New beginning: Billionaire love story novel Chapter 480

The faint glow of the laptop illuminated Matthew’s face as he continued his search, his fingers flying across the keys. Claire leaned against the side of his bed, her mind racing with possibilities and unanswered questions. The revelation of Andre’s existence still gnawed at her, the bitterness in his eyes from the party haunting her thoughts.

After several minutes of fruitless searching, Matthew sighed and pushed the laptop aside. “I don’t get it. There should be something on him. But it’s like he’s a ghost.”

Claire nodded slowly, her fingers drumming against her thigh. “That’s because someone doesn’t want us to find him. Someone with enough influence and resources to erase digital footprints.”

“Eligos,” Matthew muttered, his jaw tightening.

She sighed, looking at him with a weary expression. “He’s always three steps ahead, isn’t he?”

Matthew squeezed her hand gently. “He might be ahead right now, but we’ve caught up before. We can do it again.” He paused, his gaze searching her face. “How are you holding up, really?”

Claire’s eyes softened. She knew Matthew well enough to understand he wasn’t asking out of mere curiosity. He genuinely cared, and for a moment, she let her guard slip. “I feel like everything I know about my life is unraveling. First the scandal with Adrian, and now this half-brother I never knew existed.”

Matthew nodded. “It’s a lot to process.”

She exhaled sharply, trying to steady her thoughts. “It’s not just about processing it. I need to act. I can’t let Eligos keep pulling the strings.”

“We won’t,” Matthew assured her. “We just need a new angle. If the digital trail is gone, maybe it’s time for some old-fashioned detective work.”

Claire arched a brow. “You’re suggesting we hit the streets?”

Matthew smirked. “Why not? We’ve done it before.”

A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “I suppose you’re right. But first, you need more rest.”

Matthew rolled his eyes. “I’ve rested enough. I’m ready to get back in the game.”

She gave him a stern look. “Doctor’s orders, Matthew.”

“Fine, fine,” he relented with a grin. “But at least let me help you strategize. We can’t just stumble around blindly.”

Claire nodded, her mind already spinning with ideas. “We need to figure out who Andre really is and where he’s been all these years. If Eligos is using him, there has to be a point of contact, someone who brought Andre into Eligos’s web.”

Matthew’s eyes narrowed in thought. “You said Andre seemed bitter. He’s clearly been fed a story. If we can figure out what he believes, we can start unraveling Eligos’s lies.”

Claire considered this, her gaze distant. “He resents me. That much was obvious. He looked at me like I’d stolen everything from him.”

“Which means Eligos likely told him that you’re responsible for his struggles,” Matthew said. “If we can find out what those struggles are, we might get a lead.”

Claire’s eyes lit up with determination. “I can have my contacts in the city check financial records, public services, anything that might give us a hint about his background.”

Matthew grinned. “That’s the Claire I know.”

She smiled back, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. “Okay, let’s do this. But for now, you really should get some sleep.”

Matthew chuckled. “You’re relentless.”

“And you love it,” she shot back, rising to her feet.

“Guilty as charged.”

As she turned to leave, he called out, “Hey, Claire?”

She paused in the doorway, looking back.

“No matter what happens, you’re not alone in this.”

Her eyes softened. “I know. And I’m grateful for that.”