New beginning: Billionaire love story

The weight of the past few days had taken its toll on Claire. Her mind was a whirlwind of business deals, and the haunting image of Matthew lying unconscious in the hospital. It all felt like too much, like she was drowning in a sea of responsibilities she couldn't swim through.

She needed a break. A moment to breathe, to think, and most importantly, to be alone. And so, without much of a plan, she found herself driving down the quiet, winding roads leading to her parents' cemetery. It wasn't a place she visited often. The memories it carried were too painful, too raw. But today, something inside her told her she needed to be there. To reconnect with the people who had given her life, the people who had shaped her into who she was, even though they were no longer around to see what she had become.

As Claire drove, the city's hustle and bustle faded into the background, replaced by the calm of the countryside. The roads grew narrower, the trees taller, the air fresher. She could feel her shoulders slowly relax as the tension in her body began to ease, but the knot in her stomach remained.

She remembered the time when Claire had no idea where her parent's graves were but then she asked for his help to find them, and he did. Matthew always has a way out and always finds the things Claire needs.

Claire smiled faintly at the thought of Matthew. He had been there for her, as he always had been, and now she felt so helpless in return.

She pushed the thought aside as she reached her destination, pulling the car into the cemetery's small, peaceful parking lot. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the landscape, and for the first time in days, Claire felt a semblance of peace wash over her.

She stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance; a bouquet of white lilies clutched tightly in her hand. The cemetery was quiet, save for the rustling of the wind through the trees. It was a place of solemnity and remembrance, but to Claire, it had always felt like a sanctuary. A place where the world could fade away, where she could step out of the chaos and into the calm.

As she walked past the rows of headstones, she couldn't help but notice the beauty of the place. It had been a few months since she'd been here, but the grounds had been carefully tended to. The grass was green, the flowers vibrant, and the trees that lined the cemetery provided a sense of protection, a comforting reminder that no matter how bad things got, there was still beauty in the world.

She finally arrived at the plot where her parents were buried. Claire knelt down, placing the flowers gently on the stone at the foot of their graves. Her parents' names were engraved on the cold marble: Robert and Marianne Peterson. Beneath their names, the dates of their birth and death were etched in stone, a final reminder of who they had been, of the lives they had lived, and the legacy they had left behind. For a moment, Claire simply stared at the stone, her chest tight with emotion. She hadn't been back here in so long, and now that she was, the flood of memories overwhelmed her. The good and the bad. The moments of love, of laughter, and the moments of loss, of pain.

Her parents had given her everything they could-except for the one thing she truly wanted: their protection. They had both been taken from her too soon and though she had become strong in their absence, there was still a part of her that longed for their guidance, their presence in her life. Suddenly, sadness washed over her, and she felt the tears threatening to spill. But she quickly wiped them away, forcing herself to remain strong. She had always been strong. That's how her parents raised her. That's how she had survived the years of loss, of uncertainty, and of loneliness. She couldn't afford to break down now, not when so much was at stake.noveldrama

Still, the weight of everything-of Matthew's accident, of the pressure of her business, of the constant tension with Alexander-seemed to bear down on her all at once. Her breath hitched in her chest, and she clenched her fists, trying to hold it together. But it was harder than she cared to admit.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if the wind might carry her words away before anyone could hear. "I've tried so hard, and yet it feels like I'm losing everything. I don't know what to do, Mom, Dad."

Her voice cracked, and for a

moment, it felt like the world was collapsing around her. The strong, confident woman she had always been suddenly unsure, lost, and

vulnerable. But in that momenet

as

she stood alone at the graves of her parents, she allowed herself the space to feel the weight of it all. She didn't have to be strong all the time. Not here, not in this place.

"I miss you both so much," she continued, her voice thick with emotion. "I wish you were here to help me.

I don't know who to trust anymore. Everyone wants something from me. I don't know what to do anymore."

She paused, taking a shaky breath. Her parents had always been her rock, the ones she could rely on, the ones who had taught her how to navigate the world. But now, they were gone. And she was alone. "Well, I guess it's just me now," she muttered to herself, the bitterness creeping into her voice. "But maybe that's how it's always been. I'm used to being alone. Maybe I was never meant to have anyone by my side."

Her words lingered in the air, heavy and unforgiving. For a moment, she simply stood there, letting the wind carry away her frustrations and her pain.

And then, as if the earth itself was

trying to comfort her, she felt a gentle breeze, a soft whisper of wind that brushed against her cheek. It was a fleeting moment, but it felt like her parents were there with her, in the air, in the trees, in the very space around her. She could almost hear their voices, offering silent reassurance.

"You're stronger than you think," she imagined her father's voice saying, full of that steady, unyielding strength that had defined him. "You've always been capable, Claire. You've been through so much already."

Her mother's voice followed, softer, gentler. "You don't have to carry it all by yourself, sweetheart. You're not alone, even when it feels like you are."

Claire took another shaky breath, trying to steady herself. She wasn't sure if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but for the first time in days, she felt a glimmer of peace. Maybe she wasn't as alone as she thought.

With a deep breath, Claire wiped

away the last of her tears and

straightened her back. She had been

weak for a moment, but that was okay. It was okay to feel lost, to feel vulnerable. It was okay to lean on the memories of the people she loved, even if they weren't physically here anymore.

After a few moments of silence, Claire whispered, "I'll make you proud. I'll figure it out. I promise." And with that, she stood up, turned away from the graves, and walked back to her car. As she did, the weight on her shoulders felt just a little lighter, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of resolve settle in her chest.

She wasn't sure what would happen next, or how she was going to fix everything, but one thing was certain she wasn't giving up. Not now, not ever.