Claire looked at him, considering his suggestion. “A press conference?”
Alex nodded his head. “Yes. Press conference is a-“
Claire cut him off before he could finish. “I know what a press conference is,” she said, frowning.
Alex paused, puzzled. “Then why did you ask?”
Claire rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t asking. I was just thinking out loud. And I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Alex raised his eyebrows, intrigued. “Why do you think it’s a bad idea?”
Claire opened her mouth, then closed it again, unable to find the right words.
Alex leaned forward slightly. “What is it then?”
Claire turned away, gazing out the large window of her penthouse. “I don’t want to clarify it.”
Alex’s expression softened slightly, but his voice remained firm. “You don’t want people to know whether we’re married or not.”
Claire nodded, and for some reason, hearing it aloud caused a pang of hurt inside Alex. He cleared his throat, clenching his fist on his thigh to steady himself. “If you want your company’s stock market to stabilize, you have to agree to the press conference.” Claire sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I know.”
Silence filled the room as they both processed the situation. Claire finally looked up at Alex. “If we decide to ignore all the gossip, will it affect our future projects?”
Alex considered her question. “It will affect them in some way, but not to the point of ruining us. Investors will probably question it before investing.”
Claire frowned, deep in thought. “I hate the idea of airing our personal lives in public. But I also don’t want the company to suffer.”
Alex nodded in understanding. “It’s a tough decision. But sometimes, we have to do things we don’t like for the greater good.”
Claire sat back in her chair, a thoughtful look on her face. The upcoming press conference was weighing heavily on her mind.
She turned to Alex. “What do you think we should talk about if we hold a press conference?” she asked, her tone measured and cautious.
Alex didn’t hesitate. “We should obviously address the news about us,” he replied, leaning forward slightly as he spoke.
Claire shook her head slightly. “I don’t want to give too much detail,” she said, her voice firm. “I still prefer to keep everything private.”
Alex nodded in agreement. He understood her need for privacy. “I want the same thing,” he admitted.
Claire suggested, “Maybe we should discuss this more when your secretary, my secretary and Matthew are present so they can arrange it.”
Hearing Matthew’s name, Alex’s curiosity got the better of him. His ears perked up and he couldn’t help but ask, “Why is Matthew always involved in anything related to you?”
Claire raised her brows at his question. “Why are you asking?” she replied, slightly puzzled by his sudden interest.
Alex picked up the cup of tea from the table and took a sip, trying to appear casual. “I’m just curious,” he said, his voice light but his eyes betraying his genuine curiosity.
Claire set her gaze firmly on Alex. “I trust Matthew completely,” she explained. “He needs to be involved in almost all my decisions.”
Alex’s response was laced with sarcasm. “That’s a bit too much, don’t you think?”
Claire chose to ignore his tone, reaching for her own cup of tea. She took a sip and then placed it back on the table. “Matthew has been with me for a long time,” she continued. “He knows me well, sometimes better than I know myself.” Alex couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. “But isn’t it risky to depend so much on a person you just met?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Claire shrugged. “As I said earlier, I had known Matthew for a long time and yes maybe depending on him or even trusting him can be risky, however he’s never given me a reason to doubt him,” she said simply.
There was a moment of silence as Alex processed her words. He wanted to push the topic further but decided against it.
“Fine, we can discuss more into detail when they are all here.”
“Good,” Claire said with a nod. “We need to make sure we are all on the same page before arranging the press conference.” She then leaned forward, her curiosity evident. “Alex, do you know who is behind all the social media posts?” Alex shrugged, a look of frustration crossing his face. “I’ve ordered my Pl to investigate, but so far, I haven’t gotten any answers.” He rubbed his temples, the stress clearly getting to him.
Claire nodded, her expression thoughtful. “Who do you think did this?”
Alex paused, lost in thought. After a
few moments, he sighed deeply. “Honestly, Khave no idea. But it
seems like it’s someone who dislikes both of us.” He glanced at her, his concern evident. “My parents are really worried about you, Claire. They saw how you were mobbed by paparazzi and journalists. They asked me to check on you.”
Claire’s face remained neutral, a calm mask over her emotions. “I’m thankful for their concern, Alex. But I’m fine. Really.” She offered a small, reassuring smile.
The two sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Claire finally stood up, her movements graceful. “I hope this whole plan can go smoothly,” she said, her voice steady.
Just as she finished her sentence,
Claire’s phone rang. She glanced down and saw it was a call from Adrian. Adrian had been trying to
contact Claire for days, but she met
been ignoring him because she
didn’t want to talk. If Claire was being honest with herself, she was ignoring everyone important on her phone.
Alex caught a glimpse of the caller ID and asked, “Why is Adrian calling you?”
Claire reached for her phone on the coffee table and turned it off without saying a word.
“Nothing. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Claire’s phone rang again, and Alex caught the caller ID. He stared at it with a frown etched on his face.
“Claire?” Alex pressed, not satisfied with her silence. “Why is he calling you?”
Claire sighed and said, “I’ll deal with Adrian later, “Her answer was vague, and Alex didn’t like it. First, it was Matthew now Adrian. He couldn’t understand how Claire was close with these guys rather than her girlfriend. He began to wonder if Claire even had a girlfriend.
Alex frowned but didn’t push further. He watched as Claire walked towards the front door. She turned back to him and said, “We are done for now. I’ll contact you again soon.” Alex raised his brows. “So, we’re done discussing the plan?”
Claire nodded. “Yes, we’re done for now. Thank you for coming to my place. Going out in public isn’t a good idea right now.”
Alex nodded, but his mind was still buzzing with curiosity about Adrian’s call. “Alright, take care, Claire.”
“You too, Alex,” Claire said as she opened the door for him. “And thank you again.”
Once Alex left, Claire closed the door and leaned against it, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety.
While Alex, can’t help but think about the phone call from Adrian.