Chapter 171
Madison
I watched Alexander wrap up the CNBC interview with practiced ease. His final words–delivered with unwavering confidence–seemed to resonate with the interviewer, who nodded appreciatively.
“And there you have it,” the host concluded. “Alexander Knight, CEO of Knight Industries, addressing the allegations head–on. We’ll continue to follow this developing story throughout the trading day.”
The red light on the camera blinked off, and Alexander loosened his posture slightly.
“How’d I do?” he asked, turning to me as a technician removed his microphone.
“Perfect,” I replied honestly. “Confident without seeming defensive. The bit about welcoming regulatory scrutiny was particularly effective.”
He nodded, checking his phone. “The market’s been open for twenty minutes. We’re down fourteen percent–better than expected.”
The PR director approached with a tablet. “Mr. Knight, excellent job. We’ve already got requests from Bloomberg and Fox Business for follow–ups this afternoon.”
“Schedule them,” Alexander replied, standing up and straightening his tie. “Ms. Harper will
coordinate the timing.”
We left the media room and headed back toward his office, walking briskly through the corridors. Staff members we passed seemed to stand a little straighter as Alexander approached, their expressions a mix of worry and hope.
“Mr. Knight,” I said, consulting my tablet. “The legal team wants fifteen minutes with you before your next interview to discuss potential action against
“Alexander!”
I turned to see Georgia Knight approaching from a side hallway, her brother Henry following close
behind.
“That was quite a performance,” Georgia said, her red lips curving into what might have been a smile. “Very reassuring.”
Alexander stopped walking but didn’t exactly welcome the interruption. “Georgia. Henry, Shouldn’t you be calling your investors to reassure them?”
Henry laughed, the sound lacking any real humor. “Already done. In fact, we’ve been fielding calls all morning. The stocks are already showing signs of recovery.”
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“The board members were impressed,” Georgia added, glancing briefly at me before returning her attention to Alexander. “Particularly with how you handled their questions.”
I took a small step back, trying to make myself invisible during this family interaction. I’d seen enough of the Knight siblings‘ dynamics to know they rarely had purely friendly conversations.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Alexander replied neutrally. “If that’s all-”
“Actually,” Henry interrupted, “we wanted to explain our… questioning during the board meeting.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow. “Your hostile questioning, you mean?”
Georgia waved a perfectly manicured hand dismissively. “We had to raise those points, Alexander. If we hadn’t, the other shareholders might have thought we were in on it.”
“In on what exactly?” Alexander’s voice had an edge to it.
“You know,” Henry said, lowering his voice slightly. “That we were trying to tank the stock to buy more shares or purchasing through shell companies. The optics would have been terrible if we hadn’t challenged you.”
I watched Alexander’s expression carefully. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly–a tell I’d come to recognize when he was annoyed but controlling it.
“So
your aggressive questioning was just theater for the benefit of the other board members?” he asked dryly.
Georgia smiled, this time more genuinely. “Precisely. And you handled it beautifully. That’s why we wanted to come tell you what a wonderful job you did.”
“How thoughtful,” Alexander replied, his tone making it clear he didn’t believe their explanation for
a second.
I shifted my weight slightly, feeling awkward witnessing this family dynamic. My movement caught Georgia’s attention.
“Your assistant is still here,” she observed, giving me a once–over that made me feel like I was being assessed and found wanting. “Doesn’t she have errands to run?”
Before I could respond, Alexander stepped slightly closer to me. “Ms. Harper is exactly where she needs to be. She’s coordinating my media response to this crisis.
Henry glanced at his watch. “We should let you get back to it. But before we go–Mom wanted us to extend an invitation.”
“An invitation?” Alexander repeated.
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“Dinner. This weekend at the house,” Georgia explained. “She specifically asked us to invite you.”
I saw a flash of something cross Alexander’s face–reluctance, perhaps, or annoyance. It was gone so quickly I might have imagined it.
“I’ll check my schedule,” he said noncommittally.
Georgia’s smile tightened. “She’ll be disappointed if you don’t come. It’s been weeks since you
visited.”
“As I said, I’ll check my schedule,” Alexander repeated more firmly, his tone leaving little room for
further discussion.
Henry cleared his throat, perhaps sensing the tension. “Well, let us know what
you decide.”
Georgia added, “We’ll tell her you’re considering it. She’ll be glad to hear that. Good luck with the rest of your interviews today.”
As they turned to leave, Henry called back, “Oh, and don’t forget the charity gala next month.
Mother’s on the committee.”
“How could I possibly forget?” Alexander muttered under his breath as they walked away.
I waited until they were out of earshot before speaking. “They seem… supportive.”
Alexander snorted. “They seem concerned about their stock portfolios, which is not the same thing.”
We resumed walking toward his office. Once inside, he closed the door and loosened his tie with a
sigh.
“Family is such a joy,” he said sarcastically, dropping into his chair.
I couldn’t help but smile. “At least they acknowledged you did well with the interview.”
“Georgia and Henry acknowledging anything positive I do is suspicious in itself,” he replied, checking his phone. “The stock’s continuing to recover. We’re now only down thirteen percent.”
“That’s great news,” I said, genuinely relieved. “The interview must have helped.”
Alexander nodded, leaning back in his chair. “Schedule the legal team for fifteen minutes before my next interview. And get me coffee. I need the caffeine after that family encounter.”
“Right away, Mr. Knight.” I turned to leave.
“And Madison?”
I paused at the door. “Yes?”
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“If I’m unavailable when Georgia or Henry call about that dinner invitation, feel free to tell them I’m in Siberia. Or dead. Either works.”
I bit back a laugh. “I’ll add ‘create plausible excuses for family avoidance’ to my job description.”
His lips twitched. “See that you do. It may become your primary responsibility.”
“Above or below ‘coffee procurement‘?” I asked innocently.
This time, he did smile, a brief flash that transformed his face. “Lateral responsibilities. Both crucial to company operations.”
I nodded seriously. “I’ll update my resume accordingly.”
As I left his office to fetch his coffee and schedule the legal team, I found myself smiling. Even in the midst of a financial crisis and awkward family dynamics, Alexander Knight somehow maintained his composure and, occasionally, his sense of humor.
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.
