New beginning: Billionaire love story

Adrian and Claire sat across from each other in the cozy, dimly lit restaurant. The warm glow of candles flickered on the table between them, casting soft shadows over their plates of delicious food.

The atmosphere was perfect-just quiet enough to make the space feel intimate but lively enough to make it fun. Claire was smiling more than she had in weeks and Adrian? Well, he was on cloud nine, soaking in every moment. "This is easily the best meal I've had in a long time," Claire said, taking another bite of her dessert. "And I'm not just talking about the food."

Adrian grinned. "It's the company, right? Gotta admit I wasn't sure how this would go, but... I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

Claire nodded, her eyes twinkling. "I am. This whole evening has been... really nice. And that joke earlier?" She let out a small laugh, remembering. "I can't believe you actually told that one."

Adrian chuckled. "Hey, it's a classic! You've got to love a good dad joke."

Claire shook her head, still laughing. "I didn't see it coming, that's for sure."

The two of them continued talking and laughing, enjoying the relaxed vibe between them. The dinner felt easy, natural-like they'd known each other for years. And though there was a little tension, it wasn't uncomfortable. It was more of the kind that made your heart race just a little faster, especially when you caught the other person looking at you a second too long.

When the meal came to an end, Adrian leaned back in his chair, looking completely content. "You ready to head out?"

Claire smiled, wiping her lips with her napkin. "Yeah, let's go."

They both stood and made their way out of the restaurant, the cool evening air hitting them as they stepped onto the street. Adrian stretched his arms and looked over at Claire. "You getting picked up, or...?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Claire grabbed his hand, stopping him in his tracks. Adrian blinked, clearly confused, and looked down at their joined hands before meeting her gaze.

"Claire? You okay? Do you need something?" His voice was soft but full of concern.

Claire hesitated for a second, then took a deep breath, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. This was it-the moment she'd been mulling over for days, the decision she'd lost sleep over. "Adrian, I've made my choice."

Adrian tilted his head, his brow furrowed. "Your choice?" He sounded confused, which made sense-he'd told her to take her time, no pressure at all. "I told you, Claire, no rush. You don't have to-"noveldrama

But she cut him off, her voice more certain now. "I know, but... I've thought about it, and I don't want to wait. I have feelings for you too, Adrian."

Adrian's eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting this. "You do?"

Claire nodded, squeezing his hand a little tighter. "Yeah. And I'm not saying this because I feel bad that you told me how you felt, or because I feel pressured. I'm saying it because... I genuinely like you."

The honesty in her voice was enough to make Adrian's heart do a little flip. He stood there, kind of stunned, as Claire continued.

"Your actions, your words, the way

you care about me... It's something I've never really felt before. You make me feel loved, and it's scary, but also 'd be stupid to ignore

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I'm really lucky to have met someone like you." She let out a shaky breath, her eyes never leaving his. "And I don't want to avoid this just because it might not work. If it doesn't, well, we can still be friends. But I want to try."

For a second, Adrian was speechless. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. He was floored-he hadn't expected her to say all that, not now, not tonight. He had been ready to give her more time, but here she was, putting it all out there, and it was... everything he wanted to hear.

Before he could think too much

about it, he leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't a hesitant kiss, not at all. It was full of passion, full of everything he'd been holding back. And Claire? She kissed him right back, her hand reaching up to cup his face as if this was exactly what she'd been wanting too.

The world around them seemed to

disappear as they got lost in each other, their kiss deepening, making both their hearts race. It had been so long since Claire had felt this kind of affection, this kind of passion, and it felt amazing. For Adrian, it was like a dream come true-finally getting to show her just how much she meant to him.

After what felt like forever, they finally pulled apart, both of them breathless, their foreheads resting against each other. A smile tugged at Claire's lips, and she let out a small laugh. "What was that?" she asked, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. Adrian gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, his voice soft and playful. "That? That was a mark of our confession... and the start of us being together."

Claire raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the moment. "Oh? Are we really together now?" Her tone was teasing, but her smile was genuine.

Adrian chuckled, his eyes lighting up. "Oh, we are definitely together."

Without warning, he scooped her up in his arms, spinning her around in the air as she squealed in surprise, laughing uncontrollably. "Adrian!" she giggled, clinging to his shoulders as they twirled. "Put me down!"

But he didn't listen-he kept spinning her, his laughter mixing with hers as the world blurred around them. Finally, he set her down, both of them dizzy but grinning like fools.

They stood there, catching their breath, still smiling at each other, completely unaware that just a few feet away, a paparazzo was snapping away, camera clicking furiously. The photographer grinned, knowing he'd just struck gold.

As he slipped into the shadows, already planning how to sell the photos, he muttered to himself, "The grandson of Mr. Saint Laurent, one of the most influential business figures, and Claire Peterson, CEO of Metacortex... This is gonna make headlines for sure."

But Adrian and Claire didn't notice they were too wrapped up in each other, enjoying the aftermath of their kiss, the warmth of the night, and the undeniable chemistry that had been simmering between them for so long.

"I can't believe this is happening," Adrian said softly, looking at Claire with awe. "You have no idea how happy I am right now."

Claire smiled, reaching up to touch his face again. "I think I have an idea."

They both laughed and as they stood there under the soft glow of the night city, everything felt right.

The next morning, Alexander was making a cup of black coffee to freshen himself while also reading the news as usual. He dropped the cup that he was holding as he saw the news written on it.

"Adrian Saint Laurent and Claire Peterson are together?"

And above it, there is a picture of them kissing.

"No!"