Chapter 397
Madison
“It’s a long story.” Alexander’s jaw tightened. “After the engagement, they…” he paused, “…someone drugged me. I don’t remember the next forty–eight hours clearly, Katherine had my phone.”
The words hit me like ice water. “Katherine had your phone?”
“She might have seen it and deleted the message. Or someone else who had access.” He met my eyes. “I didn’t know you were pregnant, Madison. I promise you, I didn’t know,”
I stared at him, searching for any sign of deception. Ils eyes were clear, direct, holding my gaze without flinching.
“So you’re saying Katherine saw that I was pregnant and just… deleted it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Alexander’s voice turned hard. “All I know is that I was drugged, unconscious, and when I came to, my phone was missing for hours. By the time I got it back, everything seemed normal.”
“Normal,” I repeated, anger building despite the reasonable explanation. “Let’s say that’s true. Let’s say you really were drugged and Katherine deleted my message.”
“Madison”
“You still didn’t contact me after I left.” The words came out sharper than intended. “Unconscious or not, drugged or not, you didn’t try to reach me at all. Not when I quit. Not when I moved. Not for five years.” 1
Alexander’s expression shifted, something like guilt flickering across his features. “You’re right.”
The admission caught me off guard. “What?”
“You’re absolutely right.” He stepped closer, his voice quiet but firm. “Missing your message because I was drugged isn’t my fault. But not contacting you after you left? That’s entirely on me.”
I crossed my arms, waiting.
“I should have fought harder to keep you at Knight Industries. Should have asked why you resigned so suddenly. Should have gotten your new address, something.” He paused. “I was an idiot. A proud idiot who assumed you’d left because you wanted nothing to do with me.‘
“I did want nothing to do with you,” I shot back. “You got engaged to Katherine without telling me.”
“I should have told you first. That was wrong.”
The apology hung between us, unexpected and disarming.
“It’s too late now,” I said finally, my voice softer. “I’ve moved on. I’m dating Christopher. And before you ask, it’s serious.” T
“Is it?” He studied my face. “Because when I asked if you were dating anyone the other day, you looked like you wanted to lie but couldn’t quite manage it.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. “I’m not lying.”
“Aren’t you?” He took another step closer. “Tell me, Madison. Does Christopher know about our son?”
“That’s none of your business.”
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“It is if you’re lying about dating him to make me back off.”
“I’m not lying!” The words came out too defensive, too quick.
Alexander’s eyes narrowed. “You are. I can tell. You forget, Madison, I know you. I know when you’re being genuine and when you’re putting up walls.”
“You don’t know anything about me anymore.” I moved toward my car, desperate to escape this conversation.” Five years is a long time. People change.”
He caught my arm gently. “Not that much. Your tells are the same. The way your voice goes up half an octave when you’re not being truthful. The way you can’t quite meet someone’s eyes.”
I yanked my arm free. “Christopher and I are together. Whether you believe it or not doesn’t change the facts.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened, and for a second, something flashed in his eyes. Something raw and honest before he locked it away behind that controlled mask he wore so well.
“Then I’ll have to try harder,” he said.
“Try harder for what?”
“To make you see reason.”
“Reason?” I laughed, sharp and bitter. “You mean make me see things your way?”
“I mean, help you remember what we had.”
“What we had was an arrangement,” I shot back. “A business transaction that’s over, and now you’re engaged to Katherine.”
“I’m not married to Katherine.”
“But you’re still engaged to her.” I crossed my arms. “Which makes this entire conversation inappropriate.‘
“What’s inappropriate is you lying about dating Christopher.” T
Heat flooded my face. “How would you know if I’m lying?”
“Because I know you, Madison. Your tells haven’t changed.” He stepped closer. “And because I looked into him. Christopher Allen. Single, never married, no kids. Successful consultant who frequents your café.”
“You investigated him?”
“I investigate everyone who gets close to what’s mine.” (1
“I’m not yours,” I said through gritted teeth. “You need to accept that and go back to New York. Go back to Katherine. Have a good life. And stop showing up here.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have a son,” he said, his voice low. “Who I didn’t know existed until last night. Because I spent five years not knowing I had a child. Because everything I thought I knew about my life was wrong.” 2
My heart hammered against my ribs. “That’s not my problem.”
“Isn’t it?” He took another step closer. “You left without telling me. You built this entire life. You made choices
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for both of us.”
“You got engaged to Katherine,” I shot back. “You made your choice first.”
“That engagement was business. You know that.”
“Do I? It looked pretty real to me. The announcement, the parties, the perfect couple photos in every magazine.” My voice cracked despite my best efforts. “You didn’t even have the decency to tell me yourself.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened. “I should have. That was wrong.”
“You think?”
“But running away instead of talking to me? Keeping my son away from me? That was worse.”
The accusation stung because part of me knew he was right. But I’d made my choices for good reasons. Survival
reasons.
“I tried,” I said, my voice dropping. “I sent you a message. You read it. You didn’t respond.”
“I explained that. Katherine had my phone. I was unconscious.”
“So you say.”
“So I know.” His eyes bore into mine. “I didn’t get your message, Madison. I swear to you. If I had known, I would have-”
“Would have what? Broken off your engagement? Come running to Connecticut? Taken responsibility?” I laughed, bitter and sharp. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
The single word carried weight I didn’t want to examine.
