Chapter 313
Chapter 319
Madison
+25 BONUS
When I arrived at the office at 8:25, I expected to find Alexander already hunched over his desk as usual. However, his office door remained firmly shut, and the lights were off. There was no sign of him.
Strange. Alexander was religiously early, often beating even the cleaning staff to the office.
I settled at my desk, arranging the day’s files and checking his calendar. Nothing scheduled before 10 AM.
By 8:45, he still hadn’t arrived. My eyes kept darting to his closed door, then to my phone. No messages, no calls, no explanation for his tardiness.
My mind wandered to dangerous territory. Was he with Katherine?
I drummed my fingers on my desk. Maybe they’d spent the night together. Maybe they were having breakfast right now, reminiscing about old times. Maybe he was between her legs this very moment, making her cry out his name the way he made me-
“Stop it,” I muttered, shaking my head to clear the images.
But I couldn’t stop. After years apart, they probably had a lot of catching up to do. A lot of lost time to make up for. Katherine was gorgeous, successful, his equal in every way. Not some assistant he’d made an arrangement with out of convenience.
My stomach twisted. I needed coffee.
I headed to the cafeteria, grateful for the change of scenery. The aroma of fresh coffee and pastries greeted me as I pushed through the glass doors. A few early birds occupied tables, nursing their morning caffeine and scrolling through phones.
I grabbed a large coffee and found an empty table in the corner. As I sat down, I noticed a group of women at a nearby table, huddled together and speaking in hushed tones. I recognized a few of them from Accounting and one from Legal. They hadn’t noticed me, partially hidden by a large potted plant between our tables.
“Did you see those photos of Alexander Knight?” one woman whispered. “The ones with that gorgeous blonde p>
My hand froze midway to my mouth. I set my coffee down slowly, ears straining to catch their conversation.
“Katherine something, right?” another woman asked. “Who is she anyway p>
“Katherine Sinclair,” a third woman said with excitement. “She’s this super successful fashion designer. Sinclair Luxe? That’s her company p>
“Wait, why do we care about some random fashion designer p>
“Because she’s not random,” the first woman hissed. “She’s Alexander Knight’s ex–girlfriend! They were together for years before they broke up. Word is she dumped him and moved to London p>
I took a small sip of my coffee, keeping my eyes fixed on my phone screen while my ears burned with each word.
1/3
Chapter 319
“No way! Knight got dumped? I can’t imagine anyone walking away from that p>
“Well, she did. But now she’s back, and those photos… damn, they looked cozy p>
+25 BONUS
A fourth woman joined in. “Do you think they’re getting back together? The article said they’ve been seen together three times this week p>
“Could be just business,” someone suggested. “Or maybe the tabloids are making shit up for clicks. You know how they are p>
“Please,” scoffed another voice. “Did you see how his hand was on her back? That wasn’t business. And she was practically glowing. There’s definitely something there p>
I gripped my coffee cup tighter, keeping my eyes fixed on my phone screen while straining to hear more.
“So what’s the deal with them anyway?” a new voice chimed in. “Were they like, engaged or something p>
“Not officially,” the woman from Accounting replied. “But they were together for years. Like, power couple status. She was always at his side during events p>
“Unlike his current arm candy,” someone muttered, followed by snickers.
My stomach dropped. They couldn’t be talking about…
“You mean the assistant?” another voice asked.
“Yeah, that one. What’s her name again? Something boring p>
“Who cares? She’s just his flavor of the month p>
I took another sip of coffee, willing my face to remain neutral despite the heat creeping up my neck.
“Oh come on,” a new voice interjected. “You really think he’s actually fucking his assistant? Please. Alexander Knight has standards p>
More laughter, louder this time.
“Men like him don’t shit where they eat,” someone added. “She’s probably just there to fetch his coffee and take notes p>
“And bend over his desk,” another voice snickered.
“God, can you imagine? Poor thing probably thinks she’s special p>
I set my coffee down carefully, afraid my shaking hands might spill it.
“I heard she got promoted to project manager,” one woman said. “For the Manhattan development p>
“Yeah, right,” scoffed another. “On her back, more likely p>
“Oh my god, Tara p>
“What? We’re all thinking it. No way she got that position based on merit. Have you seen her resume p>
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Chapter 319
I closed my eyes briefly, willing myself to stay calm.
“Maybe she gives really good head,” someone suggested, triggering another round of laughter.
“Still, I feel kind of bad for her,” a softer voice added. “She’s probably clueless about Katherine p>
“ Why would he tell the help about his personal life p>
“Exactly. She’s just convenient. A warm body while he was waiting for the real thing to come back p>
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“Like keeping the seat warm,” someone added. “Now that Katherine’s back, the assistant will be back to just getting his coffee p>
“ If she even keeps her job. You know how these things go. Once he’s done with her, she’ll probably get transferred to some satellite office in Nebraska p>
“Better than being fired outright. Remember his assistant p>
“Oh god, what was her name? The redhead p>
“She lasted what, three months p>
“Two. Word is she got too clingy p>
“The same thing will happen with this one. Mark my words p>
I’d heard enough. I stood up abruptly, gathering my things. The sudden movement caught their attention, and five pairs of eyes swiveled toward me.
Recognition dawned on their faces, followed by horror as they realized I’d been sitting there the entire time.
“Oh shit,” one of them whispered.
I met their gazes steadily, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably long. Without a word, I walked past their table, head held high, and deposited my half–finished coffee in the trash.
Sara Lili
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.