New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 177

Claire sat on the hospital bed, her sprained ankle elevated on a pillow. Adrian was by her side, looking concerned. The doctor had just finished examining her ankle thoroughly to ensure there were no broken bones. Satisfied with his findings, he began wrapping Claire’s foot with a bandage.

“You'll be fine in a few days,” the doctor said, securing the bandage. “But in the meantime, you need to avoid wearing heels.”

Claire's eyes widened slightly. “I can’t! Heels are a part of me.”

Adrian chuckled softly. “It's only for a few days, Claire.”

Claire pouted and sighed. “Fine. A day without heels it’s like a day of not working.”

The doctor continued, “Also, try not to move around too much and apply ice to reduce the swelling.”

Adrian nodded. “Got it. Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor gave a small nod and left the room, leaving Claire and Adrian alone.

Adrian turned to Claire. “How's your ankle feeling now? Still hurting?”

Claire moved her ankle slightly, wincing a little. “It still hurts, but it’s much better than earlier.”

“Good to hear,” Adrian said, relieved. “Let’s get you down from here.”

Adrian carefully helped Claire down from the bed. He held her heels in one hand and supported her with the other. Claire balanced on her good foot, grateful for Adrian’s help.

“You really should listen to the doctor, you know,” Adrian said gently.

“I know, I know,” Claire replied, rolling her eyes playfully. “But you know how much I love my heels.”

Adrian smiled. “You'll survive a few days without them. Think of it as a mini-vacation for your feet.”

Claire laughed. “I suppose that's one way to look at it.”

Adrian looked down at the heels in his hand. “You know, I’ve always wondered how you manage to walk in these things.”

Claire smirked. “It's a skill, Adrian. One you wouldn’t understand.”

“Just don’t wear these to often. It can injured you.”

They both exited the room, and as they were about to head out, Matthew appeared with a worried look. As he spotted Claire, he breathed a sigh of relief, placed both his hands on her shoulders, and asked, “Are you okay?”

Claire smiled and said, “I'm fine.” She gestured to her foot. “It's already been treated, thanks to Adrian.”

Claire then introduced them, “Adrian, this is Matthew, my advisor and best friend.”

Adrian nodded and smiled slightly. “Nice to meet you.”

Matthew nodded back and said, “Thank you for looking out for Claire.”

Adrian shrugged modestly. “No problem. I'm just glad she's okay.”

Matthew then turned to Claire and asked, “How did it happen?”

Claire sighed. “The paparazzi caused it. They were chasing me, and I tripped.”

Matthew's expression darkened. “I'll sue them. They hurt you.”

Claire shook her head. “Ignore them, Matt. It's not worth it.”

Matthew frowned. “But they can't just get away with this.”

Adrian chimed in, “Maybe we can handle it differently. Drawing more attention might make things worse.”

Claire nodded. “Adrian's right. I don't want more drama.”

Matthew sighed, looking conflicted. “I just hate seeing you hurt, Claire.”

“I know,” Claire said softly. “But as you can see, I am fine. Anyway, how did you know I was here?”

Matthew shrugged and replied, “I saw a news article about you, then I hacked you. Easy.”

Adrian, standing beside them, scrunched his brows in confusion. “What do you mean by 'hacked'?”