New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 328

“So,” Claire said, her voice sharp, “are you going to tell me who you are, or are we going to play this game all day?”

Claudia raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, that irritating smile still plastered on her face. She didn't seem bothered by Claire's intense glare, and instead of answering, she turned on her heel, starting to walk away.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Claudia threw over her shoulder, her tone almost playful.

Claire scoffed, muttering under her breath, “Unbelievable.”

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her phone, her fingers swiftly scrolling through her contacts. Finding the name she wanted, she hit call.

After a couple of rings, Alexander Harris picked up. “Claire,” he greeted her, his voice smooth as always. “What can I do for you?”

“You can start by telling me if you have a deal with this mystery woman who’s been making herself quite comfortable around here,” Claire said, her voice tense.

There was a pause on the other end. Alexander sighed, though she couldn’t see it. “Let me guess, you’ve met her?”

“Yeah, just had the pleasure,” Claire said, sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Real charmer.”

Alexander chuckled lightly, but Claire wasn’t in the mood for his casual attitude. “She’s... complicated,” he finally said. “Apparently, she’s the daughter of my dad’s old business partner.”

Claire nearly rolled her eyes. “Complicated? You’re going to have to do better than that.”

“I’m serious, Claire. It’s not as simple as it seems. She’s not here to cause trouble. At least, not for you or me.”

“Oh, is that what she told you?” Claire asked, crossing her arms tighter. “Because from where I’m standing, she’s been nothing but mysterious and irritating.”

“I know, I know,” Alexander said, his tone softening. “But trust me, she won’t do anything that could harm our companies.”

Claire exhaled sharply, leaning against the wall. “I’m not feeling all that trusting right now, Alex. This woman shows up, acts like she owns the place, and refuses to tell me who she is. How do you expect me to be okay with that?”

“I’ll talk to her,” Alexander offered. “But really, she’s not a threat. We’ve had some conversations, and I don’t think she’s here to mess things up.”

“Great. That makes me feel so much better,” Claire said dryly. “You need to make a statement about this. Regarding what happened in the press release."

“A statement, huh?”

“Yes, a statement. You don't want your stock market to be affected right?”

Alexander frowned. “Of course not. You might be right,” he admitted.

Claire sighed. “Just...deal with it Alexander, you're a businessman, you know how it goes. Who's her name?”

“Claudia Wright.”

Claire let out a small, humorless laugh. “Of course, she has a name like that.”

Claudia sat in the back seat of her sleek black sedan, fingers drumming lightly on her knee. The car slowed as they approached the Harris mansion, and she couldn’t help but let out a low whistle at the sight.

The sprawling estate looked more like something out of a fairy tale than a home, complete with manicured gardens, a fountain, and that classic mansion charm that screamed old money. She took a deep breath, straightening her posture. Time to handle business.

When the car finally came to a stop in front of the grand entrance, Claudia stepped out, her heels clicking against the cobblestone driveway. She adjusted her coat, taking in the full view of the mansion with a mixture of admiration and, well, maybe just a smidge of jealousy.

It was hard not to be impressed. As the wind tousled her hair, she reminded herself that she wasn’t here to gawk—she was here for answers.