Chapter 271
Chapter 271
Madison
+25 BONUS
The rest of the meal passed with a few more snippets of conversation, mostly about mundane things: the weather, a new movie Mom wanted to see, and the neighbor’s dog that wouldn’t stop barking.
After dinner, I cleared the table and began washing the dishes. The warm, soapy water was a welcome distraction from my swirling thoughts, and the rhythmic motion of scrubbing the plates offered a semblance of peace. Mom, meanwhile, settled on the couch with one of her beloved mystery novels, her glasses perched at the tip of her nose as she lost herself in the pages.
“I think I’m going to turn in early,” I announced, drying the last plate. “It’s been a long day.”
“Jet lag catching up with you?” Mom asked without looking up from her book.
“Something like that.”
“Sleep well, sweetheart.”
I retreated to my bedroom, closing the door behind me with a soft click. After the luxury of Alexander’s penthouse, the familiar space felt both comforting and confining.
I changed into my pajamas and crawled under the covers. My phone sat on the nightstand, screen dark and silent. No messages from Alexander. Not that I expected any. Not that I wanted any.
“Liar,” I whispered to myself, staring at the ceiling.
I rolled onto my side, punching my pillow into a more comfortable shape. Sleep refused to come, my mind replaying Alexander’s words in the car.
“And if I want more?”
More what? More control? More access to my life? More opportunities to confuse me with his hot–and–cold behavior?
The ceiling offered no answers as I stared up at it. The small water stain in the corner had been there since I moved in, shaped vaguely like South America if you squinted.
My phone remained stubbornly silent on the nightstand. Not that I was checking. Not that I cared.
I grabbed it anyway, scrolling through emails to distract myself. Work messages, promotional offers, a reminder about Mom’s follow–up appointment next week. Nothing from Alexander.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered, tossing the phone aside. “You’re acting like a teenager.”
I rolled onto my stomach, burying my face in the pillow. What was wrong with me? This was a business arrangement. Alexander Knight was my boss, my fake boyfriend, the man paying my mother’s medical bills. Nothing more. The fact that he’d met my mother today didn’t change anything.
Except it felt like it changed everything.
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+25 BONUS
The way he’d laughed with her, the genuine interest in his eyes when she spoke, the respectful way he’d carried her bags. None of that was in our contract. None of that was required for our arrangement.
“Stop overthinking,” I told my pillow firmly. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
I flopped onto my back again, staring at the ceiling. The truth was, Alexander Knight confused me. One minute, he was all business; the next, he was asking to extend our arrangement and make it public. One day, he was calling me by another woman’s name; the next, he was meeting my mother and charming her completely.
Who was the real Alexander Knight? The ruthless businessman? The attentive boyfriend? The demanding lover?
And why did I care so much?
“Because you’re an idiot,” I whispered to the empty room.
A soft knock at my door interrupted my self–flagellation.
“Madison? Are you still awake?” Mom’s voice was soft.
I sat up quickly. “Yeah, come in.”
The door opened, and Mom peeked in. “Sorry to bother you, but I can’t find my medication. I thought I put it in my toiletry bag, but it’s not there.”
“Oh!” I jumped up. “I put it in the medicine cabinet. Let me get it for you.”
I hurried to the medicine cabinet to retrieve the small orange bottle. When I returned, Mom sat on the edge of my bed, looking around my room with a nostalgic smile.
“What?” I asked, handing her the pills.
“Nothing. Just remembering when you were little and this room was covered in posters of boy bands.”
I groaned. “Please don’t remind me of my embarrassing NSYNC phase.”
“It was cute.” She took the medication with the glass of water on my nightstand. “You’ve grown up so much.”
“That tends to happen over time,” I said, sitting beside her.
“Smart aleck.” She nudged my shoulder. “I’m just saying I’m proud of you. Project manager at Knight Industries. That’s impressive.”
I smiled, warmth spreading through my chest. “Thanks, Mom.”
“And now dating the CEO. You’ve come a long way from Justin Timberlake posters.”
My smile faltered slightly. “Alexander is… complicated.”
“Men usually are.” She patted my knee. “But the good ones are worth figuring out.”
“Is that why you stayed with Dad so long?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Mom’s expression softened. “Your father and I had our problems, but we loved each other. Sometimes love isn’t
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enough to make things work.”
+25 BONUS
“That’s not very encouraging.”
“Relationships take work, Madison. They’re not always easy.” She stood up, kissing the top of my head. “But when you find someone worth fighting for, you don’t give up at the first sign of trouble.”
“Alexander and I aren’t-”
“I know, I know. It’s new. You’re figuring things out.” She headed toward the door. “Just don’t overthink everything. Sometimes, you need to follow your heart instead of your head.”
After she left, I fell back onto my bed, her words echoing in my mind. Follow my heart? My heart was the last thing I should be listening to when it came to Alexander Knight.
I pulled the covers up to my chin, trying to quiet my racing thoughts. In a few months, this would all be over. Alexander would move on to his next conquest, and I would… what? Go back to being just his assistant? Find a new job? Pretend none of this ever happened?
The thought made my chest ache in a way I refused to examine too closely.
“It’s just an arrangement,” I whispered to myself. “Just business.”
But as sleep finally began to claim me, Alexander’s words followed me into my dreams.
“And if I want more?”
What if I wanted more, too?
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.
