Chapter 342

Madison

The afternoon dragged on with back-to-back meetings about the project. By five o’clock, my eyes burned from staring at spreadsheets, and my coffee cup had been empty for hours.

“I need caffeine,” I muttered to myself, stretching in my chair.

I headed to the cafeteria, grateful for the chance to move my legs. The space was nearly empty this late in the day.

The coffee machine hummed as I pressed the button for a plain black coffee. While waiting, I scrolled through emails on my phone, deleting the unimportant ones.

Coffee in hand, I made my way back to the executive floor, taking the long route to clear my head. The project was progressing well, but Alexander’s birthday party still loomed in my mind. The blue dress hanging in my closet felt like a statement waiting to be made.

When I returned to my desk outside Alexander’s office, he was standing there reviewing some documents.

“Ms. Harper,” he said without looking up. “Just th