New beginning: Billionaire love story

"That was close," Matthew said as the three of them jumped inside the elevator.

"Consider ourselves lucky," Adrian muttered with a frown on his face.

The familiar hum of the elevator was the only sound filling the air as Claire, Adrian, and Matthew rode in silence, each of them still processing the events that had unfolded. The weight of Eligos's relentless pursuit hung over them like a storm cloud, but for now, they were safe at least, for the moment.

As the elevator doors slid open, Claire stepped out first, the familiar glow of Cryptonic's sleek, high-tech interior offering a small semblance of comfort. The walls, lined with screens and sophisticated security systems, stood as a silent witness to the chaos they had just escaped. Claire took a deep breath, inhaling the cool, conditioned air, trying to settle her racing thoughts.

Adrian walked behind her, his gaze never leaving her back, and Matthew followed closely, looking tense, alert.

Claire led them down the narrow hallway to her office, the one place in the world she could retreat to when everything felt like it was spiraling out of control. She didn't bother with pleasantries, immediately walking to the desk and sitting down in the sleek chair, dropping her bag onto the surface. She ran a hand through her hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Alright, now we can breathe for a minute," Matthew said, taking a seat across from her. now that we're out of immediate danger, I need to know-what did Eligos want from you? We didn't get a chance to talk about it before everything went to hell."

Claire glanced at Adrian, who nodded in silent encouragement. She turned her attention back to Matthew, her brows knitting together. "He's looking for someone. A guy named Allan."

Matthew's expression shifted almost imperceptibly, his lips pressing into a thin line and his eyes narrowing slightly. Claire caught it immediately.

"You know something," she said, her tone sharp.

Matthew hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I do."

Claire straightened, ignoring the dull ache in her arm. "Matthew, did Eligos come after you and then

kidnapped you just to ask you a question about Allan too?"

Matthew nodded looking down feeling guilty. "Yeah, apparently. Sorry for not telling you,"

Adrian frowned as he cut their conversation. "Why did you both end up being kidnapped? I think you guys should hire a bodyguard or something. It's getting more concerning."

"Trust me, bodyguards, no use," Matthew replied as he patted Adrian back.

Claire crossed her arms, glaring at him. "I don't get why you kept hiding things from me but fine. So, who is Allan? His name sounded familiar, but I couldn't put a finger on it. And why is Eligos so interested in him?"

For a moment, Matthew didn't respond, his gaze distant as if he were sifting through memories. "You don't remember him, do you?"

Claire frowned, the name nagging at the edges of her mind. It felt familiar, but she couldn't place it. "I've been through a lot, Matthew. Just tell me who he is."

Matthew's voice softened. "Allan's the guy you asked me to look into a few months ago. You were curious about his background-his family, his history. But when I tried to dig, I hit a wall. No records, no trace. It was like he didn't exist."

Claire's eyes widened as the memory surfaced. "I remember now. Allan... he was connected to the accident. The car accident three years ago."

Adrian's voice broke in, his tone cautious yet probing. "The accident that involved you?"

Claire nodded, her expression somber. "Yes. The one that killed my parents and left me with three years of my life missing from my memory. Allan was there that night-or at least, I think he was. I didn't have solid proof, but my instincts told me he was involved. That's why I asked Matthew to investigate."

Matthew leaned back in his chair, his face grim. "And I couldn't find a shred of information on him, which only made it more suspicious. No one vanishes like that unless they have something to hide."

Adrian's protective instincts kicked in. "And now Eligos is hunting him? Why? What does Allan have to do with any of this?"

"That's the million-dollar question," Matthew said grimly.

Claire stood and began pacing the room, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. "Eligos has been orchestrating chaos for months-the threats, the sabotage, the attempts to kidnap me-and now he's after Allan. There's no way this is a coincidence."

Adrian's brow furrowed. "Maybe Allan knows something about the accident. Something Eligos doesn't want coming to light.'

"Or," Matthew interjected, "he's working with Eligos."

Claire shook her head firmly. "No. If

Allan were working with Eligos, he wouldn't be a target. Eligos doesn't waste time chasing people who are already under his control. This is about leverage or information "Matthew shook his head and heaved a sigh. "I wish it was that easy but apparently the guy is dead. So, we have no lead."

The room fell silent, the weight of Matthew's words settling over them like a lead blanket. Adrian's voice was in disbelief as if he didn't believe what he just heard. "Dead? How?"

"He died six months later after the accident involving Claire and her parents. And Allan dies due to natural causes. Heart failure." Matthew raised his brows as he looked into Adrian's eyes. "Do you think that makes sense?"

Adrian frowned, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive. "If Allan's dead, and Eligos is still looking for him, then there's more to this story. He's not after Allan himself-he's after whatever Allan left behind." Claire nodded, her mind racing. "It could be documents, evidence, something that ties Eligos to something that is much bigger."

"Exactly," Matthew said. "There is a higher chance of that happening."

Matthew nodded in agreement. "That's the most likely explanation. But finding whatever Allan left behind won't be easy."

Claire stopped pacing and leaned against her desk; her voice suddenly quieter, more contemplative. "If this is about leverage, it means someone else is pulling strings too. Could Eligos be working with Robert?" "Wait...Robert is involved in this too?" asked Adrian curiously.

"Apparently, he is not what you thought or people thought he was. Just be careful if he tries to do business with you, Adrian." Claire gives him some advice.

The name hung in the air like an accusation. Robert had been Claire's primary suspect for months, and his underhanded dealings and crypticenoveldrama

connections painted him as a possible culprit. But now, with Eligos escalating his threats and unknown players entering the game Claire felt the foundation of her theories begin to crumble.

Matthew shook his head, his frustration evident. "I don't know, Claire. It doesn't add up. Eligos and

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Robert in the same equation? It's like trying to mix oil and water. Besides their method to approach is completely different. Robert talks a lot, and often bluffs while Eligos, talk less but jump into action out of nowhere."

Claire thought for a while. "I mean what you said makes sense, but I don't know...I feel like this answer

isn't what we are looking for. There is more to it than the eyes meet."