New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex) novel Chapter 201

“Excuse me? Did I hear you wrong?” a look of shock etched Lisa’s face meanwhile Claire looked calm and composed.

Claire's eyes locked onto Lisa's, the coldness in her gaze unnerving the woman who had spent days wondering if she would ever see the outside world again. “I'm here to free you,” Claire said, her voice devoid of emotion.

Lisa blinked, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief. “What did you just say?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly as if she couldn't trust her ears.

“You heard me,” Claire repeated, her tone flat and unmoved.

Lisa's shock quickly transformed into anger. She lashed out at Claire, her voice rising in the small, suffocating cell. “Don't make fun of me, Claire. I don’t need your pity, and I certainly don’t need your games!”

Claire remained unfazed, her expression as calm as a still pond. She looked Lisa dead in the eyes, her voice steady. “I'm not making fun of you.”

Lisa's anger wavered, and she stared back at Claire, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “Why?” she demanded, suspicion lacing her voice. “Why would you want to free me?”

A slow, knowing smirk curled the corners of Claire’s lips. “I wanted to do something kind,” she replied, her voice soft, almost mocking.

Lisa narrowed her eyes, her skepticism deepening. There was something unsettling about Claire’s calmness, something that told Lisa there was more to this than what she was saying. “Prove it,” Lisa challenged, her tone sharp.

Claire’s smile didn’t waver. Without another word, she turned on her heel and left the cell, her stilettos clicking against the cold concrete floor as she made her way to the front office. Lisa watched her go, still processing what had just happened, her mind racing with a mixture of hope and mistrust.

Claire approached the police officer at the front desk, her posture straight and her demeanor composed. “I’d like to bail Lisa Thompson out,” she said, her voice firm.

The officer raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the request. “May I ask why?” he questioned; his tone professional yet curious.

Claire’s smile was polite, almost too polite. “We've decided to make peace,” she replied smoothly, the lie slipping from her lips effortlessly. Inwardly, she scoffed at the absurdity of the situation, already planning her next move, her mind a whirlwind of strategies and calculations. This wasn’t just about freeing Lisa—it was about setting the stage for a much bigger game.

The officer hesitated for a moment, then shrugged, seemingly satisfied with Claire’s answer. He handed her the paperwork to sign, and after a few minutes of formalities and a payment, the officer led Lisa out of her cell.

As Lisa walked out, her movements were slow, cautious, her eyes darting around as if she expected this to be some kind of trick. She spotted Claire and Matthew standing by the exit, both of them watching her with unreadable expressions.

“Thanks,” Lisa muttered, her voice laced with insincerity as she finally reached them. There was no gratitude in her tone, only a reluctant acknowledgment of what Claire had done. She still didn’t trust her, not for a second.

Claire slowly removed her shades, revealing a faint smile as she met Matthew’s eyes in the mirror. “I’ve already thought about it,” she began, her voice calm, almost too calm. “But I want to play it slow. Catch Lisa off guard. It’ll be much more fun that way.”

Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle at her response, shaking his head slightly. “I like your devious plan, Claire. You always know how to keep things interesting.”

Meanwhile, over at Harris Company, Alex was in his office, scrolling through the latest news on his tablet. He wasn’t particularly focused until a headline caught his eye, accompanied by a photo that made his heart skip a beat. It was Claire, walking in and out of a police station. His eyebrows knitted together in concern. What was she up to now?

Without wasting a second, he picked up his phone and dialed the number of his private investigator. As the phone rang, Alex’s mind raced, trying to piece together what he was seeing. He hoped it wasn’t what he feared. When the call connected, Alex didn’t bother with pleasantries.

“I need you to find out what Claire was doing at the police station,” Alex said, his tone leaving no room for delay.

It took the PI just ten minutes to gather the information, though it felt like an eternity to Alex. When the phone rang, Alex picked it up immediately.

“What did you find?” Alex asked his voice tight with anticipation.

“Claire was there to free someone named Lisa,” the PI reported.