Chapter 11: Grayson's First Love

Madison furrowed her brows. "Did they say who it is?"

Sophia shook her head. "What do we do now?"

Madison paused for a moment, "I'll go see Grayson."

Arriving at Grayson's office, Madison could hear his voice. He was on the phone, sounding uncharacteristically gentle. An inexplicable ache surged in her heart.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she knocked on the door.

"Come in." Grayson's voice beckoned from inside.

Madison opened the door and stepped in.

"Yeah, I'll be busy with something. We can talk later."

Grayson hung up and looked at Madison. "What's up?"

"Why the sudden change of heart about the new endorsement? We have already approved the proposal. Why switch candidates now?" Madison asked.

Grayson loosened his tie. "Madison, there's no need for questions. Just follow orders."

Madison's face turned a shade paler. She had spent the better part of the year perfecting the marketing plan, only to have it dismissed with a single comment from this man.

"So, Grayson, who do you plan to replace it with? I need to assess."

"Just a friend." Grayson's response was casual but firm. He didn't intend to give Madison any chance to reverse the decision.

Madison understood Grayson's stance. Once he had made up his mind, there was no room for further discussion.

After a moment of silence, she said, "Then, please have your friend contact me as soon as possible. I need to draft a new plan."

"Just stick with the original one. Why bother drafting a new one?"

"The original might not be the right fit."

"It doesn't matter if it fits or not. Do you feel better?" Grayson asked casually, glancing at the contract before him.

Madison paused. "A little."

"Good. Don't eat just anything."

"Will do." Madison looked at him. "Grayson, I still hope you reconsider our choice for the new product's spokesperson. If you want to give your friend an opportunity, we have other brands they could represent."

Grayson's hand paused as he flipped through the contract. "Are you questioning my judgment?"

Madison swallowed hard. "I wouldn't dare."

Grayson chuckled lightly. "Seems to me you do dare. There's no room for negotiation on the new spokesperson, so save yourself the trouble, Madison."

He swiftly changed the subject. "Come with me to a charity dinner tonight."

Madison exhaled. "Okay."

After work that evening, Grayson's call came in. "Go home and change. I'll wait for you downstairs."

"Okay." Madison went home and slipped into a dress. As soon as she was dressed, her phone rang again.

"Come down."

Downstairs, Grayson leaned against his car, eyeing Madison in her flowing gown with a slight frown.

"Why this one?"

Madison was wearing a strapless dress. It was black, with a hem decked in sparkles. Grayson had it custom-made for occasions like this, and she still remembered the look of awe that flickered in his eyes when she first tried it on.

When she was changing upstairs, she caught sight of this dress and impulsively decided to wear it.

Unexpectedly, Grayson didn't seem to like it now. How typical of a man's whims.

"Is it not appropriate? I can go change."

Grayson's eyes settled on her beautiful collarbones. "Put on a shawl."

Madison responded at once, "Okay."

After adorning herself with the shawl, Grayson's expression eased somewhat.

"Can I not drink later when we go over?" she inquired.

Grayson, steering with one hand, propped his chin with the other that rested on the car window edge. His profile was sharp and handsome. However, his words held an edge that wasn't quite comforting.

"Do you think it's proper to abstain from drinking at such an event?"

Madison's fingers curled slightly. "My stomach feels a bit off."

"Try some antacid, drink less, maybe just champagne. It's not that strong."

Madison remained silent. Any further objections might give her away.

In reality, Grayson seldom pressed her to drink. He was quite the gentleman in this regard. Yet, his insistence today was perplexing, as if still uncertain about her pregnancy, and he might be testing her.

Arriving at Auction Hall, Madison gathered her composure. She entered the bustling dinner scene, arm in arm with Grayson.

There, she spotted Nicholas not far off, raising his glass to her from a distance.

Grayson chuckled lightly. "It seems your allure is quite something."

Madison smiled. "Don't worry, Grayson, it's only the money that interests me."

Grayson raised an eyebrow. "So, you're saying anyone with money could take you to bed?"

Her smile remained easy. "Then outbid them, Grayson. With enough money, I'd never leave."

His face darkened in an instant. Madison didn't press further.

Several people came to entice Grayson for a drink. Madison obligingly touched her lips to her glass as if to sip, enough to be courteous without arousing suspicion that she wasn't actually drinking.

"May I take a break for a moment?"

Having circulated for a while, Madison felt a bit tired.

Grayson released her. "Get something to eat, settle your stomach."

"Sure."

She picked up a plate, selected two pastries, and found a quiet spot in the corner.

Nicholas appeared next to her at some point.

"Nicholas," she greeted him politely.

He offered a glass of wine to Madison.

Again, she did not accept it. This time, Nicholas didn't pursue the matter.

"Everything okay with Grayson?"

She replied, "It's fine."

The conversation lulled, each lost in their thoughts amidst the buzz of the evening event.

Nicholas chuckled. "I really thought you were going to break it off with Grayson this time."

Madison remained silent, harboring the same thoughts, but alas, fate is a tricky thing.

"Madison, did you know Grayson's first love is coming back?"

Madison froze.

'Grayson's first love? She's coming back?'

Her mind was buzzing.

Ironically, she didn't even know Grayson had a first love.

Grayson once told her that love was the most unreliable thing in the world. That was why he never talked about love, never expressed it. Madison had believed Grayson was just heartless.

It turned out he reserved his feelings for someone else that wasn't her.

A sudden, sharp pain seized her chest though her face showed nothing.

She smiled faintly at Nicholas. "It really doesn't matter to me whether Grayson's first love comes back or not."

Nicholas chuckled again, tilting his head back to down the drink in his glass.

"Madison, why make things hard for yourself? There's nothing good in sticking with a guy like Grayson. He is a cold-hearted man like him could never have feelings for you. Right now, his first love isn't back yet, but once she is, you'll just be kicked to the curb."

Madison's fingers tightened around the fork, turning slightly white. She looked at Nicholas, a slight smile on her face. "That's my own business."

Nicholas clicked his tongue. "Madison, I'm just giving you a friendly reminder. Why the hostility?

"Of course, I'm also just laying the groundwork. If Grayson ever lets you go, I'm interested. I'll make sure my offer won't be less than his. How about that?"

His words, meant as an olive branch, sounded more like an insult. In their eyes, Madison was just a plaything. Discarded by one, picked up by another.

Madison was well aware, yet her lips held an unyielding smile. "Sorry, Nicholas, I'm picky. And by the way, Grayson is heading over here."

Nicholas frowned, turning his head, and saw Grayson approaching with a drink in hand.