leaning on people, but in this moment, she felt genuinely grateful for Adrian's support. She nodded and smiled a little more sincerely this time. "I appreciate it. Really, I do. Thank you for being so kind and understanding."

Adrian gave her shoulder a light squeeze before pulling his hand away. "Of course."

The car slowed as it approached the hotel where the auction was being held. Flashing lights and the sounds of photographers shouting filled the air as they pulled up to the entrance. Claire sighed at the spectacle in front of her.

Saint Laurent's jewelry auction only happened every five years, and the elite of the elite were all here to show off their wealth. The press was eating it up, as usual.

Adrian glanced over at Claire, who sat beside him in their sleek black limo. "You ready?" he asked, giving her a sideways grin.

Claire nodded, her long legs crossed

elegantly, shimmering in her black, sparkly dress. Her heels were killer-literally-and she knew it.

Adrian gave her a quick smile, then opened the door as their bodyguard swung the car door wide. Adrian stepped out first, standing tall as the cameras immediately started

flashing. Without skipping a beat, he stretched out his hand toward

Claire.

She took it, her red nails glinting in the light, and stepped out of the car with a grace that made the photographers go wild. She was used to this-both of them were. The heir of Saint Laurent, Adrian, and the CEO of Metacortex, Claire, was quite the power pair, even if they weren't exactly together.

Journalists screamed questions from behind the velvet ropes. "Adrian! Claire! Over here!"

Adrian smiled. Claire flashed her best camera-ready grin, ignoring the chaos of the crowd. They posed together as if this was just another Monday for them. Claire tilted her head slightly toward Adrian, letting the light catch her dress just right. Then, Alexander's car rolled up.

The black SUV stopped behind them, and in no time Alexander, the last person Claire wanted to see, stepped out. His tight smile flickered as the cameras went crazy again. He waved politely but wasn't paying attention to the paparazzi. His eyes went straight to Claire. And Adrian.

His brow furrowed as he took in the scene. Are Claire and Adrian a thing now? he thought, his jaw tightening slightly. His stomach churned with something he didn't want to admit. Sure, he wasn't with Claire anymore, but seeing her with Adrian? Yeah, that rubbed him the wrong way.

As Alexander walked up the red-carpeted stairs, the journalists screamed his name too, and photographers snapped away like their lives depended on it.

"Alexander! Over here! Who are you bidding for tonight?"

He barely nodded, his eyes still fixed on Claire and Adrian, who were posing together like they owned the place. When Adrian spotted him, he gave a cool nod. Claire, on the other hand, gave Alexander a quick, forced smile. She wasn't exactly thrilled to see him either, but for the sake of the cameras, she played along.

The journalists, sensing some drama, called out, "How about a picture of all three of you together?"

"Great," Claire muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes as she turned to Adrian and Alexander. She didn't want to be standing next to her ex right now, but it wasn't like she had a choice.

"Come on, let's give them what they want," Adrian said smoothly, stepping to her right.

Alexander moved to her left, standing stiffly as he plastered on a fake smile. The three of them posed for the cameras, and Claire could feel Alexander's hand rest a little too comfortably on her waist.

She sucked in a breath, holding her

perfect, practiced smile for the

cameras. Inside, though, she was fuming. She hated being close to Alexander, especially after what he'd done for rather, what he hadn't done. Abigail's accident still fingered in the back of her mind. He knew more than he let on and refused to tell her.

The flashes continued, and Claire's cheeks were starting to hurt from holding her smile.

Alexander leaned in; his voice low. "You look stunning tonight."

Claire's lips didn't budge, but her eyes shot daggers at him. "Thanks," she muttered through her teeth, not even looking his way.

The photographers shouted, "Smile at each other! Over here!"

Claire's smile twitched. Her patience was wearing thin, and she was ready to escape this awkward moment. "I'm sure you're enjoying this."

"Seeing you faking your smile and being close to me for the sake of the camera? Yes, very." He whispered softly into her ears.