New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex)

"Lisa," The room seemed to shrink in size as she entered, her presence like a sudden chill in the air.

Lisa's nerves were doing backflips. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with a touch of nervousness that she hoped Claire wouldn't notice.

Claire raised an eyebrow, her expression cold, both hands shoved casually inside her coat pockets. She walked slowly, her heels clicking against the tiles with each step, a sound that echoed ominously in the room. "I was just wondering if you're okay," Claire said in a tone that was far from comforting.

Lisa wasn't fooled. Claire wasn't here for small talk or to check on her well-being. There was something else behind those words, something much sharper. Lisa could feel her heart racing, but she forced herself to stay steady. "What do you really want, Claire?" she asked, her voice firmer this time, even though she was practically vibrating with anxiety.

Claire's lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't the warm kind. It was a smile that didn't reach her eyes, cold and almost mocking. "I just wanted to say," Claire began, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "that your little stunt a few days ago was...impressive. I couldn't be more thankful for you saving me."

Lisa clenched her jaw, recognizing the mockery in Claire's voice. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her cool. "I was just doing what I thought was right," she said, her voice steady but her mind racing. She knew she couldn't afford to slip up, especially with Claire standing this close. If she so much as hinted at the fire or anything related to Gretta, she'd be in big trouble.

Claire stepped closer, narrowing the already slim space between them. Lisa could feel her pulse quicken as Claire's cold eyes locked onto hers. "It seems," Claire continued, her voice low and edged with something almost dangerous, "that your heroic actions have caught Alex's attention."

Lisa's brow furrowed, her annoyance slipping through. "Alex has always been in love with me," she shot back, though there was a slight waver in her voice, like she was trying to convince herself as much as Claire.

Claire chuckled softly, clearly unconcerned with the truth of Lisa's statement. "Sure," she said, dismissing it with a wave of her hand. "But that's not why I'm here."

Lisa's heart skipped a beat. "Then why are you here?"

Claire's eyes flicked to the television playing in the background, the flickering light casting odd shadows on the walls. "Why were you there?" she asked, her tone curious but with an edge that suggested she already knew the answer.

Lisa's gaze followed Claire's to the television, and she quickly scrambled for a calm response. "I got an invitation from my company to attend the fashion show," she answered, hoping it sounded believable.

Claire raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. She tilted her head slightly, as if weighing Lisa's words in her mind. "Is that so?" she mused, her voice thoughtful, but her eyes still cold and calculating.

Lisa felt a trickle of sweat run down her back, but she kept her expression neutral. "Yes, that's all there is to it," she said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Claire didn't respond immediately, her mind drifting back to a recent conversation with Kayla. Kayla had been so adamant about making Lisa pay for something, though Claire hadn't given it much thought at the time. Now, she made a mental note to follow up with Kayla and see if there was more to this story than Lisa was letting on.

Then, with a sudden sharpness, Claire's gaze snapped back to Lisa. "I know you had something to do with the fire," she said, her voice dropping to a cold whisper.

Lisa tensed up, the accusation hitting her like a punch to the gut. She struggled to keep her face calm, quickly grabbing another piece of food to occupy her hands and distract herself from the rising panic. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice a little too quick, a little too defensive.

Claire's eyes narrowed, sensing the unease in Lisa's response. "Don't play dumb with me, Lisa," she said, her tone hardening. "I'm not here to play games. I know you were involved."

Lisa shook her head, trying to stay calm despite the growing pressure. "I wasn't involved in anything," she insisted, her voice strained but still holding steady. "You're wrong."

"Am I?" Claire challenged, taking another step closer. Lisa could feel the heat of Claire's gaze, like a spotlight focused solely on her. "Because it sure seems like you're hiding something."

Claire stood in front of the TV, arms crossed, effectively blocking Lisa's view. "You can't ignore me forever," Claire said, her tone sharp as a knife.

Lisa's grip on the bowl tightened, her knuckles turning white as she felt the rising tide of nervousness. She had been hoping to avoid this confrontation, hoping that Claire would just leave her alone. But of course, Claire wasn't the type to back down easily. The thought of spilling the truth made Lisa's stomach churn-if Gretta found out, she was as good as dead.

Desperate to avoid Claire's gaze, Lisa stared at the wall, at the floor, at anything that wasn't Claire's piercing eyes. But Claire wasn't about to let that slide.

"Oh, you're nervous," Claire said, raising an eyebrow and scoffing as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Lisa's head snapped up, her eyes wide. "I'm not nervous!" she blurted out, sounding a bit too defensive. "You're imagining things."

Claire's smirk grew wider. "Really? Then why won't you look me in the eye?"

Lisa fumbled for a response, her mind racing for an excuse. "I don't have a reason to," she finally said, lifting her chin slightly. "Besides, I'm disgusted by you."

That earned a genuine laugh from Claire. "Disgusted? Oh, Lisa, if you're so disgusted, then why did you save me?"

Lisa's heart skipped a beat. She

hadn't been prepared for that question. Her mind scrambled for an answer, and she quickly threw

together a lie, praying it would ne

be

convincing. "Because I'm a good person," she said, trying to sound confident. "Unlike you."

Claire's amusement didn't fade. Instead, she took a few steps toward the bed, leaning in close until her face was mere inches from Lisa's. Lisa could feel the heat of Claire's breath and the intensity of her gaze, and it made her want to shrink into the bed. "Let me make this clear," Claire said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "If I find out that you had anything to do with that fire, you'd better be ready for what's coming."

The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, and Lisa could feel the threat in them. Claire straightened up, her eyes still locked on Lisa's, before she turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving Lisa alone with her racing thoughts.

As soon as the door closed behind

Claire, Lisa let out a shaky breath. Her hand went to her chest, feeling the wild thumping of her heart. She couldn't believe it-Claire was onto her. How had she figured it out? Lisa had been so careful, making sure every detail was perfect, every loose end tied up.

"I'm not going down for this," Lisa whispered to herself, more as a way to convince herself than anything else. "I just need to stay calm and think."

The room felt colder, the air heavier

with the weight of what had just happened. Lisa knew she was in serious trouble. Her mind raced with questions. Should she tell Gretta? But what would Gretta do if she found out? Maybe it would be better to keep this to herself, to play dumb and hope Claire didn't have any real proof.