Chapter 214
Madison
“Oh, I don’t keep track of Alexander’s love life timeline,” Caroline said with a dismissive wave. “But it’s ancient history now. Water under the bridge.”
I nodded, processing this information. Katherine. The name Alexander had called me that night in his penthouse when he was drugged. The name I’d heard Anthony mention. A real person with a history that somehow kept intersecting with my present.
“I tried asking him about her once,” Caroline continued, breaking into my thoughts. “At some charity gala a while back. He just gave me that icy stare of his and changed the subject.” She laughed lightly. “Classic Alexander.”
“Sounds like him,” I agreed, feeling a strange mix of emotions I couldn’t quite identify.
“So,” Caroline leaned forward, her eyes suddenly sharp with interest. “Has he mentioned her to you? Or anyone else he might be seeing?”
I shook my head. “No, he keeps his personal life very private.”
“Come on,” she pressed. “You must have noticed something. Does he take mysterious calls? Block off evenings without explanation? You’re with him all day.”
“I’m his assistant, not his shadow,” I replied, more defensively than I intended.
Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Touchy subject?”
“Not at all,” I said, forcing a smile. “I just don’t have the information you’re looking for.”
Caroline studied me with those calculating eyes. “I doubt that. You’re with him more than anyone.”
“I’m with his calendar more than him,” I corrected her.
“Fine, be mysterious.” She sighed dramatically, flipping her hair over one shoulder. “Anyway, it’s probably better for Alexander to move on from Katherine. It’s been years, and she’s clearly not coming back.”
I felt a strange twist in my stomach at her casual dismissal of this woman who still haunted Alexander’s subconscious.
“People who leave rarely return,” Caroline continued, her voice light but her eyes sharp. “And Alexander deserves someone who understands his world.” She traced the rim of her glass. “Someone who fits seamlessly into his life. We’ve always had this… chemistry. Our families have known each other forever. We speak the same language and move in the same circles.”
I nodded, trying to ignore the irrational spike of jealousy. What did I care who Alexander dated before our arrangement? Or who he might date after?
“We’d be perfect together,” Caroline added with a confident smile. “It’s just a matter of timing.”
“I’m sure you would,” I said, my voice sounding strangely tight even to my own ears.
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Chapter 214
+15 BONUS
Caroline tilted her head, studying me. “You really don’t know if he’s seeing anyone right now?”
“I really don’t.” I took another sip of my drink “Mr. Knight doesn’t discuss his romantic life with me,”
“Mr. Knight,” she repeated, amused. “So formal. Does he make all his employees call him that?”
“It’s professional,” I replied simply.
“Sure it is.” She smirked. “So you’re saying there’s no way you could help me run into him occasionally? No chance you might let me know where he’s having dinner some night?”
“No chance at all,” I confirmed.
Caroline sighed. “You’re tough to crack, Madison Harper. I respect that, even if it’s inconvenient for me.” She glanced at her watch. “I should probably get going soon. Early meeting tomorrow.”
“Big plans?” I asked, relieved we were moving away from the topic of Alexander,
“Just the usual crushing souls, making millions,” she joked, then leaned back in her chair. “I’m pitching a new client. They’re looking to rebrand, and my firm has some ideas that would revolutionize their market position.”
“Sounds impressive,” I said, genuinely interested despite myself.
“It is. I’ve been working on this pitch for weeks.” She smiled, and for the first time that evening, it seemed genuine rather than calculated. “Marketing is like psychology with prettier packaging. You have to understand what people want before they know they want it.”
“Is that what you’re doing with Alexander? Figuring out what he wants?”
Caroline laughed. “Touché, Madison. Maybe I should hire you.”
“I’m happy where I am,” I replied.
“I bet you are.” She raised an eyebrow suggestively, then waved at the waiter for the check. “This was fun. We should do it again sometime.”
“Sure.”
The waiter brought the check, and Caroline snatched it before I could reach for it. “My treat. Consider it an apology for trying to bribe you.”
“That’s… generous,” I said, surprised.
“I can be nice when I want to be,” she said with a playful smirk, slipping the crisp bills into the leather folder with an air of finality. “Anyway, I do have to run. Early meetings and all that. It was lovely chatting with you, Madison.”
“You too,” I managed, standing to say goodbye.
“Let’s do this again sometime,” she said, air–kissing near my cheek. “Next time, maybe you’ll be more forthcoming about your boss.”
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Chapter 214
“Don’t count on it,” I replied with a small smile.
Caroline laughed. “We’ll see. Goodbye, Madison.”
+15 BONUS
I watched her weave through the tables toward the exit, her confidence evident in every step. Once she was gone, I sat back down, finishing the last of my drink as I processed everything I’d learned.
Katherine. The woman from Alexander’s past. The one who’d left him. The one whose name he’d called me in his drugged state.
If she’d been gone for years, why was she still so present in his mind? And why did that bother me so much?
My phone buzzed in my purse, interrupting my thoughts. I pulled it out to find a text from Alexander.
Where are you?
Three simple words that sent my heart racing. I stared at the screen, wondering how to respond. Should I tell him I was meeting Caroline? Would that upset him?
Just grabbing a drink after work. Heading home soon.
I hit send, then immediately regretted not being completely honest. But before I could send a follow–up text, my phone buzzed again.
Come to the penthouse instead.
It wasn’t a question. My pulse quickened as I read the words again. Was he angry? Did he somehow know I was with Caroline?
On my way, I replied, gathering my things.
As I stepped out into the cool evening air to hail a cab, I couldn’t shake Caroline’s words from my mind. Katherine had been gone for years. She wasn’t coming back. But her ghost still lingered between Alexander and
- me.
The cab pulled up to the curb, and I slid into the backseat, giving the driver Alexander’s address. As the city lights blurred past the window, I wondered what awaited me at the penthouse. Would Alexander be in one of his demanding moods? Would he somehow sense that I now knew about Katherine?
And more importantly, why did I care so much about a woman who had walked out of his life years ago?
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.
