New beginning: Billionaire love story

The morning was buzzing with excitement as journalists hurried inside the press release room, their cameras flashing as they went. It was clear this was a big day for Metacortex. The seats were filling fast, and people whispered to each other about what might be revealed. Meanwhile, outside, Claudia Wright's car rolled up to the entrance. The driver stepped out, opening the door for her. Claudia, dressed in a sleek black dress that screamed "CEO in charge," stepped out, looking both confident and calm. She paused for a moment, taking in

the scene, then made her way inside the building.

Backstage, Claire Peterson was getting ready, fiddling with her clip-on mic. The director, a man who always seemed to be waving his hands around dramatically, motioned to her. "Claire, you're up!" he whispered in an overly intense way as if she hadn't noticed. Claire took a deep breath and straightened her white pantsuit. She wasn't exactly the type to enjoy public speaking, but today was important. She stepped out onto the stage, her bright camera-ready smile in full force, and waved at the people in the room. The clapping started almost immediately, a sea of hands coming together in support. Claire nodded and waited patiently for the noise to die down. As soon as it did, she adjusted her mic, leaning slightly forward.

"Good morning, everyone! Thanks so much for being here," she began, her voice smooth. "I know, I know. Some of you are probably surprised to see me up here. Usually, I'm the type to stay behind a desk, not give speeches." The audience chuckled. She was right. Claire was more of a behind-the-scenes person, and they knew it.

Claire smiled at the reaction, letting the laughter die down before continuing. "But, my very trusted colleague, Jack Wilson," she gestured toward a man sitting in the front row, and the spotlight dramatically swung toward him, "thought it was about time I stepped into the spotlight-literally." The crowd clapped again, and Jack gave a sheepish wave.

"So, Jack suggested this press release," Claire went on, giving him a side-eye with a teasing smile. "And I thought, 'Why? What's the big deal?' And Jack said, 'Well, Claire, we don't want anyone stealing your ideas." She paused, eyes scanning the room. "And I thought, you know, he's got a point. No one would dare steal my ideas, right?" She joked, raising an eyebrow.

The crowd chuckled again. Claire's playful tone kept things light, but there was a sharp edge to the joke that didn't go unnoticed by some.

Frank and Robert, sitting toward the back, exchanged a glance. Claire's comment had felt a bit too close to home. They both knew the under-the-radar competition between Venus AMD and Metacortex, but it seemed Claire wasn't about to play nice today.

"Anyway," Claire continued, "I figured, better safe than sorry, right? So here we are. And today, I'm excited to reveal something we've been working on for the past few months. It's a project that honestly came out of nowhere for me, but Mr. Alexander Harris trusted me with it, and well, when the boss trusts you, you kinda have to run with it." She grinned, and the crowd responded with a few knowing nods.

Everyone understood the pressure of pleasing a big boss.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Claire said, taking a deep breath for dramatic effect, "I'm proud to introduce you to the Metacortex Robo." With a smooth motion, the curtain behind her lifted, revealing her team standing next to a sleek, humanoid robot. The room buzzed with excitement, and cameras clicked rapidly.

"This," Claire said, pointing to the robot, "is the future of hospitality. Our robot will be welcoming guests at Mr. Harris's new hotel in Vegas. It's designed to assist with everything a guest might need-directions, recommendations, you name it, it can do it." The robot, as if on cue, flashed a digital smiley face, and the crowd erupted in laughter. Claire couldn't help but smile too. The little detail had been her idea, and it was already winning people over.

"And don't worry," Claire continued, "this isn't some rogue Al that's going to take over the world. We've got it under constant surveillance, and with our Cortex 2.0 system, it's completely secure from hacks or errors. Oh, and it's also water-resistant." She gave the robot a playful pat, and the crowd chuckled again.

Feeling the moment was right, Claire decided to show off a bit. "Let's give it a test, shall we?" She turned to the robot and asked, "Can you tell me the fastest route to Metacortex headquarters?"

The robot whirred to life, its smooth voice responding, "The fastest route is via the main highway, estimated travel time, 45 minutes depending on traffic."

