New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex)

Alexander said, leaning back and crossing his arms, clearly amused by Christian's reaction. "Abigail lost a lot of blood, and none of her family members, including me, were a match. So, I called Claire. Long story short, she went to the hospital and donated her blood." Christian blinked rapidly, still trying to process the information. "Wait, wait. Claire? Claire has low blood pressure. Are we talking about the same Claire here?"

Alexander frowned, looking genuinely confused. "Claire has low blood pressure?"

Christian raised an eyebrow, the surprise in his expression quickly morphing into amusement. "You've been married to her for three years and you didn't know?" Alexander's frown deepened, irritation starting to creep in. "I didn't exactly make it my business to memorize her medical history."

Christian chuckled, shaking his head. "No wonder she hates you."

Alexander shot him a glare that could melt ice, but Christian only continued to laugh. "Seriously though, man, I'm shocked. I didn't expect her to do something like that. I mean, she's always been kind in her own way, but with her condition, it's risky. She could get really weak or worse, pass out."

Alexander looked away, a strange mixture of guilt and frustration crossing his features. "I didn't know. I just needed a solution for Abigail, and she was the only person I could think of who might be able to help. I didn't expect her to agree so quickly, though." Christian shook his head, still grinning but with a touch more seriousness in his voice now. "Well, that's Claire for you. She'll never admit it, but she's always been there when someone really needs her. She'd probably argue about it later, though. You know how she is prideful to the core."

Claire arrived at the hospital, her expression unreadable as she clutched a bouquet of soft pink flowers. Matthew, casually holding a basket of fruit, walked beside her with his usual laid-back attitude. They both headed towards the entrance of the hospital when, out of nowhere, Claire bumped right into Alexander.

For a moment, she locked eyes with him. She gave a short, almost dismissive nod and said nothing, moving forward like nothing had happened. Claire wasn't in the mood for chit-chat, and Alexander could sense that. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word out, Matthew stepped in front of him, placing a firm hand on Alexander's chest.

"Don't bother her right now," Matthew said, his tone casual but his stance firm, as if this was just another day at the office.

Alexander blinked, clearly annoyed but too tired to argue. He shot Matthew a sharp look but let it go, opting to ignore him as they all headed inside. As luck or maybe bad luck-would have it, the three of them found themselves together in the same lift. The tension was thick, the silence almost unbearable. None of them said a word as the elevator slowly ascended.

Claire glanced at her watch, Matthew hummed a random tune, and Alexander stood with his arms crossed, staring at the floor numbers with a frown.

Suddenly, Claire realized something important. She turned toward Alexander, breaking the awkward silence. "What's Abigail's room number?" she asked, her voice calm, but with a hint of urgency. She didn't want to waste time.

Alexander looked at her for a second, as if surprised she was talking to him. "Room 512," he replied, his tone clipped.

The elevator dinged as they reached their floor. The doors slid open, and they all stepped out, walking in silence again toward Abigail's room. When they reached the door, they found Abigail still lying on the bed, machines beeping softly, her body motionless. Matthew, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, spoke up. "Has she woken up at all?"

A voice answered from behind them, causing them all to turn. Abigail's father, Richard, stood at the entrance to the room. He looked exhausted, his eyes heavy with bags, but his posture remained strong.

"She hasn't woken up since the operation," he said quietly, stepping into the room and standing at the foot of his daughter's bed. "The doctor said everything is fine with her organs, but the impact of the car crash... it put her in a coma." Claire's eyes widened in shock. "A coma?" she whispered, barely able to process it.

Alexander's face tightened. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice almost desperate, not wanting to believe it. "This can't be right."

Richard swallowed hard, the sadness in his voice palpable. "I don't want to believe it either, but that's what the doctor said. They're hopeful she'll wake up, but... no one knows when."

Claire felt her heart twist for Richard and Abigail. She walked over to Richard, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy.

Richard looked at her, his eyes filled with gratitude and exhaustion. He nodded, trying to muster a small smile. "Thank you for being here. And for donating your blood. I don't know how to thank you enough."

Claire smiled gently. "I'm glad I could

help," she said, then handed him the flowers she had brought. "These are for Abigail. And Matthew brought some fruit." She gestured towards Matthew, who awkwardly raised the basket of fruit with a half-hearted grin.

Richard took the flowers and the basket with a tired smile. "Thank you," he repeated, his voice sincere. "And thank you for visiting again. It means a lot."

Claire studied Richard's face and noticed how utterly drained he looked. "Mr. Hastings," she began gently, "why don't you go home for a bit? Get some rest. Matthew and I will stay here and keep an eye on Abigail." Alexander nodded in agreement. "Claire's right. You must be exhausted. We'll be here. If anything changes, I'll call you right away."

Richard hesitated, glancing back at his daughter. His shoulders sagged in defeat. "I... I don't know. What if she wakes up and I'm not here?"

Claire's expression softened. "Abigail will be sad seeing you like this. Please go home, have some rest, and freshen up. We promise to make sure you're the first to know," she promised.

Richard sighed, his eyes reflecting a deep weariness. "Alright," he finally relented. "But if anything happens, call me immediately." He walked

over to Abigail, leaning down to net

gently kiss her forehead. "Wake up soon, sweetheart,” he whispered to her, his voice cracking slightly.

Watching him, Claire felt her throat tighten. Richard's love for his daughter was painfully clear, and it tugged at something deep inside her. For a brief moment, she was reminded of her own father, and how she'd give anything to see him again. She blinked rapidly, trying to shove the emotions back down. She couldn't afford to cry. Not here. Not in front of Alexander.

Richard gave Abigail one last look before turning toward the door. "Thank you again, all of you," he said quietly, giving them a small nod before leaving the room. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Claire, Matthew, and Alexander alone with Abigail. Claire exhaled deeply, her usual calm demeanor slipping for just a second. "This is awful," she muttered, more to herself than to anyone else.