All Chapters of A Secretive Deal with My Billionaire Boss: Chapter 371 - Chapter 377

MadisonI grabbed my purse and headed inside, bracing myself for the inevitable attack hug. "Mommy!" Ethan launched himself off the couch the second I opened the door, his small body colliding with my legs. "Aunt Hazel's here! We're playing crash derby!" "I can see that." I ruffled his hair, shooting Hazel a look over his head. "And I specifically remember someone promising not to get him all wound up." Hazel stood up, brushing off her jeans. "In my defense, he's the one who suggested a crash derby. I was perfectly content with quiet coloring." "Liar." "Fine." She grinned. "But look how happy he is." She wasn't wrong. Ethan was practically vibrating with excitement, already tugging me toward his elaborate truck setup. "Mommy, you have to be the police. Aunt Hazel was the police, but she keeps letting the bad guys escape." "That's because the bad guys deserve freedom," Hazel declared dramatically. "No, they don't! Bad guys go to jail!" I set down my purse, letting their bante

Madison"I'm sure." The memory still stung. That little 'read' notification appearing within seconds. Then nothing. Days of silence that turned into weeks, then months. Hazel was quiet for a moment. "What if something happened? What if he didn't actually see it?" "Stop." I held up a hand. "Don't make excuses for him. He got the text. He chose not to respond." "Okay." Hazel raised her hands in surrender. "I'm just trying to understand why he'd show up now." "Because he's Alexander." I resumed pacing. "He doesn't like loose ends. I'm a file he forgot to close." Hazel studied me carefully. "You still love him." "I don't." "You're lying." "I'm protecting myself," I corrected. "There's a difference." "Is there?" I sank back onto the couch, suddenly exhausted. "It doesn't matter what I feel. He's engaged to Katherine. He has his life in New York. I have mine here." "Except he's not married," Hazel pointed out. "Five years engaged and no wedding. That's weird, right?" "That's his

MadisonThe café settled into its mid-morning lull. A few customers trickled in and out, but nothing demanding. I used the quiet time to prep for lunch, checking inventory and planning tomorrow's specials. I reorganized the pastry case, restocked the cream and sugar station, and wiped down already-clean tables. Anything to keep my hands busy and my mind off yesterday. Off Alexander showing up after years like it was nothing. Off the way, my traitorous heart had stuttered when I saw him standing on the sidewalk. Off the fact that part of me had wanted to throw myself into his arms, while another part wanted to throw my coffee in his face. "Boss?" Mark's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "You okay? You've been wiping that same table for like five minutes." I looked down at the spotless surface. "Just being thorough." "Uh huh." He didn't look convinced. "Want me to handle the counter for a bit? You could take a break." "I'm fine." But I wasn't fine. My stomach churned wit

Alexander"You're totally going back." Anthony grinned. "This is fantastic. Alexander Knight, reduced to stalking his ex-assistant in small-town Connecticut. I love it." "I'm not stalking her." "What would you call it?" "Persistent inquiry." "That's literally the definition of stalking, Alex." I glared at him, but he just laughed. "Look," he said, his tone softening. "I know you. You're stubborn as hell, and you don't give up when you want something." "Your point?" "My point is, figure out what you actually want. Do you want closure? An explanation? Or do you want Madison back in your life?" He met my eyes. "Be honest with yourself, at least." I stared into my coffee cup, watching the dark liquid swirl as I turned the mug. "I don't know." "That's the most honest thing you've said all morning." Anthony signaled for the check. "But here's the thing. Madison clearly moved on. She has a life in Connecticut, a café she built from scratch, maybe even someone new. You can't just wa