Claire turned back to the audience with a 'see what I mean?' expression, and they erupted into excited murmurs. She loved this part-the reveal, the reaction, the buzz in the air. It was everything she'd hoped for.

"To assure your worry once more-no, the robots are not going to take over the human race," Claire joked, raising her hands in mock surrender. "We're keeping them in line." The robot, not missing a beat, replied, "World domination has been postponed to next year," and the crowd roared with laughter.

Even Claire had to admit that was good. She grinned at the robot, shaking her head. "See? They're learning too fast. We're all in trouble," she teased, sending another wave of laughter through the room.

Frank leaned over to Robert. "She's mocking us," he whispered, his tone laced with irritation. "That whole bit about stolen ideas... that's aimed at us." Robert narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

"So, I'll need a volunteer," Claire announced, her eyes scanning the crowd with a smirk. Her gaze landed on Alexander Harris, the owner of Harris Hotel, who was sitting comfortably in the front row. "Mr. Harris, would you be so kind?"

Alexander's smile faltered for a split

second, but his expression quickly returned to that polished, practiced grin. It was a smile Claire knew too well-charming, fake, and annoyingly effective for him. He rose from his seat, trying not to look like he was annoyed. As he walked toward the stage, Claire mentally rolled her eyes.

"Come on up, Alexander. Don't be shy," she said, keeping her tone light, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice.

As Alexander reached the stage, a sleek, silver robot rolled toward him with a microphone in its hand. Alexander blinked at the sight of it, a bit surprised, before he took the mic.

"Well, thank you, uh-robot," Alexander said with a small chuckle, patting the machine's shiny head. The audience laughed along with him, finding his surprise charming. Of course, they did. Claire crossed her arms but kept smiling.

"Since you're the owner of the hotel," Claire continued, her eyes sparkling, "you get the honor of being the first to try out our new friend here."

Alexander's smirk widened as he glanced at the robot, then back at Claire. "Why, thank you, Ms. Peterson. How very kind of you," he replied smoothly, bowing slightly for dramatic effect. Claire resisted the urge to roll her eyes again-this time, for real. "So, what should I ask our shiny friend here?" Alexander asked, looking out at the crowd with a grin that could light up a room. He turned back to the robot and, with a playful twinkle in his eye, said, "Hey, how do I get a girl's heart?"

The crowd erupted in laughter, and Claire's forced smile tightened. She shot Alexander a quick glare, but he didn't seem to notice-or maybe he did, and he was just enjoying himself. Either way, he was pushing it.

The robot whirred for a moment,

processing the question before answering in its cheerful, automated voice, "To win someone's heart,

show kindness, be attentive, andnoveldrama

always listen." The audience laughed

again, clapping their hands in

appreciation of the quirky response.

Alexander, clearly relishing the attention, turned back to the crowd. "Well, folks, if you ever feel lonely, just ask this robot. It can answer all your questions and even be your best friend!"

More laughter followed, and Claire's patience was hanging by a thread, but she kept her expression calm. She stepped forward, standing beside Alexander, smiling for the cameras. They were still on stage, after all, and appearances mattered.

"Thank you for that, Mr. Harris," she said with a slight edge to her voice. "As you can see, our robots are designed to make life easier, even for people like Mr. Harris here, who, apparently, need advice."

The crowd chuckled again, and Claire seized the moment to wrap things up. "Before we close, I'd like to take a moment to thank my incredible team. This project wouldn't have been possible without their hard work and patience."

The applause came in waves, and Claire let out a small breath of relief.

"This," Claire said, gesturing to the

robot still standing beside Alexander, "is the future of Metacortex and

Harris Hotel. We believe these

robots will not only assist guests but will redefine customer service, making every stay more efficient, enjoyable, and personal."

The crowd clapped again, and Claire gave a final smile, bowing slightly with Alexander at her side.

"We'll open the floor for a Q&A session now," Claire announced, and instantly, a sea of hands shot up from the journalists below.