New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 429 Adrian Saint Laurent Headlines

ADRIAN SAINT LAURENT CAUGHT CHEATING?

WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN IN THE PHOTO?

IS THAT NOT CLAIRE PETERSON BUT OTHER WOMAN?

Her heart broke a little, but Claire wasn't about to let Alexander or anyone else see that. Her face remained an icy mask as she handed the phone back to him.

"It's fake," she said flatly.

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "It's not."

Claire's glare could've melted steel. "Why are you so sure about it, huh? Are we here to work, or to gossip?" she snapped. "Because I have a mountain of actual work waiting for me back in London."

Alexander studied her face, probably hoping to catch a flicker of emotion. Too bad for him-Claire had perfected the art of poker face. She might've been crumbling inside, but she was practically unreadable on the outside. With a sigh, Alexander relented. "Fine. Let's get back to it."

"Please," Claire muttered, already moving toward the task at hand. She wasn't about to let some tabloid drama derail her day—at least, that's what she told herself. Inside, though? That headline was like a splinter under her skin.

Claire didn't say a word. She just turned and walked toward the desk, her heels clicking sharply on the floor. Inside, her mind was racing, but she wasn't going to give Alexander the satisfaction of seeing it. She wasn't going to let this fake tabloid story mess with her focus. At least, that's what she told herself.

But deep down? It was like a splinter under her skin. The image of Adrian's face, the other woman in the photo, and the way the headlines had slapped her across the face... it was hard to shake.

to focus. She had a presentation to prepare, a whole list of things that needed to be done, and yet, all she could think

there was that nagging thought in the back of her mind: the reason Adrian's phone had died-was it because he was with someone else?

your first time dealing with betrayal. Claire didn't want to go down that road again. She didn't want to feel that familiar ache of betrayal, of the sudden coldness that would settle between them. She couldn't go

her. Was this it? Was this the moment

then, but she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd caught her distracted. He probably thought she

she didn't even know if she wanted to know the truth about the photos. What good would it do? She was here to work, to push forward with the project, to be the professional she always was. The drama? The gossip? That was all for other people to care

phone buzzed on her desk, and her eyes flitted over to it. Her breath caught when she saw the name

Adrian Saint Laurent.

heart skipped

picked up the

crackled through the line, rich and familiar, but there was something off about

a little too casual, like he was

her harder than she'd expected, and her stomach dropped again. She could feel the tension

together. But

took a

remain steady.

fine," she said, her voice cold

thought maybe he was going to say something-something to make her feel better, to reassure her. But instead, he sighed. "Listen, I didn't know about any of this," he said quickly. "I don't know how those photos got

didn't reply right away.

many things she wanted to say, but the words got stuckin her throat. Instead, she just stared at the phone in her hand, feeling her fingers tighten around it. Her mind kept jumping back

she finally said, the words tasting