New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 373

Claire’s phone hit the ground with a dull thud as she spun around, her heart pounding in her chest. The sound she had just heard—it couldn’t be what she thought it was. Denial washed over her as she grabbed her phone and started toward the noise, her footsteps quickening with every second.

"No, no, it can’t be…" she muttered under her breath, forcing herself to believe it wasn’t Adrian’s car.

But as she rounded the corner, her worst fear came true. There, engulfed in flames, was Adrian’s car, the heat radiating off it in waves, crackling loudly as the fire spread. Claire’s stomach dropped.

"Adrian!" she screamed, her voice trembling with panic. This was the first time she had ever felt fear like this—pure, unrelenting fear. Her body went cold, but her mind was racing, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

Frantically, Claire scanned the area, her eyes darting back and forth, desperately hoping Adrian wasn’t inside the car. She couldn’t handle that thought. And then she saw him—his body lying by the sidewalk, a few feet away from the flames.

"Adrian!" she called again, this time her voice cracking. She sprinted toward him, her legs carrying her faster than she thought possible. When she reached him, she dropped to her knees, grabbing him by the arms and trying to pull him away from the burning car. The fire was growing, the heat becoming more intense with every second. She gritted her teeth, using every ounce of strength she had to drag Adrian’s limp body farther from the wreckage.

"Come on, come on!" she muttered to herself, pulling harder, her muscles screaming in protest.

Just as she managed to get them a safe distance away, the car exploded again. The blast was deafening, and Claire flinched instinctively, her body trembling from the shock. But they were far enough now—the fire wouldn’t reach them here. She let out a shaky breath of relief, though her heart was still hammering wildly.

She glanced around in a daze, trying to find her phone. Where had she dropped it? Her mind was clouded with panic, unable to focus. She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t process what had just happened.

"Okay, okay, focus, Claire," she whispered to herself, forcing herself to stand up. Her eyes scanned the ground until they landed on her phone, a few feet away, half buried in the grass. She stumbled over to it, her hands shaking as she dialed Matthew’s number.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," she muttered under her breath, pacing anxiously as the phone rang. Every second felt like an eternity.

Finally, Matthew’s voice crackled through the speaker, lighthearted as usual. "Hey, Claire! What’s up? You miss me already?"

"Matthew," Claire cut him off, her voice sharp with fear. "Something’s wrong. You need to come pick me up. Now."

The tone in her voice instantly changed Matthew’s mood. "Claire, what happened? Are you okay?" His voice was serious now, all traces of humor gone.

"I’m at… I’m near the corner of Pine and Oak," she managed to say, her voice trembling. "Adrian’s hurt. It’s bad. You need to hurry."

"I’m on my way. Don’t move, okay? If anything happens, call the police," Matthew said, his voice steady but urgent. Claire nodded even though he couldn’t see her.

"I won’t. Just… just hurry."

As soon as she hung up with Matthew, Claire immediately called for an ambulance, her fingers fumbling over the phone. Her voice was frantic as she gave them the address, barely able to string the words together.

"Please, there’s been an accident. My friend, he’s hurt. We’re at Pine and Oak," she stammered.

The operator’s voice was calm, asking for more details, but Claire could hardly focus. "Just send someone, please," she begged.

Next, she dialed the police, and this time, her patience was wearing thin. The dispatcher was asking too many questions, and Claire was running out of time.

"Just listen!" Claire snapped, her tone sharp. "There’s been an explosion. We need help—now."