Chapter 222

Madison

Monday mornings always felt like the calm before the storm. I arrived early, settled at my desk, and dove into work before the usual office chaos began. The Manhattan Project was picking up speed, and my to-do list had grown exponentially over the weekend.

I reviewed the latest architectural renderings, taking notes on potential issues. My mind kept drifting to Katherine Sinclair. After discovering who she was, I’d spent the entire weekend debating whether to ask Alexander about her directly.

“Just focus on work,” I muttered to myself, tapping my pen against the desk.

Would bringing up Katherine make things awkward between us? Or worse, would it reveal feelings I wasn’t ready to confront? Our arrangement was complicated enough without adding emotional baggage.

A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts.

“Good morning, Miss Harper.” Herbert Hayes stood in the doorway, briefcase in hand, looking every bit the seasoned professional in