All Chapters of ONE NIGHT WITH A STRANGER: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

It started with a vibration—Madison’s phone buzzed endlessly on her desk that morning.One notification turned into five. Then ten. Then twenty. Her personal email, her work inbox, her social media—all lighting up like wildfire."Madison?" Her colleague Camille peeked over the divider. "Are you okay?""I… I think so," Madison answered, though her fingers had gone cold. A lump settled in her throat as she opened her personal email.Subject: Thought you might want to see this.The link took her to an entertainment gossip site—Capital Tea. The headline screamed across the top of the page in bold red letters:"Billionaire Sebastian Sanford’s Secret Affair? Mysterious Woman Identified!"Her breath caught as she scrolled down and saw it. A photo of her and Sebastian—taken from a distance, but unmistakably them. One image was from the gala, another from the private rooftop of The Saville Hotel, their silhouettes backlit by the city lights, his hand caressing her cheek. There was even a blurr

The message was a cold reminder that things were far from over. Madison sat at her desk in her small apartment, her phone resting in her palm. The words were etched in her mind: “I know what you’re up to. You won’t get away with this. I’ll make sure of it.”Who could it be? She ran through the possibilities in her head—was it someone from her past? Maybe someone who had been hurt in the process of her unexpected involvement with Sebastian? Or worse, was it someone who knew too much about them, someone who wanted to exploit their relationship for their own gain?She wanted to confront Sebastian right away, but after their conversation the day before, she didn’t know how to explain the new twist in her life. She wasn’t sure if she could handle more secrets or complications in their already delicate dynamic.Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. Should she respond to the anonymous message? Ignoring it might be a form of surrender, but acknowledging it could potentially put her—and Sebas

Madison’s fingers brushed against the cool surface of the doorknob as she quietly exited the grand estate, a sense of relief washing over her as the weight of the Sanford family’s scrutinizing gaze finally faded into the distance. The sound of the door clicking shut behind her felt like a small victory, though the anxiety that had settled in her chest throughout the evening remained. Her heels clicked sharply against the stone walkway as she made her way to the car, the night air cool against her flushed skin.She had never felt more out of place. The expansive, opulent mansion, the eyes of Sebastian’s family on her—it had all felt like a test. She wasn’t sure she had passed, but it was clear from the moment they sat down to dinner that she had failed in some way she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She had tried to smile, to answer their questions with the politeness expected of a guest, but underneath it all, she felt like an outsider in a world she could never truly belong to.Wha

The next few days passed in a haze of emotions for Madison. The conversation at the restaurant with Sebastian had left her feeling both lighter and heavier at the same time. She had spoken her truth, confessed her fears, and yet, somehow, it didn’t feel like it had changed anything. They were still caught in the same cycle of uncertainty, both hesitant but yearning for something more. Despite her resolve to take it slow, Madison knew that avoiding the situation was no longer an option.She could feel herself being drawn closer to him with every passing day, and it both thrilled and terrified her. What Sebastian was offering her—his sincerity, his commitment—was something Madison had always longed for but had never thought she’d find, especially not in a man like him. The question that plagued her, though, was simple: Could she really allow herself to fall for him, given all the complications that came with his world?Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of her phone, the screen l

The week flew by in a flurry of emotions, with Madison grappling with the knowledge that meeting Sebastian’s family was now unavoidable. It was one of those moments she had both anticipated and dreaded. She had heard Sebastian talk about them on numerous occasions, his love for them unmistakable in his words. But she had also heard the underlying tension in his voice at times—his desire to break free from their expectations, the weight of their influence over his life.She knew the stakes were high. Family was everything to Sebastian, and although he had never pressured her to meet them, the timing felt significant. This was a new chapter in their relationship. No longer was she just the woman he spent time with in secret or at casual coffee shops. Now, she was about to step into the world that had shaped him, a world she could never fully understand but wanted to try to be a part of.Madison stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her dress for the fourth time that evening. It was a