New beginning: Billionaire love story

Adrian stepped out of the sleek black car, taking a deep breath as he glanced around. The Royal Ascot was buzzing with excitement. The soft hum of chatter mixed with the clinking of champagne glasses, and the air was filled with the scent of freshly cut grass and expensive perfume.

He straightened his tailored morning coat, the rich blue fabric shining under the midday sun. He looked almost identical to the dozens of men scattered around the venue, all dressed to impress.

Adrian couldn't help but smile. This was his element. The Royal Ascot was one of his favorite events, right up there with Wimbledon, but with a lot more horses and a lot more hats. Speaking of hats, he adjusted the top hat in his hand, matching his coat perfectly. It was his grandfather's influence that got him here year after year. Being a big shot in the business world had its perks, and an invitation to the Ascot was one of them.

"Adrian, old chap!" came a booming voice from nearby. Adrian turned to see Henry, the Viscount, beaming at him. Beside him stood Prince Edward, looking equally pleased but with a mischievous grin on his face. Both of them are his best mates. "Henry! Edward!" Adrian greeted them, shaking Henry's hand firmly.

"Hey, mate, how have you been?" Edward gives him a bro hug despite him being a prince.

"It's been too long. Business has been keeping me busy. You know how it is with the old man's company."

Edward rolled his eyes dramatically, taking a sip of whiskey from the tumbler in his hand. "Business, business, business. You're going to give yourself wrinkles before you hit thirty at this rate," he teased, wagging a finger at Adrian.

Adrian couldn't help but laugh. "Says the guy who thinks it's not too early to drink whiskey." He eyed the glass in Edward's hand.

Edward grinned, that charming, troublemaker smile of his lighting up his face. "There's no such thing as 'too early' in my vocabulary. Life's too short to wait for noon to have a drink."

Henry shook his head, a smile tugging on his lips. "Ignore him, Adrian. He's like a child most of the time."

"Well, technically, he is the youngest here," Adrian pointed out with a chuckle. "How's it going, being the baby of the group?"

Edward puffed out his chest, mock offended. "I may be 23, but I'm living life to the fullest, unlike you two old men." He took another sip of whiskey, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You need to live a little, Adrian before you end up regretting all the things you didn't do."

As they strolled along, Edward's eyes caught on three beautiful women passing by. He threw them a wink, and they giggled, whispering to each other as they looked back at him. Henry and Adrian shared a look and burst out laughing.

"Edward, you really think you're God's gift to women, don't you?" Adrian teased.

"Just spreading a little royal charm," Edward replied with a smirk, taking a deep bow in the direction of the ladies. "You should try it sometime, Adrian. A little flirting never hurt anyone."

Adrian shook his head, still smiling. "I'll leave that to you, mate. Just don't drink too much, or you'll kill yourself before you hit 25."

Henry laughed, clapping Edward on the back. "He's got a point, Ed. We need you alive to keep us entertained."

Edward sighed dramatically, finishing his whiskey. "You two worry too much. I'm fine. Besides, what's the point of these events if you don't enjoy yourself?"

They reached the viewing area, where a buzz of anticipation filled the air as the first race was about to begin. Edward leaned on the railing, scanning the track with an excited gleam in his eye. "I've got a good feeling about number seven," he said, pointing to a sleek black horse prancing confidently in the paddock.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Number seven? You're just picking that one because it's your lucky number."

"Exactly!" Edward grinned. "What's the point in having a lucky number if you don't bet on it?"

Henry rolled his eyes. "You and your luck. I'm putting my money on number three. That horse looks strong and steady." Adrian glanced between them, then shrugged. "I'll go with number five. I like the name - Midnight Thunder. Sounds powerful." "Midnight Thunder? Really?" Henry chuckled. "Sounds like a superhero more than a horse."

"Hey, don't knock it till you see it win!" Adrian shot back, a grin on his face.

Edward finds it amusing his best mate takes this sport seriously. "You too really take this seriously, huh?"

As Adrian and Henry debated their

picks, Edward placed his empty glass on a nearby tray and snatched a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. He took a sip, savoring the bubbles, then scanned the crowd again. That's when his eyes landed on a woman in a

stunning white dress gliding down to the viewing area. His jaw dropped a little, and he could hardly believe how beautiful she was.

"Wow," he whispered, completely lost in her elegance.noveldrama

Henry, who was in mid-laugh with Adrian, turned to Edward. "Right, Ed? Edward? What are you looking at?"

Edward, still mesmerized, answered, "I just saw an angel."

Henry and Adrian exchanged amused looks, both trying to stifle their laughter. "An angel, huh?" Henry teased, raising an eyebrow. "Do we need to get you a paramedic?"

"No, seriously!" Edward insisted, gesturing dramatically. "You guys have to see this. She's really beautiful!"

"Alright, alright," Adrian said, rolling his eyes but chuckling. "Show us the angel, then."

Edward gestured with his head. "There. The woman in white."

Henry and Adrian both turned to

look. Adrian's eyes widened a bit when he saw her. It was Claire. She looked stunning, way more glamorous. He hadn't expected her to be here, at the Royal Ascot of all

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places. It didn't even occur

that she would be attending the Royal Ascot.

"Wow," Henry breathed out. "Okay, yeah, I see what you mean. She's definitely something."

"I told you!" Edward exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement. "You two are mesmerized."

Claire looked really pretty, stunning even, with her hair flowing in soft waves and that white dress hugging her perfectly.

Adrian tried to act nonchalant,

keeping his cool. He knew Claire from before, but he didn't want to mention right away. He was curious to see what Edward would do next. After all, it wasn't every day he saw his friend this captivated.

Edward took a deep breath and straightened his jacket. "Alright, wish me luck. I'm going in."

Adrian blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Wait, what?"

"I saw her first, man. So, it's my chance," Edward said, determination in his eyes as he started walking toward Claire.

Henry watched, barely containing his laughter. "You think he stands a chance?"

Adrian chuckled nervously. "Nope, but it's entertaining to see him try."

"You know her, don't you?" Henry's eyes twinkle in amusement.

Adrian shrugged casually. "Yeah, you can say that."

Henry raised his eyebrows, looking intrigued. "Oh man, this just got a lot more interesting. I can't wait to see how this goes."