Chapter 344
Chapter 350
Madison
I shrank back slightly, hoping she wouldn’t notice me, but my attention was drawn to Alexander. He stood with Katherine, his hand not quite touching the small of her back as Caroline approached them.
Even from this distance, I could see Caroline’s practiced smile as she air–kissed Alexander’s cheek, then turned to Katherine with exaggerated warmth.
“Probably plotting world domination together,” I muttered under my breath, watching as the three of them fell into conversation. Caroline laughed at something Katherine said, touching her arm in a gesture of familiarity that spoke of a long–standing relationship.
Of course, they knew each other. They probably summered together in the Hamptons as children, attended the same elite schools, shared the same rarefied air their entire lives.
I took another deep breath, fighting the urge to flee. I was Madison Harper, project manager of Knight Industries ‘Manhattan development. I had every right to be here.
“Madison!” Caroline’s voice cut through my thoughts as she approached, champagne in hand. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you p>
I plastered on a polite smile. “Caroline. Lovely to see you p>
“You look…” she paused, eyes traveling up and down my dress with barely concealed surprise, “different p>
“Thank you,” I replied, not bothering to return the compliment.
“How are you?” She sidled closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Must be quite the night for you p>
“I’m good,” I said simply, refusing to give her the satisfaction of appearing uncomfortable.
Caroline took a sip of her champagne, eyes gleaming over the rim of her glass. “Can you believe Katherine’s back? I never thought she’d return from London, but here she is.” She gestured vaguely toward where Katherine stood with Alexander. “They make such a lovely couple, don’t they p>
“Do they?” I kept my voice neutral despite the twist in my stomach.
“Always have,” Caroline continued, either missing or ignoring my discomfort. “Everyone expected them to get married before she left p>
I took a slow, measured breath. “If they’re such a lovely couple, why did she leave in the first place p>
Caroline seemed momentarily taken aback by my directness. “Career advancement, of course. Katherine’s always been ambitious.” She recovered quickly, waving her hand dismissively. “She wanted to establish herself independently before settling down. You know how it is with power couples; someone always has to compromise. Katherine wasn’t ready for that p>
“And now she is?” I couldn’t help asking.
“Seems that way.” Caroline’s smile turned smug. “She’s back with her fashion empire, expanding to New York.
Chapter 350
Perfect timing, don’t you think? Now she can have both her career and Alexander p>
I took a large sip of champagne to hide my expression. “How convenient p>
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“It really is,” Caroline agreed, missing my sarcasm. “Fate has a way of bringing people back together when it’s meant to be p>
“Or when their business interests align,” I muttered.
Caroline laughed. “Madison! I didn’t realize you had such a cynical streak. I like it.” She leaned closer, the scent of her expensive perfume almost overwhelming. “Between us, I always knew she’d come back. Some people just belong together, you know p>
“I’m not sure anyone belongs to anyone,” I replied carefully.
“That’s because you haven’t met your Alexander yet,” Caroline said with a knowing smile. “When you do, you’ll understand p>
My Alexander. The phrase echoed in my head, both absurd and painful at once. He had never been mine, not really. Our arrangement was just that, an arrangement. Business. Temporary.
“Speaking of Alexander,” Caroline continued, “he’s been watching you all evening. That dress was quite the choice p>
I fought to keep my expression neutral. “It’s just a dress p>
“Honey, nothing about that dress is ‘just‘ anything.” She raised an eyebrow. “Though I should warn you, Alexander has always had a type: Katherine Sinclair p>
“I’m not trying to be anyone’s type,” I replied coldly. “I’m here as project manager, not as anyone’s arm candy p>
Caroline studied me for a moment, something like respect flickering in her eyes. “You’ve got fire, Madison. I didn’t see that before.” She glanced over at Alexander and Katherine. “Be careful with that fire. You might get burned p>
Before I could respond, she touched my arm lightly. “Oh, there’s Richard from the board. I simply must say hello. Don’t be a stranger, Madison p>
As she walked away, I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I drained the rest of my champagne, setting the empty glass on a passing server’s tray.
My phone buzzed in my clutch. Probably, Hazel was wondering where I’d disappeared to. I opened it to find a text from Jackson:
Just got cornered by some guy talking about yacht financing. Send help.
Despite everything, I smiled. The contrast between Jackson’s world and this one couldn’t be more stark.
I glanced across the room to where Alexander stood with Katherine. His hand now rested on her lower back, a
casual intimacy that sent a spike of jealousy through me. Katherine laughed at something he said, her perfect profile tilted up toward him, golden hair catching the light.
Chapter 350
+25 BONUS
They did look perfect together. A matched set. Old money meets old money. Power meets power.
What was I doing here in this blue dress, pretending I belonged in this world?
I straightened my shoulders, remembering Hazel’s words. This dress wasn’t just fabric. It was armor. And I’d be damned if I let Caroline or Katherine or anyone else make me feel small tonight.
I texted Jackson back: Heading to your rescue. Yacht financing sounds deadly.
As I made my way back through the crowd, I felt Alexander’s eyes on me again. I didn’t look his way. Let him watch. Let him wonder. I wasn’t here for him tonight.
spotted Jackson near the bar, trapped in conversation with an older man in a tailored suit. His expression of polite desperation made me smile.
“Jackson, there you are!” I touched his arm lightly. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but we’re needed for that thing we discussed earlier p>
Relief washed over his face. “Right, that important thing. Sorry, Mr. Whitmore, duty calls p>
The older man nodded, seemingly unfazed. “We’ll continue this discussion another time, young man. Your friend has excellent
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.