New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 428 Hallucinate

natural at drawing people in with his smooth talk and magnetic presence.

Cindy swirled the champagne in her glass, the bubbling liquid catching the dim lights of the banquet hall. She had been keeping her eyes locked on Adrian for the better part of the evening, tracking his every move from across the room. He was charming as usual, a She glanced at her watch. Ten minutes had passed since her last check. Her lips curled into a sly smile. Showtime, she thought.

Taking a deep breath, Cindy adjusted her dress, making sure every detail was flawless, from her perfectly styled hair to her calculated smile. She swayed her hips deliberately as she made her way toward Adrian, who was deep in conversation with a group of well-dressed socialites.

As she approached, she turned on the charm, her smile warm and inviting. "Good evening, everyone," she said, her voice smooth as silk. Her gaze flicked to Adrian, who noticed her immediately. His expression changed, his usual composure faltering ever so slightly. "Claire?" he asked softly, his tone tinged with surprise.

Cindy's smirk widened. She had nailed it-the look, the demeanor, even the faint trace of mystery that Claire seemed to carry naturally.

"Adrian," she said sweetly, tilting her head slightly, her voice dropping just enough to mimic Claire's tone. "Would you mind if we talked privately? It's important."

Adrian nodded, his brow furrowing. "Of course. Excuse me," he said to the group, offering a polite smile before following Cindy.

She led him down a hallway into a small, dimly lit lounge that was mostly unused for the evening. The faint hum of the banquet's activity drifted in from the distance, but the space felt isolated enough for her plan.

The moment they were alone, Adrian turned to her, a look of concern on his face. "Claire, where have you been? You've been so distant," he said, stepping closer.

Cindy smirked inwardly. Oh, this is going to be easier than I thought.

"I've been... busy," she said, letting her words hang, drawing him in. She tilted her head, her eyes looking onto his with an intensity that could almost convince even herself.

"Too busy to even text me back?" Adrian asked his tone a mix of frustration and vulnerability.

His breath hitched, and

but quickly deepened into something passionate. Cindy found herself caught off guard-Adrian was... good

herself. This wasn't real-it was

the moment, her phone vibrated against her wrist. The insistent buzz pulled her back to reality, breaking the kiss

confused, his breathing heavy as he blinked

phone out of her clutch. The screen lit up with a message from

captured.

irritation bubbling beneath her composed exterior.

back, smoothing her dress. "It was nice seeing you," she said, her tone light and dismissive. She

reached for her arm as she started to turn away. "Wait. Claire, what's going on? Why are you

arm free gently, keeping her smile firmly in place.

her, but she

of the lounge and through the hotel, her exit

kiss lingered in her thoughts, an unexpected twist she hadn't accounted for. Shaking

the cool night air, the city lights reflecting off the windows of the waiting cars, she sighed. "One more piece in Eligos's game," she muttered under her breath, slipping into her car and disappearing into the

up

like she'd been hit by a

of it. Stretching lazily in bed, she stared at the ceiling, the weight of the week pressing on her. It wasn't just

was code for "deal with

herself out of bed, she stumbled into the bathroom. A splash of cold water to the face helped somewhat. Brushing

like

phone after, scrolling through a barrage of emails and texts. That's when she