Chapter 39

Madison

The elevator dinged open to our floor, and Alexander strode out first, leaving me to trail behind him like the good assistant I was supposed to be. My legs still felt wobbly, and sitting at my desk proved interesting.

The day crawled by in a blur of emails and phone calls.

When I walked in, the office cafeteria buzzed with the usual crowd. The coffee machine hummed as I filled my cup with just a splash of cream. I found an empty table near the window, away from the main crowd.

Thanks to this morning’s activities, my muscles ached in places I didn’t know could ache. I shifted in my seat, wincing slightly, and sipped my coffee.

“Did you see what she’s wearing?” A voice carried from two tables over.

I kept my eyes fixed on my phone, pretending to check emails, but my ears perked up.

“That dress? Yeah, I noticed.” Another voice chimed in. “Looks expensive.”

“It’s totally fake. Have you seen her wardrobe? All knockoffs.”