Chapter 348

Madison

We circulated through the room, stopping occasionally to chat with colleagues I knew. Everyone seemed surprised by my appearance, their double-takes both flattering and slightly embarrassing.

“Have you seen the birthday boy?” asked Tim from Accounting, his eyes lingering a bit too long on my neckline.

“Not yet,” I replied, subtly adjusting my posture to block his view. “Is he here?”

“Haven’t seen him,” Tim shrugged. “Rumor has it he’s making a grand entrance later.”

After extracting ourselves from Tim’s increasingly obvious ogling, Hazel and I found a relatively quiet spot near a massive ice sculpture of the Knight Industries logo.

“No sign of Alexander,” Hazel observed, finishing her champagne. “Think he’s avoiding his own party?”

“Maybe he’s getting ready,” I suggested, checking the time on my phone. It was nearly nine. “Or dealing with some last-minute crisis.”

“Or making out with Katherine in a supply closet,” Hazel