New beginning: Billionaire love story

Claire took the glass of champagne from the passing waiter. As she got out of the car earlier, she felt the attention of every eye around her. Photographers turned their cameras towards her, capturing her every move. She had a hunch. The dress she was wearing might be

a bit too much, but Talia insisted, saying, "You only live once, girl!" That's how Claire ended up in the daring outfit, feeling a mix of confidence and nervousness.

Talia was already buzzing with excitement as she watched the horses getting into position. "This is so thrilling!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

Claire nodded, taking a sip of her champagne, trying to match Talia's enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's something, isn't it?"

Just then, a light cough from behind caught her attention. Claire turned around to see a young man standing there, a charming smile on his face and a glass of champagne in hand.

"I couldn't help but notice you," he said, his voice smooth. "You look absolutely stunning."

Claire gave him a polite smile. "Thank you."

The man extended his hand, his smile widening. "I'm Edward. Prince Edward, actually."

Claire's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she kept her cool and shook his hand. "Claire Peterson. Nice to meet you."

Edward's smile brightened even more. "The pleasure is mine, Claire."

Talia, who had been observing the exchange, looked stunned. Her eyes darted between Claire and Edward, her mind racing. A prince?! This day was getting more exciting by the second. Claire turned to Talia and introduced her. "This is my friend, Talia."

Talia awkwardly smiled and offered her hand. "Nice to meet you, Prince Edward."

Edward nodded politely at Talia, but his gaze quickly returned to Claire. "So, is this your first time at the Royal Ascot?"

Claire shook her head, keeping her tone calm. "No, it's my second time."

Edward nodded thoughtfully. "No wonder I haven't seen you before. I'm sure I would've remembered."

"Yeah," Claire replied simply, taking another sip of her drink. Her voice was steady and gave nothing away, which seemed to throw Edward off his game.

Edward shifted his weight, suddenly looking awkward. He was used to women giggling and fawning over him, but Claire was different. She seemed so composed, almost like she wasn't impressed by his title or charm. He cleared his throat and tried again.

Meanwhile, Adrian and Henry were watching the scene unfold from a distance. Henry looked like he was about to burst out laughing but managed to hold it back, maintaining his composed image as a viscount. Adrian, hands shoved in his pockets, chuckled and shook his head.

"I think Edward's struggling a bit," Adrian said with a grin.

Henry nodded, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, definitely. He's not used to this."

"So, do you enjoy watching horse racing?" he asked, glancing at the track where the jockeys were getting ready.

Claire shrugged. "It's entertaining, but I don't watch it often."

Edward nodded, trying to think of something clever to say, but his usual confidence was faltering. "Well, if you'd like, I have a private booth. The view is quite something."

Claire raised her eyebrows, a small smile playing on her lips. "How old are you, Edward?"

Edward blinked, clearly not expecting that question. "Uh, twenty-three."

Claire nodded again, her smile widening slightly. "You've got a lot to learn about charming women." With that, she turned and walked away with Talia, heading towards their own booth.

Edward stood there, looking a bit stunned, his mind racing with what had just happened. He was used to things going his way, but this was...different.

Henry couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing, clutching his sides. "Oh, Edward! That was priceless!" he exclaimed, tears of laughter forming in his eyes.

Adrian, still grinning, patted Edward on the back. "Don't take it too hard, mate. She's a tough one."

Edward sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't get it. Usually, they're all over me."

"Not this one apparently." Henry said, shaking his head.

Claire and Talia were making their way toward their booth, the crowd buzzing with excitement around them. Talia, still a bit shocked from what she'd just overheard, leaned in closer to Claire. "Did I hear that right? Prince Edward was talking to you?" Claire shrugged casually, her eyes scanning the area. "Yeah, I guess."

Talia raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding her friend's nonchalance. "And? Was he... interested?"

Claire gave a small smile, not breaking her stride. "I don't know. Maybe."

Talia looked at her in disbelief. "Maybe? Girl, he's a prince. Why aren't you more excited?"

Claire laughed softly as they climbed the stairs to their booth. "Talia, he's like... twenty-three. Still a kid in a lot of ways. Not really my type."

Talia rolled her eyes as they reached their seats. "Not your type? He's a prince! It's kind of hard to get a better type than that."

Claire just smiled and sat down, adjusting her dress. "Titles don't impress me, Talia. And he's not as mature as you think. You can tell."

Talia shook her head, still unable to believe Claire's attitude. "You're crazy, you know that? I would've fainted on the spot. I mean, it's not every day you get a chance to chat up royalty."

Claire picked up her champagne glass and drained the last drop. "You're welcome to him, then. I'm sure he'd love someone fawning over his title. But I just don't care about that stuff." Talia sighed dramatically. "I swear, you're impossible."

Meanwhile, in another part of the viewing area, Alexander was making his way to his booth, walking slowly beside Abigail, who had her leg in a cast. Alexander glanced down at her with a concerned frown. "Are you sure you're okay to be here? You

don't have to push yourself."

Abigail gave him a reassuring smile, her cheeks slightly pink. "I'm fine, really. I've been cooped up for so long. I've always wanted to see the Royal Ascot, and I wasn't going to let this cast stop me." Alexander's frown softened, and he smiled back at her. "Just promise me you won't try to run any races."

She laughed, shaking her head. "I promise. I'll stay put."

He helped her to a seat, then sat beside her, his eyes scanning the crowd. "If you need anything, just tell me, okay?"

"I will. Thanks for bringing me," Abigail said softly, glancing at him. She quickly looked away, her blush deepening.

Back near the ladies' room, Talia was fixing her makeup when she bumped into someone. "Oh! I'm so sorry-" she started, then froze when she realized who it was. "Christian?"

Christian grinned and pulled her into a quick hug. "Talia! Long time no see."

She hugged him back, her surprise quickly turning into excitement. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Alexander," he explained, nodding over his shoulder. "I didn't know you'd be here too."

Her eyes widened as she made the connection. "Wait, Alexander's here? Does Claire know?"

Christian shrugged casually, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "I'm not sure, but they're adults. They can handle it, right?"

Talia's expression turned serious. "You think it's a good idea, them being in the same place?"

Christian sighed. "I mean, I hope so. They've got to keep it civil, especially here."

Talia shook her head. "I hope you're right. This could get awkward."

Back in the booth, Claire stood up

and took out her binoculars,

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scanning the track. The race started yet, but she was already buzzing with excitement. She

focused on the horses, trying to get a sense of which one might win.

"Claire?"

She turned at the familiar voice and found herself face-to-face with Abigail. Standing beside her was none other than Alexander. It had been a week since she last saw him, but it felt like forever. "Abigail! It's good to see you," Claire said warmly, giving her a gentle hug.

"You too, Claire!" Abigail beamed. "I didn't know you'd be here."

Claire nodded. "I didn't know you'd be here either. It's a nice surprise."

Alexander cleared his throat, and Abigail quickly sat down, her leg sticking out awkwardly in its cast. "Abigail, you should sit. You've been standing too long."

Claire turned back to the view, trying to ignore the feeling of Alexander's eyes on her. But he was suddenly right beside her, and his voice, though quiet, was edged with something sharp. "What are you wearing?"