New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Stole the show

day party

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Mick's birthday

H

As Mick's birthday party unfolded in a lively atmosphere, Robert took center stage, welcoming the guests with warmth and enthusiasm. The room erupted in applause and cheers, everyone clearly excited to celebrate the occasion

Claire who was eager to hear Dennis explanation got interrupted as the party is starting. Dennis immediately excused himself to go back to his table. Before Claire can stop him, Dennis is out of sight.

The question still lingers in her bead about the house. She is determined to seek the answers but decides to put that aside for now since the only informant has gone back to his family.

was engaged in a conversation with a young woman. Sensing Claire's unease,

Claire decided to return to her table where Matthew was Matthew paused and asked her what was wrong

Claire shook her head slightly, indicating that it wasn't the right time to discuss it. "I'll tell you later," she murmured, trying to push aside her growing concerns about Dennis's words.

Meanwhile, Robert continued to charm the guests, expressing his gratitude for their presence, and inviting his wife and son to join him in blowing out the birthday candles. The room filled with the cheerful melody of the "Happy Birthday" song, guests clapping and singing along in unison.

Claire watched the festivities with a blank expression, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of the mysterious mention of her house. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease, wondering why someone would imply that her house was being sold without her knowledge. Her train of thought was interrupted by a sudden burst of cheering, drawing her attention back to the party. She joined in the applause, trying to focus on the present moment. Suddenly, Gretta, Robert's wife, took the microphone from him, signaling an unexpected twist in the celebration. Robert looked slightly puzzled, not aware of his wife's plans.

"Greetings, everyone!" Gretta's voice echoed through the room, commanding attention. "We have a special surprise for you tonight."

Claire's curiosity piqued as she wondered what Gretta had up her sleeve. The lights shifted toward Claire, who was seated at the back, causing her to shield her eyes momentarily from the brightness.

please

elegantly in a floor-length gown, navigated through the crowd with a smile, her graceful demeanor befitting her role as the CEO of a prominent company. She had no inkling

the stage beside Gretta. she couldn't suppress a curious smile. "What's going on, Gretta?" she

expression, ignored Claire's question,

carrying across the room, "we have a special

She hadn't anticipated Gretta's revenge for their earlier conversation about jewelry. The thought of performing in front of such a distinguished audience made her

a challenge. Despite her initial shock, she plastered on a confident smile, determined

eyes, took a deep breath, and let her fingers glide over the krys. At first, there was a stumble, a wrong note that caused a

Claire's fingers danced with skill and precision. Her eyes remained

skeptical, was soon captivated

who had hoped to witness Claire's embarrassment, felt a surge of irritation as she watched the crowd's admiration grow. Her grip on the microphone tightened,

of the piece, her eyes opened, meeting a standing ovation from the guests.

mixture of surprise and frustration.

looked away and squirmed

with renewed energy, but the talk of the evening had shifted. Instead of Mick's birthday, the guests were buzzing about Claire's impromptu plano performance, praising her talent and grace. "Ms. Peterson that was an amazing

was indeed

surrounded by well-wishers and admirers,

and anger. This event was supposed to be about

Robert grabbed Gretta, his wife, and pulled her aside into the kitchen,

was that, Gretta?" Robert hissed; his

looked taken aback by Robert's sudden outburst. "What do you

to play the

"I was just trying to add some excitement to the evening.

Claire played that piano perfectly. And now everyone is talking about her not about Mick or even us. This was supposed

my friends. She corrected me about the necklace I was wearing, sald I got the stone wrong. It was embarrassing" Robert ran a hand through his hair in exasperation, "This isn't the way to