Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 151 - Chapitre 160

MadisonI took a deep breath and pulled up the meeting agenda, determined to be over-prepared. If they were going to judge me, I'd at least give them something substantial to judge. The distinctive ding of the elevator caught my attention, and I glanced up to see Alexander stepping out. He walked with that confident stride that seemed to part the air around him, heading toward his office. My heart did that stupid little jump it always did when I saw him unexpectedly. He slowed as he approached my desk, his eyes catching something on the floor. Before I could react, he bent down and picked up a folded piece of paper that had fallen beside my trash can. "Playing schoolyard games with notes, Ms. Harper?" he asked with an amused smile, already unfolding it. "Wait, Mr. Knight, don't—" I started, but it was too late. His expression hardened as he read the note. I couldn't see what it said, but from the way his jaw clenched, I knew it was worse than the ones I'd already seen. "Where di

MadisonSunday evening brought the kind of rain that New Yorkers both love and hate—the dramatic downpour that transforms the city into something straight out of a noir film—beautiful from behind glass but miserable to navigate. I stood under the awning of my apartment building, watching sheets of water cascade from the sky. "Gonna be a while, miss," my doorman said, eyeing the deluge. "Weather app says it's getting worse before it gets better." I nodded, pulling my phone from my purse to check the time. I'd promised Hazel I'd be at her place by seven; it was already quarter till. After our awkward encounter with Alexander at the café, I owed her an explanation – or at least some version of the truth that wouldn't reveal the exact nature of our arrangement. I stepped to the curb and raised my hand, grateful when a yellow cab immediately splashed to a stop. I darted through the rain, my shoes already soaked by the time I slid into the backseat. "Where to?" the driver asked, wiping

MadisonI was deep into reconciling the budget projections for the Manhattan project when my desk phone rang. I picked it up while still typing with my free hand. "Madison Harper speaking." "Miss Harper, I have a Herbert Hayes here to see Mr. Knight." The security desk's voice crackled through the line. "One moment, please." I checked Alexander's calendar—11:30 AM meeting—which was right on schedule. "Yes, please send him up." I returned to my spreadsheets, determined to finish before my lunch break. The soft ding of the elevator barely registered until footsteps approached my desk. I looked up to find an older gentleman standing before me. He was impeccably dressed in a charcoal suit that had clearly been tailored to his frame. Silver hair swept back from a distinguished face marked with laugh lines around his eyes. I guessed him to be in his mid-fifties. "Good morning," I said, offering a professional smile. "You must be Mr. Hayes. Mr. Knight is expecting you. Please, go right

MadisonAlexander removed his hands from her waist, but his eyes remained locked on her face. His smile wasn't the polite business smile he gave investors or the professional one I'd seen during meetings. This was something different, something genuine that reached his eyes and made them crinkle at the corners. Who was she? My mind raced through possibilities. Was this the mysterious Katherine he'd called me that night when he was drugged? She didn't even match the blonde woman from the photograph I'd spotted in his penthouse – the one that disappeared so quickly after I noticed it. This woman had chestnut hair that cascaded in perfect waves down her back, not blonde locks. A friend or relative, perhaps? Or, more likely, another ex-girlfriend or hookup from Alexander's extensive past. She carried herself with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what she wanted and had probably gotten Alexander at some point. I shifted my weight, trying not to feel invisible as they continu

MadisonI felt a small, petty surge of satisfaction watching her forced to engage in small talk when she clearly wanted to be elsewhere, specifically with Alexander. Alexander seemed oblivious to her predicament, his attention still focused on the diamond necklace and, more disturbingly, on my neck. I resisted the urge to cover my throat with my hand. "Shall we look at the other items?" I suggested, desperate to move away before she managed to extricate herself from the silver-haired man. "No need," Alexander replied, his eyes still on the necklace. "I've found what interests me." I glanced back at the mystery woman, who was now nodding politely at whatever the older gentleman was saying while her eyes repeatedly darted in our direction. The tension in her shoulders was visible even from across the room. "Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, startling me. "The silent auction is now closed. Please make your way to the payment area if you've bee