Chapter 320

Madison

As I pushed through the cafeteria doors, I heard frantic whispers behind me.

“Do you think she heard us?”

“Of course she fucking heard us, you idiot!”

“Oh my god, we’re so fired.”

I didn’t look back. Let them stew in their panic.

The elevator arrived almost immediately, and I stepped inside, grateful for the momentary solitude. As soon as the doors closed, I leaned against the wall and exhaled shakily.

Their words shouldn’t matter. They were just office gossipers with nothing better to do. But each barb had found its mark with devastating accuracy.

Was I just convenient? A placeholder until Katherine returned? The thought made my stomach twist painfully.

The elevator stopped on the executive floor. I straightened my spine and schooled my features into professional neutrality before stepping out. Alexander’s office remained dark and empty.

My phone buzzed with a message from the project team. The morning meeti