New beginning: Billionaire love story

Eligos reclined in the leather chair of his dimly lit study, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the armrest as his phone buzzed on the desk. The name flashing on the screen brought a thin smirk to his lips. Andre. He swiped to answer and brought the phone to his ear, his voice cool and composed. "I trust you have news for me," Eligos said, his words deliberate and measured.

Andre hesitated on the other end of the line, the static of his unease palpable even through the phone. "She came to my apartment."

Eligos's brow furrowed slightly, though his smirk didn't fade. "Claire?" he asked, feigning mild surprise. "Yes," Andre confirmed. "She showed up unannounced. Started asking questions.

Eligos leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. His expression hardened, his thoughts racing. It was no surprise that Claire would eventually approach Andre-her curiosity and tenacity were predictable. But this quickly? That, he hadn't fully anticipated.

"She's not wasting any time, is she?" Eligos mused, his tone a mix of admiration and irritation. "Tell me, Andre, what did you say to her?"

Andre recounted the encounter in halting sentences, his nervousness evident. Eligos listened in silence, his fingers drumming on the polished wood of his desk. When Andre finished, Eligos let out a low chuckle, though there was no humor in it.

"She's serious," Eligos murmured, almost to himself. "No games, no hesitation. She's moving fast, which means she's committed to finding out the truth."

Andre frowned on the other end of the line, confused by Eligos's cryptic words. "What does that mean? Shouldn't we just... deal with her now? Whatever plan you have, why not strike now instead of playing these games?"

Eligos rolled his eyes, though his tone remained calm. "Oh, Andre. You've spent too little time in my world to understand how this works. Striking now? That's far too simple, too crude. Where's the elegance in that?" He leaned back in his chair, a trace of amusement returning to his voice. "This is chess, not checkers. Claire isn't just some pawn; she's the queen. If we move too quickly, we risk missing the bigger picture."

Andre didn't dare press further, though the cryptic explanation left him uneasy. "So... what do you want me to do?" he asked reluctantly.

"Play along," Eligos instructed smoothly. "Let her believe she's gaining ground. Let her think she has the upper hand. But remember this, Andre: do not crack under her gaze. If you slip up, if you tell her everything..." His voice darkened, cold and unyielding. "It will be the last mistake you ever make." Andre swallowed hard, a bead of sweat forming on his temple. "Understood," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Good," Eligos said, his tone once again light and conversational. "I'll be in touch." Without waiting for a response, he ended the call, the click echoing in the room like a final punctuation mark.

Eligos set the phone down and steepled his fingers, his thoughts shifting from Andre to Claire. Her pace, her determination-they were admirable, almost exhilarating. The game was intensifying, and Eligos relished the challenge. Soon, he thought, all roads would lead to the truth about Allan.

Meanwhile, Claire stormed into Matthew's hospital room, the door swinging open with a sharp creak. Startled, Matthew looked up from the magazine he was half-heartedly flipping through, his brows raising in surprise. "Well, that's dramatic," he remarked dryly. "What's wrong?"

Claire ignored his quip, pacing back and forth at the foot of his bed. Her face was a mixture of frustration and thoughtfulness, her hands moving as she gestured to herself. "It's Andre," she said finally, stopping mid-step to face him.

Matthew leaned back against his pillows, crossing his arms over his chest. "What happened? Did you find him?"

"Yes," Claire replied with a sigh, resuming her pacing. "I went to his flat. It's... nicer than I expected, for someone who claims to have struggled his whole life."

Matthew tilted his head, intrigued. "Okay, and?"

"And," Claire said, throwing up her hands, "the conversation didn't go as I expected. He was evasive, and sarcastic and kept deflecting my questions. When I pressed him, he finally told me his story-about our father, about his mother, about how she died because they couldn't afford surgery." Content Belongs tonoveldrama

Matthew watched her carefully, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp. "And you believe him?" Claire stopped pacing, her arms falling to her sides. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "Part of me does. He seemed genuine, angry but genuine. But another part of me..." She trailed off, shaking her head.

"Another part of you thinks he's full

of it," Matthew finished for her. He sat up a little straighter, his tone more serious now. "Claire, you're a good judge of character, but even the best of us can be fooled. People like Andre? They're survivors. And survivors learn how to spin a story when it suits them."

Claire frowned, crossing her arms. "You think he's lying?"

"I think he's telling you what he wants you to believe," Matthew replied carefully. "Maybe there's truth in it, but maybe he's leaving out the parts that don't make him look so sympathetic."

Claire sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's just... frustrating. I went there hoping for answers and left with more questions."

"Did you ask about Eligos?" Matthew asks as he straightens up. Claire nodded and sighed deeply.

"I did but it seems that Andre is protecting him. He doesn't want to be honest about it. And whenever I ask him about it, he keeps changing the subject and tries to pin this problem on me."

"There's more to this than a lie. I have a feeling that Eligos is preparing something for you, Claire." She nodded in agreement. "I fear that too. I need to figure out what his endgame is," Claire said, determination hardening her voice. "He's orchestrating something, and I need to be two steps ahead of him."

Matthew studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Okay. Then let's figure it out." Claire blinked, surprised. "Matthew, you're in a hospital bed. You should be resting."

"And you should be getting answers," Matthew countered. "I might not be able to go running around with you, but I can still think."

Despite herself, Claire smiled. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Comes with the territory," Matthew said with a grin. "Now, are you going to stand there brooding, or are we getting to work?"

Claire rolled her eyes but felt a flicker

of hope reigniting within her. With Matthew back in the game, she knew she wouldn't be facing this battle alone. Whatever Eligos was planning, whatever secrets Andre was hiding, they would uncover the troth together-one step at a time.

Her mind wanders and she can't help voice her thoughts. "Do you have any ideas what Eligos is planning?"

Matthew sighed and thought for a while. "Honestly, when it comes to Eligos, I have no idea what he is thinking. That man can make thousands of plans but in the end, choosing the least we expect. So, I hate thinking about the probability of what his next plan will be."

"You are right on that one. Like the time I got kidnapped in which I least expected to be in that situation." "The most important thing is that we keep our eyes and ears open." Matthew suggested.