Chapter 361

Madison

The afternoon dragged on. I kept my head down, avoided the executive floor, and worked methodically through my tasks. By five o’clock, I had cleaned out my personal items from my desk and organized all my files.

I took one final look around my office, then walked to the elevator. As the doors closed, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. Whatever came next, I was ready.

At home, I found Mom in the kitchen, humming as she stirred something that smelled delicious.

“You’re home early,” she noted, glancing up from the pot.

“I had a light day.” I set my bag down. “That smells amazing.”

“Just beef stew. Nothing fancy.” She turned down the heat. “Are you alright? You look... different.”

I hesitated. “Mom, we need to talk.”

Her face immediately creased with concern. “What’s wrong? Is it Alexander?”

“Sort of.” I sat at the kitchen table. “I’ve been thinking about making some changes.”

“What kind of changes?”

“