New beginning: Billionaire love story

The soft hum of the city beyond the large glass windows filled the silence in Claire's office. Papers lay scattered on her desk, but her mind was miles away, trapped in a whirlwind of confusion.

Her fingers tapped restlessly against the polished wood as she tried to untangle the thoughts running through her head. Finding Andre seemed like it should be a straightforward task, but for the first time in a long while, she felt hesitant.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, the name "Matthew" flashing across the screen. A breath of relief escaped her lips as she picked it up.

"Matthew," she answered, her voice softer than usual.

"Claire," Matthew's voice came through, steady and calm, "I wanted to check in. How are you holding up?" Claire closed her eyes for a moment, her shoulders sagging slightly. "I'm... trying to locate Andre, but I don't know where to start." She let out a frustrated sigh. "It's so unlike me, Matthew. I usually know exactly what I need to do, but this time-"

"This time, you're human," Matthew interrupted gently. "It's okay to feel overwhelmed, Claire."

Claire leaned back in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I can't afford to be overwhelmed. Not now."

There was a pause before Matthew spoke again, his tone unwavering. "Listen, if you need help, you know I'm here. Just say the word."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Claire's lips, though worry still clouded her eyes. "Matthew, you just woke up from a coma. You need rest. I can't drag you into this mess."

"I'm fine, Claire." His voice was firm, but there was a hint of playfulness. "Don't make me come over there and prove it."

She let out a soft laugh. "I'd like to see you try."

"I mean it, though," Matthew continued. "You don't need to handle everything on your own. I know you're worried about me, but I'm stronger than you think."

Claire's fingers traced the edge of her desk. "I know you are. But I can't help it. The thought of you getting hurt again because of me..." Her voice trailed off.

Matthew's voice softened. "Claire, you didn't put me in that coma. You've got to stop carrying the weight of everything on your shoulders.'

She sighed. "Easier said than done."

"Then let me help you," Matthew insisted. "If I'm resting, I might as well be useful. Bring your laptop when you visit. We can figure this out together."

Claire's lips curved into a genuine smile. The idea of having Matthew back at her side, even for something as complicated as this, made the burden feel just a little lighter. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"I've been told," he chuckled. "So, does that mean you'll come by?"noveldrama

She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the warmth in her voice. "Yeah, I'll come by. But only if you promise not to overdo it.'

"Scout's honor."

"Since when were you a scout?" she teased.

"Details, details," Matthew replied with mock indignation. "See you soon?"

"See you soon," Claire echoed. As she hung up, a sense of purpose began to take shape in her mind. Claire walked briskly into Matthew's hospital room, a laptop tucked under her arm. The sight of Matthew sitting up, his eyes bright and alert, eased a knot in her chest. He looked tired but determined, the lines of exhaustion softened by his familiar grin.

"Hey, you," she greeted, setting the laptop down on the rolling table beside his bed.

"Hey yourself," he replied, his eyes scanning her face. "You look better already."

"Don't get ahead of yourself." She raised an eyebrow. "You're supposed to be resting, remember?" Matthew waved a hand dismissively. "Rest is overrated." He patted the space on the bed beside him. "Come on, let's get to work."

Claire hesitated for a moment before sitting down. The feeling of being back in sync with Matthew, the way they used to tackle problems together, filled her with a sense of normalcy she hadn't felt in weeks. He opened the laptop and started typing, his fingers flying over the keys with practiced ease. "Okay, first things first. What do we know about Andre?"

Claire leaned forward, her brow furrowing. "Not much. I didn't even know he existed until the Christmas party. He said his name is Andre and claimed to be my half-brother."

Matthew's eyes narrowed. "Did he give any details? Anything about his background or where he came from?"

"Nothing concrete," Claire said. "But he had this bitterness in his voice, like he blames me for everything that's gone wrong in his life."

Matthew nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like someone who's been fed a lot of misinformation."

Claire exhaled sharply. "Probably by Eligos. I mean that man always ruin everything and even sabotage my company and not just Cryptonic but Metacortex as well."

Matthew's jaw clenched. "That man has his fingerprints all over this." He glanced at the screen. "Let's see if we can dig up anything on Andre."

He pulled up a search window and

.n

started entering variations of the name "Andre" along with terms like "Bianchi, "London," and "family. records." Claire watched the screen intently, the glow reflecting inher eyes.

"Nothing yet," Matthew muttered. "But if he really is your half-brother, there should be some kind of paper trail."

Claire rubbed her temples. "I just don't understand why this is happening now. Why did he wait until that night to reveal himself?"

Matthew paused, considering her words. "Maybe it wasn't his choice. Maybe Eligos timed it perfectly to catch you off guard."

Claire's expression darkened. "That sounds exactly like something he'd do."

After a few more minutes of searching, Matthew frowned. "This is odd. There's almost no digital footprint for anyone named Andre connected to your family. If he's real, someone's been covering his tracks."

Claire's heart sank. "Eligos."

"Most likely." Matthew leaned back, exhaling slowly. "He's playing a long game, Claire. But that doesn't mean we can't beat him at it."

Claire's eyes burned with resolve. "Then we'll keep digging. There has to be something he missed."

Matthew reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure this out. Together. I'm back now and you don't have to be worry about any of this. Remember I will help you until we find this Andre who claims to be your half-brother."

A small, grateful smile spread across her face. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Lucky for you, you'll never have to find out cause I am here to help." He grinned, the warmth in his eyes softening the seriousness of their task.

Claire chuckled lightly, the weight on her shoulders lifting just a little.

"Thank you Matthew really. You are a lifesaver. You have no idea how much I struggle when you are not around. I thought I will lose you cause you are not waking up." A feeling of sudden sadness washed over her.

"Shh...please don't cry. You know I hate when I see you cry. Especially when I am the source of your sadness. It makes me feel guilty."

"Okay, I will stop crying." She added with a slight laughed.

The road ahead was still unclear, but with Matthew by her side, she felt ready to face whatever came

next.