New beginning: Billionaire love story

Claire tossed and turned in her bed, her eyes wide open as she stared at the ceiling. Sleep seemed impossible after everything that happened at the press release. It was supposed to go smoothly, but of course, nothing ever did.

Her mind raced, going back and forth between Frank's message, which Matthew delivered with that ever-present calm of his, and the mess with Venus AMD. Every time she thought she had things under control, something new popped up to throw a wrench into the works. "This is a nightmare," Claire muttered to herself, grabbing a pillow and covering her face with it. As if that would block out the reality.

The next morning came way too fast. Claire barely felt rested but had no choice but to get up. She had a trial to get ready for. She groaned as her alarm went off, dragging herself out of bed and into the shower, hoping the cold water would wake her up enough to function. She glanced at the clock. "At least I have time for coffee," she said, feeling slightly better about the day. The trial was looming over her, but somehow, the smell of freshly brewed coffee made it seem just a little less intimidating.

By the time she got dressed, the doorbell rang. Claire blinked, checking the time. "He's early," she muttered and headed to the door. Opening it, she found Matthew standing there, already dressed in a crisp suit, holding a coffee cup of his own. "Morning," he said with a nod, his expression calm as always.

"You're early," Claire pointed out, crossing her arms.

Matthew shrugged. "Figured you'd need a little extra time to get ready. So... ready?"

Claire gave him a nod. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Matthew stepped aside so she could lock the door. They made their way down the elevator in silence until they reached the garage. Matthew had already brought the car around, and Claire slid into the passenger seat as he got in on the driver's side. As they drove off, Matthew glanced at her. "You nervous?"

Claire shook her head. "Surprisingly, no. This time, I've got all the proof I need. Lisa doesn't stand a chance."

Matthew smiled a little, keeping his eyes on the road. "Good. Just don't let her lawyer rattle you. You know how lawyers tend to be."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Oh, trust me, I'm ready for him too. If anyone's going to get rattled, it's going to be Lisa."

The car ride wasn't long, but Claire's thoughts kept jumping back and forth between what was about to happen and everything that had led to this point. The whole situation with Lisa felt like it had been dragging on forever, and she was more than ready for it to be over. She glanced at Matthew, who was humming along to a song on the radio, completely relaxed. She envied how chill he could be about everything.

Finally, they arrived at the courthouse. The large stone building loomed ahead, and Claire took a deep breath. This was it.

They both stepped out of the car, Matthew locking it behind them, and made their way up the courthouse steps. Claire's lawyer, David, was already waiting inside. He waved them over as soon as they entered.

"Morning, Claire. You ready?" David asked, giving her a confident smile.

Claire nodded. "Yeah, let's do this."noveldrama

David looked over his notes, tapping them against his hand. "The trial starts in thirty minutes. I just want to go over a few things with you before we head in."

The three of them found a quiet corner, away from the buzzing crowd, and went over the main points of their defense. Claire listened carefully, but she wasn't worried. She had her facts straight, and there was no way Lisa could wriggle out of this one.

Thirty minutes passed quickly, and soon enough, they were stepping into the courtroom. The air was tense, filled with whispers from the audience. Claire's eyes scanned the room, landing on Lisa's mother sitting in the front row.

The woman looked distressed like she still couldn't believe her daughter was in this mess. Claire didn't feel any sympathy for her. If anything, Lisa's mother should've seen this coming.

Claire took her seat on the right, with David beside her. Matthew sat behind her, offering silent support, his face calm but attentive. Across the aisle, Lisa was brought in by an officer. She looked nervous, her eyes darting around the room, but when she saw her mother, she managed a small, shaky smile.

Claire's lawyer leaned over and whispered, "Remember, don't react to anything she or her lawyer says. Keep calm and stay focused."

Claire nodded. "Don't worry. I've got this."

The jury filed in, and everyone stood until the judge gave them permission to sit. Once everyone was seated, the trial officially began. Claire watched Lisa out of the corner of her eye, noticing how pale she looked. This wasn't the confident, cocky woman she was used to seeing.

David stood up from his chair, straightening his jacket before walking toward the jury. His expression was calm, his tone

steady, as he began, "Ladies and et

gentlemen, today, I'm going to make this very simple for you. The truth is on our side. What we have here is a clear case of a person who has crossed too many lines. Lisa thought she could get away with it, but not this time."

Claire, sitting just a few feet away, felt a wave of confidence wash over her. David had this under control. As he spoke, she kept her eyes locked on Lisa, whose face was slowly turning a shade of pale. Her shoulders were tense, and her hands gripped the arms of her chair tightly. It was almost satisfying for Claire to watch.

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David continued, turning toward the jury once more. "Let me start by laying out the facts. Lisa here has been involved in more than just a

-

few crimes. She didn't just stumble into trouble no, she planned some of these crimes herself." He paced a little, pausing for effect. "And the biggest one? Kidnapping Claire. She didn't stop there, though. She hurt Claire. And let me be blunt with you - Lisa tried to kill her."

"Objection!" Lisa's lawyer stood up, waving his hand like he was trying to swat away a fly. "Speculation!"

The judge, not even glancing up, simply said, "Overruled."

David nodded, flashing a brief smile in Claire's direction. "As I was saying, we have the proof. The evidence is here. If the jury would like, I can show you exactly what I'm talking about." The jury leaned in, all eyes on him.

"Go ahead," one of the jury members said, almost impatiently.

David stepped back toward the screen. He clicked a remote, and a series of images appeared.

The jury's attention was fully captured now, their eyes glued to the screen.

"That's right. Lisa's," David continued, clicking through more evidence. "Now, here's where things get really serious. Before that kidnapping, Lisa tried to hurt Claire before. We have pictures of the injuries Claire sustained." He clicked again, showing a photo of a nasty cut on Claire's arm, still fresh.

"This was no accident. It was an attack."