New beginning: Billionaire love story

Frank sat back in his plush leather chair, his eyes glued to the television screen. His face was twisted in a deep frown, and his fingers drummed angrily on the armrest. The live interview was in full swing, with Claire Peterson standing confidently in front of a swarm of "That's an insult," Frank muttered, his voice thick with anger. His blood boiled just hearing Claire speak so casually about his company like they were nothing more than copycats. "She makes it sound like we're a bunch of amateurs."

cameras, flashing a charming smile as she casually mentioned that Venus AMD would eventually replicate the work Metacortex was doing.

He turned his head sharply toward Robert, who was also watching the interview on another screen. Robert's brow was furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line as he processed Claire's words. "Well?" Frank demanded, his patience already running thin. "What do you think about this?"

Robert didn't respond right away, his eyes still fixed on the screen. After a moment, he sighed and shook his head. "We've got to take action, Frank. We can't just let her get away with this."

Frank nodded, feeling the heat of his anger spread through his chest. "Exactly. Claire's out there, getting all the spotlight. Every news article, every interview, it's all about Metacortex. And Venus? We get dragged into the conversation just for comparison's sake, not because of anything we've done. It's humiliating."

Robert grunted in agreement. "And not because of our achievements either," he added, echoing Frank's frustration.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Frank's head. It was bold, maybe even a little reckless, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He turned toward Robert with a wicked grin spreading across his face. "What if we built a robot just like Claire's?" Robert's eyes widened, and for a second, Frank thought he might fall out of his chair. "Are you serious?" Robert blurted out, clearly not on board with the idea. "That's a terrible plan, Frank. Following Claire's lead is no joke. She's got the best team in the industry." Frank's grin faded into a glare. "What, you don't think our employees at Venus are any good?" His voice carried a sharp edge now, challenging Robert to say otherwise.

Robert immediately shook his head, raising his hands in defense. "No, no, that's not what I mean. Venus has talent, sure, but Claire... Claire's on another level. We don't even know where she gets her people from. If we try to build a robot like hers, it won't end well. We'll look like we're playing catch-up, and we can't afford to look like the second choice."

Frank scowled, not wanting to admit that Robert might have a point. But he wasn't about to give up. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he thought it through. "Okay, maybe we don't build the exact same thing. What if we build something different? An electronic device, maybe? Something new. We need to show the public that Venus isn't just sitting around twiddling its thumbs while Metacortex hogs all the glory."

Robert seemed to relax slightly, but he still looked unsure. "An electronic device, huh? It's not a bad idea, but we'd have to move fast. The last thing we want is for people to start thinking Metacortex is the only company doing cutting-edge work."

"Exactly!" Frank slammed his hand down on the desk, feeling a surge of excitement. "We just need to remind people that Venus is a serious contender. We don't have to copy Metacortex; we just have to show we're in the game."

Robert nodded slowly, though he still seemed cautious. "Alright, but we'll need to be careful. The public is already paying more attention to Metacortex than Venus. We need to make sure whatever we come up with is strong enough to stand on its own." Frank waved his hand dismissively. "Leave that to me. I'll make sure the PR team spins it right. Venus will be back in the spotlight, and Claire won't know what hit her."

Robert glanced at the TV one last time, where Claire was wrapping up her interview with a smug smile on her face. "I hope you're right, Frank. Because if this blows up in our faces, we'll be the ones looking like amateurs."

Claire Peterson needed a break.

It had been a stressful few weeks, and she figured shopping might help clear her mind. She hadn't hit the stores in forever, and the thought of splurging a little made her smile. Plus, she missed Talia. The two of them used to make a day out of shopping, laughing, and spending far too much on things they didn't need.

But Talia was off in Paris for work, doing amazing things that Claire was proud of. It just wasn't the same without her, though.

Claire wandered through the boutique, flipping through racks of clothes.

Nothing was jumping out at her. The fabrics were nice, sure, but she wasn't in the mood to try anything on. It wasn't about needing anything, really it was just boredom. She was itching to spend money, just to do something with her time. She was about to give up when her eyes landed on a bag. Perfect.

Without even a glance at the price tag, Claire flagged down a nearby staff member. "I want this," she said confidently, pointing to the bag. The staff member rushed over to assist, but before Claire could continue with her purchase, something caught her eye.

Across the boutique stood a woman

with an elegant, sophisticated air. Her sleek hair was pulled back, and she was dressed in chic, high-end fashion. But what really made Claire pause was the ring on the woman's finger. It looked eerily familiar. Claire squinted, her eyes narrowing as memories rushed back.

That ring... Claire knew that ring. It was the same one the woman wore at her press release, the one who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere to cause chaos. It was unmistakable. But Claire wasn't one to jump to conclusions. She had to be sure. Casually, she moved closer, pretending to browse the clothing nearby. She listened carefully, hoping to hear the woman speak. And then it happened-a soft French accent reached her ears. That voice. Claire's heart skipped a beat as she recognized it instantly. Steeling herself, Claire took a deep breath and approached the woman directly. "Excuse me," she said, trying to keep her tone polite, though her nerves were firing up. The woman turned, arching one perfectly shaped brow, her eyes cool and questioning. "Yes?" The woman's French accent was impossible to miss now that Claire was face-to-face with her.

Claire smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You look familiar," she said, trying to sound casual. The woman tilted her head slightly, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Do I?" she responded, her tone light, though there was something sharp beneath it.noveldrama

Claire nodded, keeping her gaze steady. "Yes. You remind me of someone... someone who ruined my press release."

The smile vanished from Claire's face, replaced by a cold stare. There was no need to dance around it anymore. She knew who this woman was.

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The woman's eyes flickered with recognition, and Claire saw the moment she realized who she was talking to Claire Peterson. The woman's lips pressed into a thin line as she shifted her weight, her confidence not faltering, but the air between them growing tense.

"Ah," the woman said, her voice calm, almost mocking. "You're that Claire Peterson."

Claire's stare didn't waver. "I know it was you. You were at my press release, weren't you? The one who "

The woman interrupted her, waving a hand dismissively. "Ruin is such a strong word, don't you think?"

Claire's jaw clenched. "You caused a scene. You know exactly what you did."

The woman glanced around the boutique as if this conversation wasn't worth her time. "Perhaps. But do you really think I would bother myself with such trivial things as your little press release?" Claire's anger flared. "It wasn't trivial to me."

The woman's eyes twinkled with amusement now, as if she were enjoying Claire's frustration. "I suppose that's the difference between us, isn't it?"

Claire folded her arms, trying to rein in her temper. "Who are you, really?"

The woman's smirk returned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"