New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 253

Claire sipped her wine. Gretta Robertson’s voice broke through Claire’s thoughts, sweet as sugar but just as artificial.

“How have you been, Claire?” Gretta asked, her smile a touch too wide to be genuine. “I’ve heard you’ve been quite busy lately.”

Claire knew Gretta couldn’t care less if she was alive or dead. Still, she played along, placing her glass down and pasting on a fake smile. “Oh, you know how it is, Gretta. Just keeping busy with work.”

Robert, Gretta’s husband, who had been mostly quiet throughout the evening, raised an eyebrow. “Busy with what, exactly? It must be something interesting if it’s keeping you busy."

There was a glint in Robert’s eyes that Claire didn’t like. He was fishing for information, clearly aware of more than he let on. But Claire wasn’t about to hand him anything on a silver platter. Instead, she feigned tiredness, letting out a heavy sigh. “Honestly, Robert, it’s been a struggle lately.”

Robert’s interest piqued, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Struggling with what, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Robots,” Claire said, as if that explained everything. “I’ve been trying to strike a deal with several robotics companies, but no one seems interested. It’s driving me up the wall.”

“Robots?” Robert echoed, genuinely confused. “Why are you dealing with robotics companies?”

Claire nodded solemnly, keeping her expression serious. “Yes, robots. I’ve reached out to five companies so far, but they’ve all declined my offers. It’s stressful. I just can’t figure out why they aren’t interested.”

Robert opened his mouth to probe further, but before he could get a word out, Claire’s phone rang. She didn’t even glance at the caller ID—she didn’t need to. This was her perfect escape. “Oh, excuse me, I need to take this,” Claire said, holding up her phone and standing up from the table. “Work emergency, you know how it is.” She turned to Gretta, giving her a polite nod. “The food was wonderful, Gretta, really. But I must be going.”

With that, Claire slipped out of the dining room, leaving Robert and Gretta behind. Once she was outside and safely inside her car, the smile dropped from her face, replaced by a thin, hard line. She knew exactly what Robert was up to—trying to dig up information, hoping to catch Metacortex off guard. And if she was right, Robert would run straight to Frank with whatever little nuggets of information he could gather.

Inside the Robertson mansion, Robert remained seated at the dining table, his thoughts a whirl. He had been so sure the informant he hired had given him solid leads on Claire’s activities. Yet, nothing Claire had said tonight made sense. Why would Metacortex be interested in robotics all of a sudden? It just didn’t add up.

Gretta noticed the pensive look on her husband’s face and raised an eyebrow. “Are you still thinking about what Claire said?” she asked, leaning back in her chair.

Robert nodded slowly. “I need to know what she’s up to. Frank expects results. If I don’t find a way to get Venus AMD to the top of the tech world, I’ll be out of a job. And that’s if I’m lucky.”

Gretta frowned. “This is all because of Claire, isn’t it? If she hadn’t kicked you out of Metacortex, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Robert’s jaw tightened, and he nodded again. “Exactly. If only I’d done more digging three years ago, I could’ve found out if she was still alive. I could’ve dealt with her back then. But now, she’s the one with all the power, and it feels like she’s slowly killing me, one step at a time.”

Gretta’s eyes softened, and she reached out to squeeze his hand. “We’ll figure it out, Robert. Claire isn’t invincible. Everyone has a weakness.”

When they finally arrived at Adrian’s mansion, they were both momentarily speechless. The mansion was massive, with elegant stone walls and large, arched windows that reflected the sunlight. Manicured gardens surrounded the house, filled with colorful flowers and perfectly trimmed hedges.

Talia practically squealed as they stepped out of the car. “This is perfect! I can already picture the runway right here,” she said, waving her arms toward the front lawn. “And maybe some models could walk down those steps for a dramatic entrance.”

Claire smiled at Talia’s enthusiasm. “Let’s take a look around,” she suggested. “There’s a lot to see.”

They were greeted by Adrian’s secretary, a young woman named Lucy, who had a bright smile and a clipboard in hand. “Welcome, Ms. Claire, Ms. Talia,” she said cheerfully. “Adrian wanted me to make sure you have everything you need. He’s sorry he couldn’t be here, but he’ll call in a bit to check in.”

“That’s fine,” Claire said, still looking around the property. “We’ll be able to manage. This place is stunning.”

Lucy led them through the mansion, giving them a quick tour. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior, with high ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and tasteful artwork adorning the walls. Everything was luxurious but not overdone, with a comfortable, lived-in feel.

Finally, they made their way to the back garden, which was even more beautiful than the front. A large, open space stretched out before them, framed by rows of rose bushes and tall hedges. A stone pathway wound through the garden, leading to a small pond with a fountain in the center.

Talia’s eyes lit up as she took it all in. “This is it!” she exclaimed.