New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 187

The cameras started clicking, capturing every moment.

Claire patted the microphone to make sure it was working, and when she heard a sound, she placed it in front of her mouth. “Good morning, everyone,” she greeted, her voice clear and confident. “Thank you all for coming.”

The crowd quieted down, their attention fully on her. “I am Claire Peterson, the CEO of Metacortex,” she introduced herself, pausing as the audience responded with polite applause.

Alex then stepped forward and took his turn. “And I am Alexander Harris, the CEO of Harris Company,” he said with a smile, receiving a similar round of applause.

Claire began the press conference with a somber tone. “We're holding this conference today due to the photo circulating online about us. We feel it's necessary to address this matter directly and honestly.”

She scanned the room, her eyes moving from one journalist to another, sensing their anticipation. “The photo of Alex and me is true. We were once married.”

A collective gasp filled the room. Claire glanced at Alex, whose face was as hard as stone, clearly sharing her reluctance to reveal this part of their past but understanding the necessity of clarifying the situation.

Alex took his turn to speak. “What Claire said is right. We were once married. However, it's not what people might think.”

Claire nodded, taking the lead again. “Our marriage happened because of the late Mr. Harris, Alex's grandfather. He wanted the wedding to happen as part of his last will. Alex didn't want to let his grandfather die without granting his last wishes, just like any of us would.”

Claire stood at the podium, her gaze steady as she addressed the room full of journalists and photographers. “Due to the photo of Alex and me online without any context, a lot of people are making wrong assumptions,” she began.

The murmur of the crowd quieted as they listened intently. “These past few days, because of that post, Metacortex has been affected in the stock market, as well as Harris Company.”

Alex stepped forward, his expression serious. “We held this conference to address the issue about us and to straighten out the problem.” He paused, looking directly into the eyes of the journalists with a sharp, determined gaze. “We will take a few questions.”

Immediately, a forest of hands shot up, journalists and paparazzi alike eager to get their questions in. Alex scanned the crowd and pointed to a short woman sitting in the front row. A staff member handed her a microphone.

The woman stood up, adjusting the mic. “Why did you keep it a secret? Are you embarrassed if people find out you are married?”

Claire took a breath and answered, her voice calm and clear. “I am not embarrassed. The Harris family prefers to keep everything private. A lot of people know about us, and if we prefer to keep it private, then of course it's going to be a secret.” She added a warm smile to ease the tension in the room.

The journalist nodded, jotting down notes in her notebook.

A journalist with a notepad in hand stood up. “Why did you decide to hold this press conference? Why not just ignore the news about your supposed marriage?”

Alex straightened his tie and leaned forward, ready to address the question. “That's a fair question,” he began, his voice calm but firm.

“The rumors about our marriage started to affect the stock market for both Metacortex and Harris Company. Investors were uncertain, and it caused unnecessary volatility. We felt it was our responsibility to address these rumors directly to prevent any further damage. We couldn't just sit back and hope it would go away; the stakes were too high.”

The journalist nodded, scribbling furiously in his notebook. Claire, sitting beside Alex, felt a sudden dryness envelop her throat. She knew they had three more questions to face, and she dreaded the unpredictable nature of what might come next.

As Alex continued to elaborate, Claire reached for the water bottle in front of her. Her fingers fumbled with the cap, and she struggled to open it. Despite her efforts to maintain a neutral expression, the task was proving difficult.