New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex)
Chapter 274 It Wasn’t an Accident

Claire sat back in the hospital chair, her phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Matthew's name flash on the screen. She didn't hesitate to answer. "Matthew," Claire said quickly, "did you replace anything?"

Matthew, on the other end, didn't waste any time. "You were right, Claire. This wasn't just a car accident."

Claire sat up straighter, her eyes narrowing. "What did you replace?"

"Well," Matthew began, sounding almost too casual for the bombshell he was about to drop, "I managed to track Abigail's phone. After looking into the area where she was last, I found some surveillance cameras. I hacked into them." "Impressive," Claire replied with a nod, secretly pleased with how fast Matthew worked.

"Yeah, well, the footage shows Abigail leaving what looks like an apartment building. I don't know whose apartment it is, but that's not the point. She walks outside, and then, just her luck, it starts pouring rain. She tries to hail a taxi, but none of them stop." Claire frowned. "So she's stranded in the rain?"

"Exactly. She starts walking, and that's when things get weird. Three men surround her. I don't know what their deal is, but they're definitely bothering her. She looks uncomfortable."

Claire leaned forward, her expression turning serious. "And then?"

"Abigail tries to call someone on her phone, but one of the men snatches it from her. So, being the smart woman she is, she throws her bag at them and runs off. That's where the footage cuts out. I haven't hacked into the other cameras yet, but I'm working on it." Claire sat quietly, digesting the information. She had known something wasn't right about the accident. Now she had proof. "Keep me updated as soon as you get more footage," she instructed, her voice calm but firm.

"Will do," Matthew replied before hanging up.

As soon as the call ended, Claire leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the armrest. She wasn't one to trust the police easily, not when they tended to overlook the finer details. Claire preferred handling things her own way-methodical, precise, and with results. Meanwhile, Alexander was still in a heated discussion with the police in the hallway. His frustration was growing by the second.

"I want to meet the driver who hit Abigail," Alexander repeated, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

The officer, sensing that Alexander wasn't going to drop the issue, nodded. "We'll contact you when it's the right time. You'll need to bring Abigail's parents too."

Alexander's face softened for a brief moment, thinking about Abigail's family. He gave a curt nod and thanked the officer before heading back to Abigail's room. His heart ached as he carried Abigail's belongings, memories of her smile flashing through his mind.

As soon as he walked into the room, Claire's eyes snapped to him, though they quickly drifted to the items in his hands. She tilted her head, curiosity in her gaze. "Is that Abigail's stuff?"

Alexander nodded, his expression still tense. "Yeah, the police gave it to me."

Claire's calm voice cut through the air. "What did the police say?"

Alexander ran a hand through his hair, still simmering with anger. "They've got the driver who crashed into her. I'll be meeting him once they arrange it."

Claire raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair with an air of detached curiosity.

Claire glanced at her phone and nodded, not saying much as she skimmed through emails. She was lost in thought, thinking back on her own investigation into Abigail's accident.

The police? Claire didn't trust their techniques, even though they were involved. She preferred doing things her way, with efficiency and no loose ends.

Alexander, seated across from her on a couch, occasionally glanced at her. He was also absorbed in his phone, probably dealing with work emails or messages from their shared contacts. The silence in the hospital room was thick, broken only by the occasional beep from the machines monitoring Abigail's condition.

The room was peaceful, except for

the underlying tension. Abigail, still in a coma, lay quietly in the hospital bed, her breathing steady but shallow Claire sat beside the bed glancing occasionally at the patient, but mostly focused on her phone. Both she and Alexander were on high alert, ready in case there was any change in Abigail's condition.

A knock on the door broke the silence, and Alexander got up to answer it. He opened the door to replace Christian standing there, holding a box of cake.

Christian grinned, stepping inside. "Hey, I brought cake," he said, waving the box like it was a grand gesture.

Claire raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by his arrival. "Christian, what are you doing here?" she asked, her tone light but curious.

"Alexander told me about Abigail when I was at the office earlier," Christian replied, setting the cake down on a nearby table. "I wanted to stop by and see how she's doing. I know her too." Claire gave a small nod, understanding.

As Christian settled in, he turned his attention to Abigail, noticing the pale stillness in her face. His smile faltered.

"How's she doing?" he asked, glancing between Alexander and Claire.

Alexander sighed, leaning back against the door. "She's in a coma."

Christian's eyes widened in disbelief. "A coma? How did that happen?"

Claire, still looking at Abigail, answered in her usual calm, matter-of-fact tone. "She hit her head. The impact was bad enough to put her in a coma."

Christian frowned, clearly shaken by the news. He turned to Claire, his voice more serious now. "Did you really donate blood for her?"

Claire nodded, not making a big deal out of it. "It had to be done."

Christian's concern deepened. "But you've got low blood pressure, don't you? Are you okay?"

Claire took a deep breath, not

expecting Christian to remember

that little detail about her. She could

feel Alexander's eyes on her now, watching her closely, but she ignored him and kept her gaze fixed on Abigail. "It was necessary, she said, her voice steady. "If I didn't donate, there was a good chance she wouldn't survive."

Her phone buzzed in her hand, a text message lighting up the screen from Matthew. Claire glanced at it quickly before standing up, a little too fast. The room tilted slightly, and she immediately regretted the sudden movement. Before she could steady herself, Christian was at her side, his hand on her arm to keep her from falling.

"You, okay?" Christian asked, his eyes full of concern.

Claire waved him off, trying to act like nothing was wrong. "I'm fine. Just stood up too fast."

Alexander, still standing by the door, was watching her with a frown. He didn't say anything, but his concern was written all over his face. Claire wasn't in the mood to deal with it.

"I've got work to do," she said abruptly, pulling herself together. She didn't even glance in Alexander's direction as she walked toward the door. "I'm leaving."

As she left, Christian let out a low chuckle, turning to Alexander. "She didn't even spare you a glance. Did you two talk?"

Alexander shook his head and Chrisitan replied. "You two are in the same room and not talking? Man, that's awkward."

Alexander's frown deepened; his thoughts clearly somewhere else. "She's stubborn," he muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "She never lets anyone help her, never wants anyone to worry about her." Alexander couldn't shake the worry gnawing at him. "I'll talk to her later," he said finally, more to himself than to Christian.