Chapter 153
Chapter 153 Alex on the rescue
Alex's eyes widened in panic as he saw the bucket slipping from the worker's grasp. Without a second thought, he sprinted towards Claire, shouting, "Watch out!"
Claire, slightly confused, noticed Alex's gaze fixed on something above her. She looked up, and her eyes widened in horror. A few meters above her, the bucket was plummeting straight toward her head.
Instinctively, Alex lunged at Claire, pushing her out of the way. They rolled on the ground, with Alex skillfully shielding Claire from the impact with his body. Onlookers outside, their faces filled with panic, watched the scene unfold like an action movie, praying the accident wouldn't turn tragic.
The bucket collided with the floor from a great height, shattering upon impact. It was filled with paint, which splattered everywhere. Alex couldn't believe the close call. If the bucket had hit Claire, it could have been disastrous. He looked down at her, concern etched on his face.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice urgent.
Claire, her breathing rapidly, nodded her head. "I'm fine," she said, still in shock.
Alex stood up first and then extended his hands to Claire. She took them, and he pulled her up gently. Once she was steady on her feet, they realized they were still holding hands. They quickly pulled away, both feeling a bit awkward. Claire cleared her throat. "Thank you, Alex."
Before Alex could respond, the worker who had dropped the bucket approached them, his head hung low in guilt.
"I'm so sorry, Ms. Peterson." he said, his voice trembling. "I was not careful enough."
Alex's eyes flashed with anger. He was about to scold the worker, maybe even fire him, but Claire spoke first, her tone professional and firm." It is okay," she said, looking the worker in the eyes. "Just be more careful next time." The worker nodded, relief flooding his face. "I will. Thank you, Ms. Peterson."
Alex, still simmering with anger, took a deep breath. "You need to ensure this doesn't happen again," he said sternly.
"I promise it will not happened again, sir." the worker said, backing away.
As the crowd began to disperse, still murmuring about the incident, Alex turned to Claire. "That was too close," he said, his voice softer now. "Are you okay?" he asked, scanning her for any signs of injury. "You're not hurt, are you?" Claire shook her head, brushing off the dust from her blouse. "I'm fine," she assured him. Then she noticed the tear on the elbow of Alex's suit. Pointing to it, she said, "Your elbow, though."
Alex glanced down at his elbow, seeing the rip and the scratch beneath. "It's nothing," he said dismissively. "Just a scratch."
Claire opened her mouth to argue but then thought better of it. She simply nodded as she didn't want to cause much fuss.
Their brief exchange caught the attention of other employees, who quickly approached. One of Claire's employees, asked, "Ms. Claire, are you alright?"
Claire gave a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. Just a minor mishap."
Another employee, a tall man named David, added, "If there's anything we can do, just let us know."
Claire nodded. "Thank you, David. But everything is under control."
Turning to Alex, Claire insisted, "You should treat that wound before it gets worse."
Alex hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I'll take care of it." He turned to the team. "Today's meeting is done. We'll continue tomorrow."
As the group began to disperse, Claire turned on her heels and started to leave. She glanced back at Alex from the corner of her eye then headed inside the hotel site.
The rest of the day went as usual. Claire is back in her hotel room and back to working on her work. However, she couldn't focus as the thought of Alex interrupted her mind since he was the one that saved her. Claire feels grateful despite them hating each other, Alex still wanted to save her.
The least she could do is to thank him beside, Claire mother taught her to be kind when someone help you in danger. On the other hand, Claire also need to talk to Alex regarding her employee ideas about the robot.
Before Claire could leave her room, she remembers that she doesn't know Alex room number, so she used her skills to hack into the data system.
Claire could easily text Alex to ask him about his room number, but her ego is too big.
After a few tense minutes, she managed to locate it. Sighing with relief, she jotted down the room number and quickly made her way out of the office.
2/2
apier 153 Alex on the rescue
At the hotel, Claire stood in front of Alexander's door, her heart pounding. She hesitated, wondering if she was making the right decision. This was a risky move, but she needed to discuss something important with him. After a few minutes of internal debate, she braced herself and knocked on the door.
Within seconds, the door swung open, and Alex stood there, surprise evident on his face. "Claire? What are you doing here?"
Maintaining her professional demeanor, Claire replied, "I need to talk to you about your hotel, Alex. It's important."
Alex nodded, stepping aside to let her in. "Come in, then."
Claire walked into the living room, glancing around briefly before sitting down on the couch. Alex offered her a drink, but she shook her head. "No, thanks. I won't be long."
Alex sat across from her, still in his white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Claire couldn't help but notice a wound on his arm that looked red and irritated.
Frowning, she pointed at it. "You haven't taken care of that wound yet?"
Alex looked at his arm and then back at her. "I was about to, but then you knocked on the door." He gestured to a first aid kit on the nearby table.
Claire nodded, but decided to shift the topic. "Right, anyway, I came to discuss your consideration of robots for your hotel."
Alex leaned back, intrigued. "I was thinking about it, actually. It sounds like a good idea."
Claire continued, "My team had an idea. We only need the robot case; all the technology, including software, would be produced by Metacortex."
Alex's interest was piqued. "I like that idea. But where would we get just the robot case?"
Claire smiled slightly. "I have a few friends in the robotics field. I'm sure we can find someone interested, if the money is right."
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds promising. I'd appreciate any updates on that."
"Of course," Claire replied. She then glanced again at his wound. "Are you sure you don't need help with that?"
Alex shook his head. "It's fine. I will take care of it once we are done."
Silent settled upon them until Claire broke the silence.
"Thank you for saving me earlier. You know you don't have to do that." Claire said genuinely grateful for Alex rescue. "If I do not do that, you will get hurt, Claire." "But your wound,"
"As I said it is only a scratch."
Claire nodded. "Of course. I will be taking my leave then." She stood up from her seat which made Alex frown. "Already?"