SWNOVELS Chapter 150
Chapter 150 Las Vegas
Matthew raised his eyebrows as Claire ended the brief phone call. "Who was that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Claire had a confused look on her face. "It was Alex," she replied slowly. "He wants me to come with him to Las Vegas." Matthew's eyes widened, and he immediately shook his head in disagreement. "You should decline his offer," he said firmly.
Claire sighed, her frustration evident. "I don't want to go, especially with Alex. But this is about the project, and I need to see it through. It's part of our business." Matthew leaned forward, his expression serious. "Let me go instead. I can handle it. You don't have to go with him."
Claire shook her head. "I can't do that, Matthew. I'm the CEO. If I don't fulfill my part of the deal, Alex will have the right to terminate the contract with Metacortex." Matthew sighed deeply, knowing she was right. "So, you're going to go?"
Claire nodded, determination in her eyes. "Yes. Besides, it will be good for me to get away from Eligos watcher for a while."
Later that night, Claire decided to contact Alex to finalize the details of their upcoming trip. She dialed his number, and after a few rings, he picked up.
"Mr. Harris." Claire greeted him. "How many employees should I bring for the trip?"
Alex's voice was calm at the other end. "You don't need to bring too many. Just the key members of your team, the brains behind the operation."
Claire nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Understand, I will arrange it." She was about to end the call when Alex's voice stopped her. "Claire, are you coming too?" he asked.
"Yes, of course," Claire replied, slightly confused. "Isn't that what you asked earlier?"
"Yeah," Alex said, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "I just wanted to confirm it."
"Okay, then," Claire said, still puzzled. "I will see you there." She ended the call, shaking her head slightly at the odd exchange.
The day of their travel arrived, and Claire and her team headed to the airport. She had assumed they would be flying commercial since Alex had mentioned he would cover the plane tickets. However, as they approached the private jet terminal, Claire realized she had assumed wrong.
A sleek, luxurious jet awaited them, with a big gold "H" logo on the tail that gleamed in the sunlight. Claire sighed, shielding her eyes from the glare. "Of course, it's a private jet, I should have seen this coming." she muttered to herself, then led her team towards it. Inside the jet, Alex was already seated with his team. Claire glanced around, expecting to see Christian, but he was nowhere in sight. Her team quickly took their seats, mixing in with the Harris team, leaving Claire with the only available seat directly across from Alex. She sighed again, more out of habit than frustration, and took her seat. As she settled in, she looked at Alex.
"Where's Christian?" she asked.
Alex frowned slightly. "Why are you looking for Christian? He's not here."
"That's why I'm asking," Claire replied, her tone straightforward.
Alex shrugged. "I asked Christian to watch the company. He's the only person I trust to handle things while we're away." He then glanced at the empty seat next to her and smirked. "Where's your trusted advisor?"
Claire suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "He's watching the company for me."
Alex's smirk widened. "Don't have anyone to trust because everyone lied to you?"
Claire narrowed her eyes to him, finally giving in and rolling her eyes. "I could still change my mind and book my own flight if you annoy me" Alex sighed, his smirk fading. "Fine, I was just asking."
Their team, seated across from them, exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable with their bosses tense conversation.
Alex's irritation lingered, fueled by the memory of seeing Claire at dinner with Adrian. She had told him she didn't have time for dinner, there she was, enjoying a meal with someone else. Even though it had happened a week ago, it still annoyed him. Claire sighed and plugged her ears with her earphones. She glanced out the window, lost in thought.
This is the first time Claire has flown together with Alex after their divorce. Claire didn't expect herself to be on the same plane with Alex, sitting face to face for eleven hours.
What's funny for Claire is, she sees Alex more often after their divorce instead of when she was still married to him.
The universe has a unique way of messing with Claire.
yet
2/2
apter 150 Las Vegas
The night was quiet inside the private jet as it cruised smoothly through the dark sky. Most of the team had settled in for sleep, their seats reced, and blankets drawn up, enveloped in the tranquility of the cabin's low hum.
Claire, however, sat upright in her seat, her laptop glowing softly in front of her. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard, a testament to her restless state of mind. Despite the gentle lull of the aircraft, sleep eluded her. She glanced around the cabin, her gaze lingering on Alex, who was seated across from her.
Alex noticed Claire's restlessness and raised his eyebrows quizzically. "Can't sleep?" he asked in a low voice, trying not to disturb the others. Claire shook her head, still focused on her screen. "No, I can't," she replied curtly, her tone indicating she wasn't in the mood for idle chatter. Alex frowned slightly. He knew Claire well enough to remember she was a deep sleeper, a fact he had taken advantage of during their brief marriage when he often snuck out unnoticed. "Is this a new trait of yours now that you've regained your memory?" he joked.
Claire stopped typing abruptly, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She looked up at Alex, her eyes cold. "Yes," she replied tersely. "What's with your behavior, Alex?" Claire whispered sharply, leaning closer to him.
Alex stared at her, irritation flickering in his eyes. He muttered dismissively, "Nothing," and looked away, as if suddenly preoccupied with something outside the window.
Alex decided it was time to retire to his room for some peace and quiet. Claire watched him go with a sigh of relief, grateful for the respite from his presence, even if it was only temporary. She knew they would have to face each other again soon, but for now, she savored the moment of solitude. Morning broke with a soft light filtering through the windows of the plane. Claire had barely slept; her mind buzzing with thoughts and plans for the day ahead.
One of her employees, noticing Claire was still awake, approached her with a mix of surprise and concern. "Ms. Peterson, have you slept at all?" she asked quietly.
Claire shook her head slightly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "No, not yet. I'll catch up on sleep once we're settled at the hotel," she replied, her voice steady despite the fatigue evident in her eyes.
As she packed her laptop into her bag, preparing to disembark, Alex emerged from his room. Their eyes met briefly, and in that moment, the tension between them was palpable. Claire held his gaze for a moment before he broke eye contact, heading out of the jet. She watched him go with a hint of annoyance.
Alex paused at the door, thanking the pilot for the smooth flight.
Claire looked at the view as she stood on the ground. She muttered under her breath, almost to herself, "I can't believe I'm in Vegas with my ex-husband."
Alex, overhearing her, turned back briefly. "Believe me, I can't believe it either," he murmured.