New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 218

Adrian found the hotel manager on the floor Alex had told him about. The manager’s eyes widened when he saw Adrian, but he didn’t say a word. He quickly unlocked the door with a key card, the sound of the lift dinging just as they stepped inside. A doctor walked out of the lift, timing that couldn't have been better.

“Doctor, over here!” Adrian called out, his voice urgent.

The doctor, a man in his fifties with graying hair and a serious expression, nodded as Adrian explained Claire’s condition. Without wasting any time, they hurried into the penthouse. Adrian carefully laid Claire down in one of the plush bedrooms, his worry etched on his face. The doctor immediately set to work, checking Claire’s heartbeat and breathing.

Adrian stood by, feeling utterly useless, his hands clenching and unclenching. “What’s wrong with her, Doc?” he asked, his voice tight with anxiety.

The doctor pulled out a syringe and, what looked like an antidote, injecting it into Claire’s arm with a steady hand. “She’s been poisoned,” he said, his tone calm but grave. “Someone spiked her drink. Fortunately, it wasn’t a high-level poison, so she’s not in immediate danger.”

Adrian’s eyes widened. “Poisoned? Are you sure?"

The doctor nodded as he continued his examination. “She’s going to be fine. The antidote I just gave her will counteract the poison. But I’ll need to come back with an IV and some medicine to make sure she recovers fully.”

“Please hurry,” Adrian urged, his concern evident.

The doctor finished checking Claire’s pulse and breathing, his expression easing slightly. “Her breathing is back to normal. She’ll need some rest, but she’s stable now.”

Adrian let out a long sigh of relief. “Thank you, Doctor. Really, thank you.”

The hotel manager, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward. “Mr. Adrian, is there anything else you need?”

Adrian shook his head. “No, that’s all for now. But please, make sure no one disturbs us.”

The manager nodded, his professionalism unwavering. “Of course. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

Adrian watched as the manager and the doctor left the room, the door clicking softly behind them. He then turned his attention back to Claire, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his fingertips lightly grazing her cheek.

“Who did this to you, Claire?” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Back at the event, Alex was in no mood to mingle. His face was a mask of barely contained anger, and the scowl etched into his features was doing little to hide it. He was pissed—pissed that someone had tried to harm Claire, pissed that Adrian was with her instead of him, and pissed that Matthew had ordered him to stay at the event to keep the guests from getting suspicious.

Despite the fact that the presentation had gone perfectly, something happened.

The buzz and excitement that had filled the room earlier had been replaced by a tense undercurrent that Alex couldn’t shake. He couldn’t care less about the compliments being thrown his way about the robot they had unveiled. He didn’t care about the success of the event; all he could think about was Claire.

As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, Abigail approached him, her usual bright smile in place. But as soon as she saw the look on Alex’s face, her smile faltered. “Alex are you okay?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Alex forced himself to nod, but his tone was flat. “I’m fine.”

Abigail wasn’t convinced. “You don’t look fine. Did something happen?”

Alex hesitated, remembering Matthew’s words. No one should know what happened. He forced a small, tired smile and said, “I’m just tired, that’s all. It’s been a long day.”