New beginning: Billionaire love story

Talia stood in front of Claire's penthouse. She rang the doorbell and moments later, the door swung open, revealing Claire, who looked a bit tired out but otherwise composed. "Talia," Claire greeted with a small smile, stepping aside to let her in. "Come in." Talia entered, her eyes immediately scanning Claire for any signs of injury. "Are you okay? You look tired."

Claire offers her a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm just tired. I have lots of work to do so it's tiring."

"I had to come over," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "making sure that you are okay. We didn't get the chance to talk after the fire and I've been worried sick. Did you get hurt?"

Claire waved off the concern with a dismissive hand. "I'm fine, really. A little shaken up, but nothing major."

But Talia's sharp eyes caught sight of a bandage peeking out from under Claire's sleeve. She immediately frowned. "What about that?" she asked, pointing at the bandage. "And don't tell me it's nothing."

Claire glanced down at her arm and shrugged. "It's nothing, just a little scratch. It's almost healed, like the one on my leg. That's already healed, just left a scar."

"What happened?"

"Well, you know falling debris and it accidentally scratches my skin. It's nothing I can't handle."

"What about you?" Claire asked, concern finally showing on her face. "When the fire happened, I tried to find you backstage, but you were gone. I was worried." Talia let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping a little. "The others and I left backstage as soon as we could. It was chaos, Claire. I didn't know where anyone was."

Claire nodded, understanding the panic that must have gripped everyone in those moments. But she also noticed the sadness etched on Talia's face, a look she hadn't seen in a while. "What's with the long face?" she asked gently, trying to coax her friend into opening up. Talia bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over. "The fashion show... it's ruined," she finally admitted, her voice quivering. "All my hard work, gone up in flames-literally. It was my dream, Claire, and it just... it just went haywire." Claire's heart ached for her friend. She knew how much Talia had poured into the show, how every stitch and seam had been crafted with care. She also knew that Talia didn't cry easily, so seeing her eyes glisten with tears made it clear just how deeply this loss hurt her. "I'm so sorry," Claire said softly, reaching out to pull Talia into a hug. "I know how much this meant to you."

Talia let a tear slip down her cheek before wiping it away with the back of her hand. "Maybe this is a sign," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Maybe fashion isn't for me after all. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this."

Claire immediately pulled back, frowning at Talia's pessimistic tone. "Don't say that," she scolded gently but firmly. "This was an accident, Talia. Nobody could have predicted it. It doesn't mean you're not good at what you do. It just means something went wrong, and it's not your fault."

Talia sniffed, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know, Claire. Mrs. Armetta was devastated. Months of work, just gone. Everything turned to ashes."

Claire's expression softened as she realized the weight of Talia's disappointment. "How did Mrs. Armetta take it?" she asked.

Talia sighed again. "She was sad, of course. But more than anything, she was relieved that no one was seriously hurt. That's what she kept saying, over and over, that she was just grateful we all got out okay."

"She's right, you know. Clothes can be replaced, but people can't. And I'm sure Mrs. Armetta knows how much effort you put into that collection."

Talia gave a small nod, but her eyes still held a sadness that Claire couldn't ignore. Claire knew that words alone wouldn't fix this, but she had to try.

"Listen," Claire said, her tone soft but encouraging. "There will be other opportunities. You're talented, Talia, and you know it. This isn't the end of your career. It's just a bump in the road."

Talia looked at her, searching Claire's eyes for any hint of doubt. But all she saw was unwavering support, something she desperately needed right now. "You really think so?" she asked, her voice small.

"I know so," Claire replied with a reassuring smile. "And if you need help getting back on your feet, I'm here for you. We'll figure it out together."

Talia took a deep breath, trying to push away the lingering despair. "Thanks, Claire. I needed to hear that."

Claire pushed open the door to her

office, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she made her way inside. She had barely settled into her chair when Matthew appeared in the doorway, looking as serious as ever. He closed the door behind him and joined her at the desk.

"So," Claire began, cutting straight to the chase. "What's the latest on the investigation into the fire at the fashion show?"Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Matthew sighed, running a hand

through his hair as he took a seat

across from her. "Not much to report, unfortunately. We've hit a dead end. I've searched everywhere, even hacked into the street security cameras, but there's nothing No suspicious people, no strange movements-everyone was

completely focused on the show."

Claire frowned, leaning back in her chair. "No leads at all? That fire wasn't exactly spontaneous combustion, Matthew. Someone's behind it."

"I know," Matthew replied, sounding frustrated. "But whoever did it, they're good at covering their tracks. I'm not giving up, but it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

Claire sighed, rubbing her temples. "Great. Just what we needed. Another dead end. What about the poison case? The one that almost killed me?"

Matthew shook his head, looking just as grim. "Same story. The source of information we had was killed, and finding someone else connected to him who knows anything about this is proving to be impossible. Claire was silent for a moment, her fingers drumming lightly on the desk as she thought. The room was filled with the soft hum of the air conditioning, and for a few moments, neither of them said a word. Then, Claire stood up, pacing the length of her office. "This is getting ridiculous. We're being played, Matthew. And I don't like it."

"Trust me, I'm not a fan either," Matthew said, watching her pace. "But we're not out of options yet."

Claire stopped and turned to him, her eyes narrowing with

determination. "Right. We need to get ahead of this. I want you to dig up everything you can on Ivanov I'm talking about the full dossier-house, friends, every little detail that could give us a lead on his group or where they might be hiding."

Matthew nodded, pulling out his phone to make a note. "Consider it done. I'll start right away."

"Good," Claire said, walking back to her desk and sitting down with a determined thud. "And make sure to check for any properties he might own under a different name. Who knows, he might be hiding something."