New beginning: Billionaire love story

"So," Claire said, her voice sharp, "are you going to tell me who you are, or are we going to play this game all day?"

Claudia raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, that irritating smile still plastered on her face. She didn't seem bothered by Claire's intense glare, and instead of answering, she turned on her heel, starting to walk away. "You'll find out soon enough," Claudia threw over her shoulder, her tone almost playful.

Claire scoffed, muttering under her breath, "Unbelievable."

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her phone, her fingers swiftly scrolling through her contacts. Finding the name she wanted, she hit call.

After a couple of rings, Alexander Harris picked up. "Claire," he greeted her, his voice smooth as always. "What can I do for you?"

"You can start by telling me if you have a deal with this mystery woman who's been making herself quite comfortable around here," Claire said, her voice tense.

There was a pause on the other end. Alexander sighed, though she couldn't see it. "Let me guess, you've met her?"

"Yeah, just had the pleasure," Claire said, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Real charmer."

Alexander chuckled lightly, but Claire wasn't in the mood for his casual attitude. "She's... complicated," he finally said. "Apparently, she's the daughter of my dad's old business partner."

Claire nearly rolled her eyes. "Complicated? You're going to have to do better than that."

"I'm serious, Claire. It's not as simple as it seems. She's not here to cause trouble. At least, not for you or me."

"Oh, is that what she told you?" Claire asked, crossing her arms tighter. "Because from where I'm standing, she's been nothing but mysterious and irritating."

"I know, I know," Alexander said, his tone softening. "But trust me, she won't do anything that could harm our companies."

Claire exhaled sharply, leaning against the wall. "I'm not feeling all that trusting right now, Alex. This woman shows up, acts like she owns the place, and refuses to tell me who she is. How do you expect me to be okay with that?"

"I'll talk to her," Alexander offered. "But really, she's not a threat. We've had some conversations, and I don't think she's here to mess things up."

"Great. That makes me feel so much better," Claire said dryly. "You need to make a statement about this. Regarding what happened in the press release."

"A statement, huh?"

"Yes, a statement. You don't want your stock market to be affected right?"

Alexander frowned. "Of course not. You might be right," he admitted.

Claire sighed. "Just...deal with it Alexander, you're a businessman, you know how it goes. Who's her name?"

"Claudia Wright."

Claire let out a small, humorless laugh. "Of course, she has a name like that."

Claudia sat in the back seat of her sleek black sedan, fingers drumming lightly on her knee. The car slowed as they approached the Harris mansion, and she couldn't help but let out a low whistle at the sight.

The sprawling estate looked more like something out of a fairy tale than a home, complete with manicured gardens, a fountain, and that classic mansion charm that screamed old money. She took a deep breath, straightening her posture. Time to handle business. When the car finally came to a stop in front of the grand entrance, Claudia stepped out, her heels clicking against the cobblestone driveway. She adjusted her coat, taking in the full view of the mansion with a mixture of admiration and, well, maybe just a smidge of jealousy.

It was hard not to be impressed. As the wind tousled her hair, she reminded herself that she wasn't here to gawk-she was here for answers.

Claudia made her way to the towering front door, feeling like she was about to enter a castle. She pressed the doorbell, hearing the soft chime echo within. A few moments later, the door opened, revealing not some stiff butler but a kind-faced woman wearing a neat uniform. A nanny, by the looks of it.

"Good afternoon," Claudia said with a polite smile. "I have an appointment with Mr. Michael Harris."

The nanny nodded with a warm smile, holding the door open wider. "Of course, Miss. Please, come in. I'll let Mr. Harris know you're here."

Claudia stepped inside, and

immediately the grandness of the mansion hit her. High ceilings,

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crystal chandeliers, and expensive artwork everywhere. The Harris family didn't mess around when it came to décor, that was for sure. She followed the nanny through a wide corridor and into a living room that looked as though it had been pulled straight from the pages of a luxury magazine. Tasteful, classy, and probably worth more than most houses.

"Please, have a seat. I'll fetch Mr. Harris," the nanny said, gesturing toward a plush couch.

Claudia nodded, settling herself on

the couch. It was softer than it looked, and for a moment, she allowed herself to relax, sinking into the cushions. Glancing around the room, she had to admit the Harris family knew how to live. She crossed her legs, hands resting on her lap, as she waited for Michael to appear. Time to focus on the reason she was here-the Solistice Vineyard deal.

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps, and when Michael Harris walked in, Claudia straightened her back, smoothing down her skirt. Michael was older than she remembered from the few times she'd seen him as a child-he had more gray in his hair, but he still carried himself with that air of

authority. When he spotted her, his brows shot up in surprise.

"Well, I'll be damned," Michael said with a grin, crossing the room to greet her. "Wright has a daughter? And such a beautiful one at that!"

Claudia smiled politely, standing up to shake his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Harris. I appreciate the compliment."

"Please, call me Michael," he insisted, still looking slightly shocked. "I had no idea Wright had a daughter in charge now. And here I was expecting some middle-aged guy in a suit."

Claudia chuckled softly as they both sat down. "I've taken over the vineyard after my father stepped down. That's what I wanted to discuss with you today."

Michael leaned back in his chair, nodding. "Ah, Solstice Vineyard. Your father always had big plans for that place. What can I do for you?"

Claudia took a deep breath, diving straight into business. "I'm here to discuss the current profit split between Solstice and Harris Company. It's been 30% to 70% in favor of your family for far too long. We deserve a more reasonable share of the profits." "I apologize about that back then all I could think about is profit and without thinking of others."

Claudia nodded firmly. "We've been doing all the work, producing the wine, maintaining the vineyards, yet we barely see à fraction of the profits. It's time we renegotiate."

Michael leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he considered her words. "You make a good point, Claudia. But I should tell you right now, I don't have any rights over the vineyard anymore. That's all-Alexander's business now. You'll have to discuss the details with him."

Claudia's eyes narrowed slightly. "Alexander Harris? I thought you were still involved in these matters."

Michael shook his head. "Nope, I've been out of that game for a while now. Alexander handles all the business ventures these days. What I'm telling you isn't a lie-he's the one you'll need to strike a deal with."

Claudia pursed her lips, not entirely satisfied with this revelation. She'd been hoping to settle things here and now, but apparently, she'd have to go through Alexander, who had his own reputation for being difficult to deal with.

"I see," she said slowly. "I'll get in touch with Alexander, then."

Michael nodded, offering her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't help more. If it were up to me, I'd say you're right, and the deal needs to change. But, well, business is business."

Claudia sighed, trying to hide her frustration. "Speaking of my father, though, I couldn't help but notice that none of you visited him when he was sick. He was in France for months, and not once did a member of your family check on him." Michael's face fell, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I wanted to, believe me. But things have been... complicated here. There's been a lot going on at the mansion, and it just wasn't possible for me to make the trip to France." Claudia crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed with the excuse. "He considered your family close friends. He would've appreciated a visit."

Michael sighed. "I know. And I regret not going. But between the estate and family matters, I couldn't get away. Please believe me when I say that it wasn't out of disrespect."

Claudia stared at him for a moment, then gave a reluctant nod. "Fine. But I hope that going forward, we can maintain a better relationship between our families."noveldrama

Michael gave her a warm smile. "I agree. And congratulations, by the way, on becoming the new CEO. Your father must be proud."

Claudia smiled faintly. "Thank you. It's a lot of responsibility, but I'm ready for it."