New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 352 The Confession

Claire froze.

She opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words.

Adrian, noticing her hesitation, gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I know this might be out of the blue, but I had to say it. I've been holding it in for too long." His voice was steady, but there was an edge of vulnerability beneath it. "I guess I just need to know... do you feel the same way?"

Her mind was racing. She hadn't expected this-at all. The warmth of the evening, the ease of their conversation, all of it seemed to blur into the background. She stared at Adrian, her mind frantically trying to process what he had just said.

Her heart raced, but her thoughts were tangled. Did she feel the same way? Could she? There was so much history between them-so much friendship, loyalty but romantic feelings?

For the first time that evening, she found herself unsure of what to say, how to respond. The moment hung in the air between them, heavy with possibility, and Claire, usually so quick-witted and sharp, was caught completely off guard. Adrian, sensing her inner conflict, smiled gently, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "You don't have to answer right now," he said softly. "I just wanted to be honest with you."

Claire took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Adrian, I... I don't know what to say. This is... a lot to take in."

He nodded, his smile still gentle. "I get it. It's okay. Take your time."

The tension slowly eased, though the air between them felt different now-charged with unspoken feelings and unasked questions. Claire forced a small smile, trying to regain her composure. "Thank you for telling me," she said quietly, her voice soft but sincere. Adrian nodded, releasing her hand slowly. "No matter what, Claire, I'll always be here for you. That won't change."

Claire smiled. "I know. I appreciate that."

The quiet hum of the jet's engines filled the cabin as Claire and Adrian sat across from each other, both lost in their thoughts. After the unexpected confession Adrian had dropped over dinner in Paris, the whole vibe between them had shifted.

Claire couldn't shake it-things just felt different now. Not bad, just... different. She glanced at him a few times during the flight, but every time their eyes met, she quickly looked away, pretending to be deeply focused on something important.

In truth, Claire liked Adrian. He was smart, charming, and sweet. But love? That was a whole other story. She just wasn't sure if she was ready to dive into anything serious, especially when her head was so full of business and drama. Yet, there was something about him -something that made her stomach do flips when she thought about his confession.

time to process everything. And Claire? She spent the entire trip replaying that moment at the restaurant over and over again in her head. When they finally landed in London, the tension still hung in the air like fog. As they stepped off the plane and made their way across the tarmac, Claire turned to Adrian, catching him just before they parted ways. "Hey," she said, her voice soft. Adrian looked at her, his expression open

me. It really meant a lot." Claire hesitated

small but genuine. "I meant what I

return, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're a really sweet guy, Adrian. I'm lucky to have you in my life." Claire paused, gathering her courage before leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I'll think about it, okay?" Adrian's heart practically stopped for

fingers crossed in his pocket. Maybe just maybe she'd come around. Maybe they could be more than just

morning, Claire arrived at the office earlier than usual. Even she was a bit surprised by her own punctuality, but after a

him a straight answer. It wasn't that she didn't like him-she

What if she wasn't ready? And worst of all, what if she led him on

staring at her computer screen, not really seeing anything. Her mind was a million miles

on her

"Whoa, Claire. You okay?" He

I'm fine," she said, waving a hand as if to dismiss his concern. But the vacant look

edge of her desk,

knowing there was no point in trying to hide it. Matthew

blinked, not following.

"He, uh, confessed his feelings to

trying to make sure he'd heard her right. "Our Adrian? Mr. Fancy Saint Laurent? Confessed his feelings?" Claire couldn't

in disbelief. "Wow. I did not see that coming. And... what did you

Claire admitted, running a hand through her hair. "I told him I'd think about

up. "You're actually

defensive. "He's a great

"I mean, you guys have always been close. You wouldn't even entertain the idea if you didn't

I like him. He's sweet and kind, and we get along great. But...

before responding, a grin slowly spreading across his lips. "You're