Chapter 260
Madison
The car turned onto a busier street, lights from shops and restaurants illuminating the interior in brief flashes. “So Vanessa planned to drug you, and then what? Take advantage of you?” My stomach turned at the thought. Alexander’s eyes met mine, something unreadable in their depths. “That was the plan. But it backfired.” “Because you left the party early,” I realized. “You came back to the penthouse alone.”
“And texted you instead of Dr. Peterson.” His voice softened slightly. “A fortunate mistake, as it turns out.”
A chill ran down my spine as I processed the implications. If Vanessa’s plan had worked as intended, it would have been her in Alexander’s penthouse that night, not me.
“But why would Selena tell you all this?” I asked. “She basically confessed to a serious crime.”
Alexander’s smile was cold. “As I said, Leo can be very persuasive.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means we got what we came for.” He straightened his cuffs. “Selena won’t be a problem anymore.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because we have her confession recorded. And she knows that if she steps out of line, if she warns Vanessa, if she so much as breathes in our direction again, that recording goes to every law enforcement agency on both sides of the Atlantic.”
I stared at him, momentarily speechless. “You recorded her without her knowledge?”
He tapped the pen clipped to his breast pocket. “Latest tech. Records audio and video, streams it directly to secure cloud storage.”
“That can’t be legal.”
“Probably not in the UK,” he conceded with a shrug. “But we’re not planning to use it in court unless absolutely necessary.”
The car slowed as we approached a red light, and the traffic signal’s crimson glow illuminated Alexander’s face.
“So what happens now?”
“Now we deal with Vanessa.” His voice was steel. “She’s the real threat.”
“How?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” He straightened his tie as the car pulled up to the hotel entrance. “But she’ll regret ever crossing me.”
The driver opened the door, and Alexander stepped out, offering me his hand. As we walked through the opulent
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lobby, I couldn’t shake the image of Selena Johnson, cornered in her own home, facing Alexander’s cold fury.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Alexander observed as we entered the elevator.
“Just processing.” I leaned against the mirrored wall. “It’s a lot to take in.”
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, revealing the opulent hallway of The Savoy. Alexander stepped out first, the key card already in hand. I followed, my mind still reeling from everything we’d learned about Selena and Vanessa.
The suite door clicked open, and Alexander held it for me with uncharacteristic patience. As I passed him, our shoulders brushed, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine despite my mental turmoil.
“Drink?” he asked, heading straight for the minibar.
“God, yes.” I kicked off my heels and sank into the plush sofa. “Make it strong.”
Alexander poured two generous glasses of whiskey, handing one to me before loosening his tie and dropping into the armchair across from me. He looked tired but alert, like a predator resting between hunts.
“To catching conspirators,” he said, raising his glass.
I clinked mine against his. “And to not getting shot in London.”
His lips quirked. “That would have been an inconvenient end to our trip.”
“Just inconvenient?” I took a long sip, welcoming the burn. “Not tragic or devastating?”
“Paperwork would have been a nightmare.”
“Heaven forbid you cause administrative hassle by dying.“”
We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the weight of the day settling around us. Alexander swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his expression contemplative.
“I hope Vanessa is the end of this,” he said finally. “That there’s no one else behind her little scheme.”
I frowned. “What do you mean? You think someone else might be involved?”
Alexander leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Think about it, Madison. Why would Vanessa go to such elaborate lengths just to get me into bed?”
“Because she’s obsessed with you?” I suggested. “Some women do crazy things for men they can’t have.”
“Hiring a bartender? Flying someone in from London? Spending ten thousand dollars?” He shook his head. ” That’s not just obsession. That’s…”
“Completely unhinged?”
“Or something else entirely.” Alexander stood and began pacing, energy radiating from him despite the late hour. “If Vanessa just wanted sex, there are simpler ways. Hell, she’s thrown herself at me at every company event for the past year.”
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I set my glass down, suddenly understanding his concern. “You think there’s more to it than just getting you into bed.”
“I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair, messing up the perfect style. “Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe Vanessa really is just that desperate and delusional.”
“Or maybe she had other motives.” I tucked my legs under me on the sofa. “Like what, though? Corporate espionage? Blackmail?”
“Could be anything. Information about Knight Industries. Access to my personal files.” His jaw tightened. “Or maybe she just wanted to humiliate me. Make me vulnerable, then use it against me somehow.”
“That’s pretty diabolical.” I twisted the bracelet he’d given me yesterday, the London Eye charm catching the light. “Not everyone thinks ten steps ahead like you do.”
He smirked. “Most people don’t think one step ahead.”
“Fair point.” I reached for my drink again. “So, what’s the plan for Vanessa?”
“Leo’s handling the preliminary work.” Alexander resumed his seat, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “Background checks, surveillance, the usual.”
“The usual,” I echoed with a laugh. “Because everyone routinely puts people under surveillance.”
“In my world? Yes.” He took another sip. “You’d be surprised what people will do for money or power.‘
“After today, I’m not sure anything would surprise me.” I studied his face, noting the slight tension around his eyes. “Are you okay? Really?”
The question seemed to catch him off guard. For a moment, his carefully maintained facade slipped, revealing something vulnerable underneath.
“I don’t like being played,” he said quietly. “And I really don’t like that someone thought drugging me was an acceptable strategy.”
“I don’t blame you.” I hesitated, then added, “For what it’s worth, I’m glad her plan failed.”
His eyes met mine, intense and searching. “Are you?”
The question hung between us, loaded with implications neither of us was ready to address. If Vanessa’s plan had worked, Alexander and I would never have ended up in his penthouse that night. Our arrangement would never have happened, and my mother wouldn’t be getting the care she needed.
“Yes,” I said simply. “I am.”
Alexander held my gaze for a long moment before nodding once. “Good.”
Chapter 261
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.
