New beginning: Billionaire love story novel Chapter 444

Making her way upstairs, Claire marveled at the sheer elegance of the mansion. The second floor’s lounge area was quieter, its ambiance more intimate with dim lighting and plush furniture. As she rounded the corner, she spotted Mr. Saint Laurent, Adrian’s grandfather, standing at the center of a group of influential-looking businesspeople. Among them was someone Claire had hoped to avoid tonight—Alexander Harris.

She inwardly groaned but kept her expression composed. No sense letting him know he annoyed her. As she approached, Mr. Saint Laurent spotted her and beamed.

“Claire!” he called out warmly, extending his hand. “What a pleasure to see you.”

“Mr. Saint Laurent,” Claire greeted, shaking his hand with a respectful smile. “I couldn’t miss Adrian’s birthday. And of course, it’s always a pleasure to see you.”

The older man’s sharp eyes softened as he smiled. “Claire! You’re a sight for sore eyes. Come, join us.”

The group of businesspeople turned their attention to her, their expressions friendly and curious. All except Alexander, who barely glanced her way as he sipped his wine. Claire ignored him and focused on Mr. Saint Laurent and the others.

“Looks like you’re having quite the discussion,” Claire said lightly, seating herself gracefully on the edge of a leather armchair.

Mr. Saint Laurent nodded. “Alexander here was just intriguing us with his plans for the new hotel in Las Vegas. Sounds like quite the venture.”

One of the women in the group chimed in, “It sounds incredible! Will there be a grand opening? I’d love to attend.”

Alexander smiled smoothly. “Of course. Invitations will be sent out soon.”

“I can’t wait to see it live. I heard that it will be different than most of your hotels. Is that right Mr. Harris?”

Alexander nodded with a cool smile on his lips. “Yes, it is. You can say this project of mine will be one of my wildest dreams. After all, asking my father permission isn’t easy. You know the old man.”

The other laughed and Alex grinned.

The group laughed appreciatively, and another guest turned to Claire. “Speaking of business, how’s the collaboration between Harris Hotels and Metacortex coming along?”

Claire’s smile didn’t falter, but the question made her glance at Alexander briefly. “So far, so good,” she replied vaguely.

Alexander arched a brow, his expression one of faint amusement.

“And the robots? How many will Metacortex provide for the new hotel?” another asked, clearly interested in the innovative aspect of the partnership.

“Three,” Claire answered confidently.

“Only three?” one man asked curiously.

Alexander took that moment to interject, his voice smooth but edged with subtle challenge. “If the performance and customer response meet expectations, we’ll consider adding more.”

Claire’s gaze flicked to him, her smile still firmly in place though her jaw tightened slightly. “I’m confident the robots will exceed expectations,” she said, her tone sweet but her words pointed.

Alexander smirked faintly. “Let’s hope so.”

The group seemed oblivious to the undercurrent between them, laughing along at the exchange. But Claire wasn’t about to let Alexander have the upper hand.

“I suppose innovation takes vision,” Claire said, her voice light but with a deliberate edge. “And patience. After all, great things take time to perfect.”

Alexander raised his glass slightly, his smirk widening. “That they do. Of course, vision is only as good as the team executing it.”