New beginning: Billionaire love story

Claire blinked, completely caught off guard by the suggestion. She stared at Matthew as he'd just proposed they fly to the moon using rubber bands and paper clips. "What? Us? Build the robots?" Matthew grinned, that mischievous glint in his eyes suggesting he wasn't kidding. "Sure, why not? We've got the brains, the resources. Why not give it a shot?"

"Because it's crazy," Claire shot back, still trying to wrap her head around the idea. "We're not robot engineers. Metacortex doesn't even have a robotics department! It's way too risky."

"Too risky?" Matthew leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with a look that screamed 'I know better." "Come on, Claire. You're The Raven. You can be a world-class hacker and run Metacortex at the same time. How hard can it be to build a robot?" Claire's eyes narrowed as she gave him a weird look. "I get your point, but comparing hacking and corporate management to building a robot? Not exactly the same thing."

"Tomato, tomahto," Matthew replied with a chuckle, waving her concerns away like they were trivial. "And hey, you won't be doing this alone. I'll help. Plus, you've got all those geniuses over at Cryptonic. You could ask them to pitch in." Claire bit her lip, her mind racing. The idea was out there, no doubt about it. But maybe that was exactly why it had potential. Still, she had to weigh the risks.

"It's not a terrible idea, but we don't exactly have a robotics division."

"So, we start one," Matthew said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You've always said Metacortex is about innovation, right? What's more innovative than building our own robots when no one else will?" Claire couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "You make it sound so easy."

"Because it is," Matthew insisted. "We hire the best people, we give them what they need, and we get to work. Worst case, we're in the same spot we are now, but best case, we end up with robots that are exactly what we need."

Claire leaned back, thinking it over. "You know, Matthew, you might just be onto something."

Matthew grinned. "I usually am. So, what do you say? Ready to start our own robotics division?"

Claire felt a spark of excitement, something she hadn't felt all day. "Let's do it. We'll need to move fast, but if anyone can pull it off, it's us."

Matthew's grin widened, clearly pleased with himself for planting the seed. "That's the spirit! Think about it, Claire. If we pull this off, it's going to be a game-changer. People won't just see Metacortex as a tech giant-they'll see us as innovators. Pioneers." Claire raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like we're trying to build an electric spaceship."

"Who knows? Maybe we'll do that next," Matthew joked, leaning forward with enthusiasm. "But seriously, imagine the headlines. 'Metacortex Enters Robotics: A New Era of Innovation.' It's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"I can see the headlines now," Claire said dryly. "Metacortex CEO Goes Crazy, Decides to Build Robots on a Whim."

Matthew laughed. "Hey, people love a good underdog story. We start with robots, then who knows? World domination?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Claire replied, though she couldn't help but smile at his infectious enthusiasm. "But let's say we do this. Where would we even start? It's not like we can just Google 'how to build a robot' and call it a day." Matthew tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, first, we'd need to figure out what kind of robots we're talking about. Are we thinking humanoid robots, industrial bots, something else entirely?"

"More like helper robots. Something to serve and greet guests in hotels. You know, a friendly, efficient assistant that makes the stay more enjoyable for the guests."

"First thing first, we need a design,"

"I'll contact Abigail and ask her for the design."

Matthew nodded. "We need to decide on its appearance, functions, and personality. And of course, we'll have to figure out the tech behind it-Al, sensors, all that good stuff."

Claire raised an eyebrow. "You're talking like this is a weekend project."

"It's the only way to keep the excitement going."

"Alright. But we do it my way. We take it slow, we cover all our bases, and we don't rush into anything. If we're going to build robots, we're going to do it right." "This is going to be awesome, Claire. I can feel it."

"Let's hope your feeling is right," Claire replied, though there was a hint of excitement in her voice now. "Because if this blows up in our faces, I'm blaming you."

"Deal," Matthew said, still grinning from ear to ear. "But don't worry, Claire. We've got this. I'll get started on some preliminary research. And maybe we can set up a meeting with the best employee you have." "Good idea,"

The night had settled over the city,

with the hospital bathed in a peaceful hush, Lisa was asleep in the plush comfort of her VIP room, a luxury she had chosen over

returning to her mother's house. The doctorh had given her the all-clear to leave, but Lisa wasn't ready to face the world just yet. The hospital, with its quiet halls and soft, sterile lighting, felt like a cocoon where she

could hide from her troubles.

As Lisa slumbered, the door to her room creaked open slowly. Gretta slipped in like a shadow, her footsteps barely making a sound on the polished floor. She approached the bed with a cautious tread, but something must have alerted Lisa, who stirred in her sleep, a frown creasing her brow.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she felt a presence looming above her. With a gasp, Lisa jolted awake and was about to scream when Gretta's hand shot out, clamping over her mouth.

"It's me! It's Gretta!" she hissed urgently, trying to calm Lisa down.

Lisa's eyes widened in recognition, and Gretta removed her hand, stepping back to turn on the light. The sudden brightness filled the room, revealing Gretta's face, which was set in a deep scowl.

"Oh, it's you," Lisa mumbled, rubbing her eyes and trying to steady her racing heart. "Why the heck did you sneak up on me like that? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Gretta crossed her arms over her chest, her expression unimpressed. "You messed up, Lisa. Big time."

Lisa's heart, which had just begun to

slow, skipped a beat again. She knew this conversation was coming, and she'd been dreading it. She hadn't contacted Gretta since the whole mess went down, partly because she was too embarrassed and partly because she didn't knowNôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

how to explain herself.

"I know, I know," Lisa stammered, fumbling with the edge of her blanket as if it could offer some kind of defense.

Gretta's eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer, her voice laced with frustration. "That's not the plan, Lisa. The plan was to let Claire be devoured by the fire-literally and metaphorically. So, what's with the sudden change of heart? Why did you save her?"

Lisa's mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out. She hadn't expected Gretta to confront her so soon, and now that she was here, Lisa found herself at a loss for what to say. She kept fiddling with the blanket, looking everywhere but at Gretta's piercing gaze.

"I" Lisa started, but her voice caught in her throat. She cleared it and tried again. "I saw Alex, and I... I thought maybe if I helped Claire, Alex would see it and... and maybe he'd come back to me."

Gretta let out a long, exaggerated sigh and glared at her friend, a mix of disappointment and disbelief on her face. "Lisa, what do you want? For Claire to die or for Alex to come back? You can't have both."

Lisa bit her lip, her mind racing. The

truth was, she didn't know what she

wanted. In a perfect world, she'd have Alex back and Claire would be out of the picture. But this wasn't a perfect world, and she wasn't sure if she could have either. Deep down, though, she knew that if she had to choose, Alex would win every time.

Before she could muster a response, Gretta cut her off. "Alex isn't coming back to you, Lisa, and you know it. You need to stop living in denial and accept it."