New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26 Change of plan 

Claire stormed back into her office; her expensive bags tossed haphazardly onto the couch. Her jaw clenched, and her hands balled into fists as she marched to her desk, glaring out of the window with simmering anger. 

It was clear to anyone who saw her that Claire was seething. 

“All I wanted was a peaceful breakfast, but Alex just had to ruin it,” Claire muttered to herself, the frustration evident in her voice. 

Being accused of something beneath her level felt like a personal insult, hitting a nerve deep within her pride. 

As Claire stood there, a flicker of determination crossed her mind. 

She grabbed her bag from the couch and swiftly extracted her phone, removing the SIM card from her other phone and snapping it in hall. She wasn’t about to let Alex track her movements or monitor her communications. 

Seated at her desk, Claire opened her laptop. She meticulously deleted her email. With her hacking skill, she also hacked into her email to ensure that Alex’s private investigator couldn’t find any digital breadcrumbs leading back to her. 

It was as if the email had never existed, a digital vanishing act orchestrated by Claire’s sharp mind. 

Claire was too caught up in her own problem about Robert and the company that it slips from her mind to throw anything that related to Alexander Harris. 

As she leaned back at her chair, her secretary, Sandra, entered the office, breaking the silence. 

“Good morning, Ms. Peterson. I have your schedule for today.” 

Claire nodded, gesturing for Sandra to continue as she composed herself. 

“Your meeting at 1pm, has been canceled and will be rescheduled,” Sandra informed her, glancing at Claire for any reaction 

“That’s fine,” Claire replied briskly, her mind already shifting gears to accommodate the change. 

Sandra continued, “You also have a meeting scheduled with Team D regarding the Cortex 2.0 project later today. 

Claire’s demeanor shifted slightly as she leaned forward, her focus shifting to the upcoming meeting, 

“Right, I want to make sure we’re on track with the latest developments. Let’s prioritize that.” 

Sandra nodded, taking note of Claire’s instructions. “Of course, I’ll make sure everything is prepared for the meeting.” 

“Thank you, Sandra,” Claire said with a nod, acknowledging her secretary’s efficiency. 

Claire strode confidently down the corridor, Sandra by her side, heading towards the meeting room where Team D awaited her arrival. The air was charged with anticipation as everyone geared up for a productive session. 

As Claire entered the meeting room, she wasted no time and dove straight into the agenda. “Good morning, everyone. Today, we’re going to discuss the new software project and gather your insights.” 

The team members nodded in unison; their attention focused on Claire as she outlined her vision 

We want this software to provide actionable insights and seamless integration with existing systems for a smooth user experience,” she explained, setting the tone for the meeting 

Everyone in the room took notes, capturing the key points of the discussion. The room buzzed with energy as Team D members chimed in with their ideas and suggestions. 

One team member brought up the importance of user interface design, emphasizing the need for a clean and intuitive layout. Claire nodded in agreement, acknowledging the crucial role of design in user adoption. 

Throughout the meeting, Claire encouraged an open dialogue, welcoming criticism and feedback from her team. 

“I want to hear your honest thoughts. Don’t hold back,” she urged, fostering a culture of constructive criticism and continuous Improvement. 

Despite being the CEO, Claire didn’t let her status create a barrier between her and her employees. Since this project will be a comeback project after 3 years, Claire actively engaged with their ideas, leveraging their expertise to refine the project further. 

Claire mentions the software design. Since they will collaborate with HP, she instruct one of them to communicate with the HP team to avoid misunderstanding 

The meeting progressed smoothly, with each agenda item tackled with precision and enthusiasm. Ideas flowed freely, and solutions 

began to take shape as the team brainstormed together. 

As the meeting approached its two–hour mark, Claire called for a wrap–up. 

“Great work, everyone. We will be having this meeting every once a week.” she announced, signaling her commitment to regular updates and progress checks.D 

The team members exchanged satisfied glances, feeling energized by the productive session. 

Claire’s leadership style had instilled confidence and motivation, driving them to excel in their roles 

“That went well.” Claire clapped her hand in satisfaction. 

“Yes, it did, Ms. Peterson.” 

“I will be heading back to my office. If there is any information do not hesitate to interrupt me.” 

As Claire briskly made her way out of the meeting room, her mind already preoccupied with post–meeting tasks, her secretary Sandra hurried to catch up with her. 

“Ms. Peterson,” Sandra called out, a 

of urgency was noticeable 

Claire paused, turning to face Sandra. “Yes, Sandra? What is it?” 

“We have received a message from The Harris Company. They want to schedule a meeting with you, the CEO of Metacortex.” 

Claire’s jaw tightened imperceptibly 

ly at the mention of The Harris Company. And the one thing that came to mind is none other than Alexander Harris. Despite the surge of anger she felt, Claire maintained her composure and listened to Sandra’s report. 

“Tell them we are not interested,” Claire replied curtly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. 

However, as Claire turned to leave, a cunning thought crossed her mind. She stopped in her tracks, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. 

“On second thought, Sandra, accept their request,” Claire said, her voice betraying a hint of mischief.