Chapter 160
Madison
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I 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 been notified of a winning bid.”
Almost immediately, Alexander’s phone vibrated. He glanced at it briefly before slipping it back into his pocket.
“Looks like I won,” he said with that infuriating half–smile that suggested he’d never doubted the
outcome.
“Congratulations,” I murmured. “I’m sure the charity appreciates your generosity.”
“I didn’t do it for the charity.”
My cheeks flushed at his directness. “Mr. Knight—”
“I need to complete the payment,” he cut me off, glancing toward the auction settlement area. “Wait here.”
Before I could respond, he strode away, leaving me alone. I watched him move through the crowd, commanding attention without even trying. People shifted to make way for him, and conversations paused as he passed.
I wondered how long I should stand here like an abandoned puppy.
“Excuse me.”
I turned to find myself face–to–face with the mystery woman.
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“Yes?” I managed to keep my voice steady despite my racing heart.
“Where’s Alexander?” she asked, her tone suggesting I was merely a conduit to the person she actually wanted to speak with.
I gestured vaguely toward the payment area. “Mr. Knight is finalizing a transaction for the auction.”
She followed my gesture, craning her neck to spot Alexander in the crowd. When she couldn’t immediately locate him, her attention snapped back to me, eyes narrowing slightly as she assessed me more thoroughly.
“You’re his personal assistant, right?”
“Yes,” I replied simply, refusing to elaborate.
She sipped her champagne, watching me over the rim of her glass. “Is Alexander dating anyone these days?”
The question caught me off guard, though I should have expected it. I maintained my composure, keeping my face neutral despite the uncomfortable twist in my stomach.
“No,” I said, the lie slipping easily from my lips. After all, we weren’t dating. We had an arrangement. A business transaction with benefits.
Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose slightly, and a small smile played at her lips. “Interesting.” She set her empty champagne glass on a passing waiter’s tray and pulled out her phone from her clutch. ” Let me get your number. We should keep in touch.”
I blinked. “My number?”
“Yes,” she said, her manicured finger hovering over her screen. “Your phone number.”
“I don’t see why that would be necessary,” I replied coolly, masking my irritation.
She laughed, a tinkling sound that somehow managed to be both musical and condescending. “Don’t be difficult, darling. I can get your number easily enough if I want to. It’s better if you just give it to me directly.”
“And why exactly do you need my number?”
“It’s not for chatting or anything like that,” she said with a dismissive wave. “I might just need to ask about Alexander occasionally. If he’s dating anyone, where he’s going… so I can accidentally run into him.” She winked at me like we were co–conspirators. “You understand.”
I stared at her, dumbfounded by her brazenness. This woman was unbelievable. Did she seriously expect me to help her stalk my boss? The fact that she thought I would be complicit in this was almost as insulting as her dismissive attitude.
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“I’m afraid I can’t help you with that,” I said firmly.
Her smile dimmed slightly, taking on a harder edge. “Listen, sweetie. I’m trying to be nice here. Trust me, you’d rather have me as a friend than an enemy.”
With a resigned sigh, I recited my number, which she entered into her phone with a triumphant
smile.
“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” she said, slipping her phone back into her clutch. She reached into it again and pulled out a business card, offering it to me between two perfectly manicured fingers. “Here’s my card. Call me if there’s anything… interesting to report.”
I reluctantly took the card, glancing down at it. The name “Caroline Davis” was embossed in elegant script across the cream–colored cardstock.
Caroline. The name struck a chord of recognition. I’d heard it before, somewhere in the Knight Industries offices. Whispered conversations that stopped when I entered a room. Was she one of Alexander’s exes? A past hookup?
“I should find Mr. Knight,” I said, tucking the card into my clutch. “He’ll be wondering where I am.”
“Of course,” Caroline replied with a knowing smile. “Wouldn’t want to keep him waiting. He can be so… demanding when he doesn’t get what he wants.”
The way she emphasized “demanding” made my cheeks flush. Did she know? Had Alexander told her about our arrangement? No, that wasn’t possible.
“It was nice meeting you,” I lied, preparing to make my escape.
Just then, Alexander returned, clutching a small boutique bag in one hand. Caroline immediately brightened, her entire demeanor shifting from predatory to saccharine sweet.
“Alexander!” she exclaimed, moving toward him with practiced grace. “I was just getting to know your lovely assistant.”
Before he could respond, she wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace that lingered several seconds too long to be merely friendly. Her body pressed against his in a way that made my stomach
clench.
Alexander returned the hug with one arm, keeping the small bag safely away from their embrace.
“I’ve got to run,” Caroline said as she finally pulled away, her hand trailing down his arm. “But we should catch up properly. Dinner at Eleven Madison Park next week? I’ll text you.” She winked at him, then glanced at me with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Lovely meeting you, Madison. I’ll be in touch.”
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.
