Chapter 148
Chapter 152
Madison
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I took a deep breath and pulled up the meeting agenda, determined to be over–prepared. If they were going to judge me, I’d at least give them something substantial to judge.
The distinctive ding of the elevator caught my attention, and I glanced up to see Alexander stepping out. He walked with that confident stride that seemed to part the air around him, heading toward his office. My heart did that stupid little jump it always did when I saw him unexpectedly.
He slowed as he approached my desk, his eyes catching something on the floor. Before I could react, he bent down and picked up a folded piece of paper that had fallen beside my trash can.
“Playing schoolyard games with notes, Ms. Harper?” he asked with an amused smile, already unfolding it.
“Wait, Mr. Knight, don’t-” I started, but it was too late.
His expression hardened as he read the note. I couldn’t see what it said, but from the way his jaw
clenched, I knew it was worse than the ones I’d already seen.
“Where did you find this?” His voice was deceptively calm, the kind of calm that preceded storms.
I swallowed hard, watching his eyes darken as they scanned the note. “On my desk. They were scattered all over my keyboard when I arrived this morning p>
He handed it to me, his expression unreadable. I took it reluctantly, my stomach dropping as I read
the new message:
“Heard Alexander Knight likes his assistants to practice oral presentations under his desk. Is that how you earned your ‘promotion‘? Maybe share your special skills with the rest of us sometime p>
Heat rushed to my face. This one was worse than the others, more explicit, more demeaning. I crumpled it in my fist.
“There were several,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I threw them all in the trash p>
Alexander’s gaze flicked to my garbage bin. “Bring them to my office. All of them p>
He turned and walked toward his office without waiting for my response. I stared after him, wondering what he planned to do with a bunch of juvenile hate notes.
With a sigh, I knelt beside my trash can and began fishing out the crumpled papers, grimacing as my fingers brushed against the remnants of yesterday’s half–finished snack. What a glamorous start to my morning: dumpster diving at my desk.
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I extracted the last note and stood, brushing off my skirt.
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I straightened my shoulders and walked to his office with as much dignity as possible while carrying a handful of garbage.
I closed the door behind me and approached his desk.
“Here they are,” I said, dropping the crumpled papers onto his desk. “The complete collection of Madison Harper is a Corporate Whore,‘ spring edition p>
Alexander raised an eyebrow at my attempt at humor but didn’t smile. He unfolded each note methodically, his expression growing stonier with each one.
“This is unacceptable,” he said finally. “I’m aware there’s been talk since your promotion, but this crosses every professional boundary p>
“It’s just office politics,” I said, trying to sound unconcerned. “People get bored and jealous p>
“This isn’t boredom, Madison. This is targeted harassment.” He gestured to the notes. “These go beyond petty gossip p>
I shrugged, uncomfortable with his intensity. “What can you do? It’s not like we can prove who wrote them p>
“Actually, we can.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’m going to review the security footage from this morning. The cameras should show exactly who was at your desk before you arrived.” a
I hadn’t considered that. “Is that really necessary? It seems like a lot of trouble for some stupid notes.
“It’s not just about the notes.” His voice hardened. “It’s about creating a workplace where my employees aren’t subjected to this kind of treatment.” 1
I shifted my weight, oddly touched by his concern. “It’s really not that big a deal. Probably just someone’s idea of a prank p>
Alexander’s eyes flashed as he looked up from the notes. “This isn’t a harmless prank, Madison. This is discriminatory behavior targeting a valued employee.” He stood up, straightening his already perfect tie. “As CEO, I am responsible for maintaining a respectful workplace environment for everyone who works here p>
I stood there watching Alexander’s face harden with anger as he examined each note. His protective stance caught me off guard. Most bosses would brush this off as office drama, but he seemed genuinely offended on my behalf.
“I appreciate the concern, Mr. Knight, but-“D
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“No buts.” He cut me off with a wave of his hand. “This isn’t just about you, Madison. It’s about setting a precedent. If I allow this behavior toward my personal assistant, what message does that send to the rest of the company p>
He walked around his desk, leaning against the front edge, closing some of the distance between us. His cologne filled my senses.
“Besides,” he continued, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone, “I have additional reasons to ensure you’re treated with respect. Not only are you my highly capable PA, but also the woman who’s agreed to be my girlfriend. Even if that particular detail remains between us p>
My cheeks instantly heated at the word “girlfriend.” Even in the privacy of his office, hearing him say it out loud made our arrangement feel more real somehow.
“I appreciate your concern,” I said, trying to sound professional despite my flushed face. “If you think it’s worth investigating, then by all means p>
Alexander nodded, his expression still hard as he glanced at the offensive notes spread across his desk. “I’ll look into it immediately. This kind of behavior has no place at Knight Industries p>
He picked up his phone and dialed a number. “I need the security footage from this morning, focused on the executive floor between…” he glanced at me.
“I arrived at 8:30,” I supplied.
“Between 7:00 and 8:30 AM,” he continued. “Send it to my computer as soon as possible. It’s a priority.” He hung up without waiting for a response.
I shifted awkwardly, not sure if I should leave or stay. Part of me wanted to dismiss the whole thing
– people had been whispering about me since my promotion, and I’d learned to tune it out. But another part was touched by Alexander’s protectiveness, even if it was partly motivated by our
arrangement p>
“You don’t have to do this,” I said. “I’m a big girl. I can handle a few nasty notes p>
Alexander’s eyes flicked up to mine. “I’m well aware of what you can handle. But that’s not the point. No one undermines my decisions or harasses my employees p>
I raised an eyebrow. “So this is about your authority being questioned p>
“This is about respect,” he corrected, his voice firm. “For you and for the company culture I’ve built p>
Before I could respond, his computer chimed. “That was fast,” he muttered, clicking open the files that had just arrived.
I moved around to his side of the desk, carefully maintaining a professional distance as we both leaned in to view the screen. The security footage showed the executive floor in the early morning
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hours, still mostly empty. Alexander fast–forwarded until movement caught our eye.
“There,” he said, slowing the playback.
Three figures appeared on screen, moving with the exaggerated caution of people who knew they were up to no good. Two women and a man approached my desk, glancing around furtively.
“Can you zoom in?” I asked.
Alexander enlarged the image, and I leaned closer, squinting at the grainy footage. The trio placed folded papers on my keyboard, snickering as they arranged them. One of the women, a blonde with a high ponytail, made an obscene gesture that involved her mouth and her hand. The other two doubled over in silent laughter. 1
“Do you recognize them?” Alexander asked, his voice tight with controlled anger.
I studied their faces, trying to match them with the hundreds of employees at Knight Industries. ” The guy looks familiar. I think he works in digital marketing on the second floor. Lincoln or Lucien or something?” I frowned, trying to place the woman. “I’m not sure about the others. Maybe I’ve seen them in the cafeteria p>
Lucia Morh
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.