New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 430

Late that evening, Claire paced her room, phone pressed to her ear. She’d been trying to call Matthew for the past fifteen minutes, and when he finally picked up, his cheery tone caught her off guard.

“Hey, Claire! What's up?” Matthew greeted, his voice bright and completely oblivious.

Claire didn’t share his enthusiasm. Her tone was clipped, serious. “Matthew, have you seen the news?”

Matthew’s brows furrowed. “Uh, no? I’ve been busy keeping Metacortex and Cryptonic systems airtight. You know, since certain people like to mess with our tech. Why? What's going on?”

Claire sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Check the latest headlines. Right now.”

“Alright, alright. Hold on,” Matthew replied, the sound of his keyboard clicking faintly over the line. The pause that followed was deafening, and when Matthew spoke again, his voice was lower, more serious. “What the—? Claire, this isn’t possible. Adrian would never—”

“I know!” Claire cut in, exasperation lacing her words. “That’s exactly what I thought. But then again… I don’t know what to think right now, Matthew. The picture is everywhere.”

Matthew’s voice softened. “Claire, listen to me. Adrian is not that guy. If he were, don’t you think I would’ve noticed something before you two even started dating? This has to be a setup.”

Claire plopped down on her bed, running a hand through her hair. “You’re probably right, but seeing that picture… I don’t know. It’s hard not to doubt, just a little. What if—?”

“Nope,” Matthew interrupted firmly. “We’re not doing this. You’re not spiraling. Adrian doesn’t deserve it, and you don’t deserve to stress yourself out over some fake scandal. This isn’t him.”

Claire let out a long, shaky breath. “Alright. Fine. But we need answers, Matthew. Can you find out where Adrian was last night? And who that woman in the picture is?”

“On it,” Matthew replied without hesitation. “I’ll start digging right away.”

“Thank you,” Claire murmured, her voice quieter now. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably solve this yourself but take twice as long,” Matthew joked lightly, trying to lift her spirits. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

As soon as the call ended, Claire leaned back against her pillows, staring at the ceiling. She trusted Adrian. She did. But the image of him kissing another woman had shaken her in ways she hadn’t anticipated. Who was the woman? And why did it look so real?

In London, Adrian was pacing his study, a single photo displayed on the tablet in his hand. It was the same photo Claire had seen, the one splashed across every media outlet: him, leaning in to kiss a woman who wasn’t Claire.

He stopped mid-step, pressing his fingers to his temples. “Think, Adrian. Think!” he muttered to himself, frustration evident in his tone. He was sure—absolutely sure—that the woman he’d been with last night was Claire. He remembered her outfit, the way she walked, even the way she spoke. But looking at the photo now? It wasn’t her.

“Who the hell are you?” he muttered to himself.

The knock on his door broke his concentration. Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Come in,” he called out.

The door creaked open, and his mother stepped inside, her expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. “Adrian, darling, care to explain the news?”

He groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not what it looks like, Mom.”

She crossed her arms, giving him a pointed look. “You’re telling me you didn’t kiss that woman? Because the evidence suggests otherwise.”

Adrian gestured to the photo, exasperated. “I thought I did, alright? But last night, I swear, I saw Claire. I was with Claire—or at least I thought I was.”