New beginning: Billionaire love story

Chapter 457 Without Matthew

Claire barely had time to catch her breath. The buzz of the event hummed around her like an annoying mosquito she couldn't swat away. She was pretending to admire a fancy display of jewelry-though in truth, she was more focused on counting down the minutes until she could leave-when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Startled, she spun around, nearly colliding with the familiar face of Mr. Novak's assistant.

"Oh! Hello," Claire said, plastering on her polite smile. It wasn't a particularly enthusiastic smile, but hey, it was professional. The assistant, a young man with slightly crooked glasses and a nervous energy, grinned back.

"Good evening, Ms. Peterson. How are you?" he asked, his voice a little too cheerful.

"I'm doing fine, thank you," Claire replied, keeping her tone neutral but friendly. "And you?"

"Oh, I'm good, just running around like crazy tonight. You know how these events go!" He chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. Then he straightened up, as if remembering something important. "Uh, Mr. Novak wanted to see you. He asked me to come and get you."

Claire nodded, her curiosity piqued. "Lead the way."

The assistant led her down a sleek, modern staircase to the first floor of the event venue. It was a lavish space-shiny marble floors, walls lined with abstract art, and waiters floating around with trays of champagne. At the far end of the room, she spotted Mr. Novak, a tall, confident man in his mid-fifties, deep in conversation with someone who looked just as important.

As they approached, Novak glanced up and spotted Claire. His face lit up, and he immediately excused himself from his guest, making his way toward her with the enthusiasm of someone greeting an old friend. "Claire!" he boomed, extending a hand. "I'm so glad you could make it tonight."

Claire shook his hand firmly, her polite smile still in place. "Of course, Mr. Novak. It's part of the job." "Nonsense," Novak said, waving her comment away like an annoying fly. "It's more than that. I've been looking forward to thanking you in person. The work you and your team at Metacortex did? Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal."

"Thank you," Claire said, feeling a small swell of pride despite herself. "We're glad we could meet your expectations."

the room. "I'm more

great to hear. But I have to ask, does the recent... scandal

"Scandals? Bah! They're just noise. People love drama, don't they? As far as I'm concerned, as long as Metacortex keeps up the good work, I don't care what the tabloids say. Results

if she admired his pragmatism or found it slightly reckless. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. We're committed to

I trust you," Novak said with

d'oeuvres, and just enough fake laughter to make Claire's cheeks hurt.

time to officially open the

shiny new pop-up store, glimmering under the lights. "Claire, I'd be honored if you'd cut the ribbon with me," Novak said, handing her an oversized pair of scissors that could've been a

She stood beside Novak, scissors poised and snipped the ribbon with practiced grace. Cameras clicked furiously, capturing every second. Novak beamed and clapped

second she was out of the photographers' view. She found herself

they were all the same headache from trying to stay polite for hours. "Why did I even agree to this?"

from the awkward small talk,

I just...

would notice if she slipped out quietly, right? Novak was busy basking in the glory of his new store, and the rest of the crowd didn't

herself. Decision made. She grabbed her coat from the rack near the entrance, blending into the background like a pro. Before she knew it, she

was

people laughing and the occasional street performer adding to the

said to no one in

and she realized she hadn't eaten much. Those tiny appetizers didn't count as food. She spotted a late-night food truck parked across the street, the

street and

glamorous, but it was exactly what she needed. She let