Chapter 21: Righteous Indignation

Madison stepped out of the restroom to see an intern from the Marketing Department rushing toward her.

"Madison, it's bad. Sophia got into a fight," the intern said, breathless.

Madison's brow furrowed instantly. "What happened?"

The intern hesitated. "Seems she overheard someone speaking ill of you. Sophia couldn't stand it any longer and went over to confront them. Well, the situation escalated into a fight."

"Where is she now?"

"She's been called to Grayson's office."

Taking a deep breath, Madison turned and walked swiftly upstairs.

At the CEO's office doorway, an executive looked to be waiting for Madison.

"Madison."

Madison nodded. "How's it looking in there?"

The Executive looked at her. "There might be talk of termination."

A pang of anxiety struck Madison's heart. She had been with the company for three years, and Sophia had been her right hand for just as long. She knew Sophia's family situation—her mother was unwell, and she had younger siblings to look after. If Sophia lost her job over defending her, the guilt would be unbearable.

Madison bit her lip. "What's Grayson's mood like today?"

The Executive shook his head. "Not good."

Taking another deep breath, Madison said, "I'll go in and see."

"All right."

Madison knocked, but there was no response from inside for a long while. Grayson wasn't in the mood to deal with visitors. After several more attempts, a passive voice finally said, "Come in."

Upon seeing Madison enter, Sophia's eyes, which had been red from crying, began to fill with tears again.

"Boss..."

Madison went over to comfort her, then turned to Grayson. "Grayson, this incident started because of me—it has nothing to do with anyone else."

Grayson was seated behind his desk. He looked up slightly, his expression somber. "Did you tell her to fight?"

"I didn't start the fight, but I was the reason behind it, Grayson. I'll handle the consequences."

Grayson glanced at Sophia and another colleague. "Since Madison is taking responsibility, you two can leave."

Sophia was stunned for a moment, then looked at Madison with worry.

Madison offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."

After the two left the office, Grayson cracked a smile. "So, how do you intend to take responsibility?"

"Grayson, you can decide the punishment. But before that, I need to set a few things straight. I don't know if you've heard the rumors swirling around the office. Sophia was merely defending me."

Grayson lounged back, a mysterious smile on his flawless face. "What rumors?"

Madison paused. "Rumors that Ms. Nora is giving me a hard time because I supposedly slept with you."

"Did you?"

Madison's lips twitched. "Yes."

"Then what's there to argue about?"

Madison met his gaze firmly. "While it's true, it has nothing to do with Ms. Nora. I wasn't a homewrecker, nor did I cheat or engage in anything shameful. My involvement with you was consensual. Ms. Nora has no right to judge me."

Grayson's eyes narrowed slightly. "You seem pretty proud for someone who climbed into bed."

Madison forced a smile. "At least my conscience is clear."

Grayson huffed. "Come here."

Madison remained still. Grayson's expression darkened. "Do you want Sophia to stay out of trouble or not?"

Eventually, Madison walked over. Grayson pulled her onto his lap and kissed her without another word.

After leaving the CEO's office, Sophia burst into tears and rushed over. "Boss, what happened?"

Madison smiled. "It's all good now. Get back to work."

Sophia began to sob. "Boss, you're really the best. I'd walk through fire for you."

Madison laughed helplessly. "No need for that. Just be less impulsive in the future."

Sophia pouted. "But they were really saying some awful things."

Madison chuckled. "It doesn't matter. They can't touch a hair on my head."

Sophia stood up for Madison, her voice tinged with frustration. "That doesn't mean they can get away with saying stuff like that! And that Nora, she's no angel—a classic case of a wolf in sheep's clothing. Just looking at her irks me. I swear, Grayson must be blind."

Madison warned her with a half-smile. "You better watch your mouth. I can't save you if Grayson hears you talking like this."

Sophia's lips snapped shut, but after a brief moment, she gasped, "Boss, did something happen to your lips? They're all cracked."

Madison touched her lips, remembering Grayson's bite from earlier. She masked her discomfort and casually remarked, "Yeah, just a little chapped."

...

As clock-out time approached, Madison received a call from Amelia. They decided to meet at a local dessert café.

When Madison arrived, Amelia was already cozied up with a cup of coffee. Seeing Madison, Amelia handed her a glass of lemonade without a preamble. Madison felt a bit glum.

Amelia caught her look and said, "Don't be ungrateful. It's generous of me to offer you lemonade; someone like you should be sticking to plain water."

Madison forced a smile. "Did you bring the medicine?"

Amelia nodded and pulled it out for her. "It's good for nausea. Is it bad?"

Madison slipped the medicine into her bag. "It's not too terrible; I just get queasy when I catch a funny smell."

"Try to avoid taking it too much."

"I'm worried it'll raise Grayson's suspicions."

Ever since the night she threw up, Grayson had been examining her medicine more closely. Madison knew him well enough to suspect that it had reignited his doubts. But, reassured by the recent pregnancy report, he hadn't dwelled on it too much.

However, she knew she couldn't keep using an upset stomach as an excuse forever. That was why she had asked Amelia to get her some anti-nausea pills.

When the conversation turned to Grayson, Amelia's mood soured. "Was Nora really Grayson's first love?"

Madison nodded. "Seems like it."

Grayson had never explicitly admitted that Nora was his first love. He kept his personal life private and never let Madison pry. How they had met and why they parted ways remained a mystery to her. But, thinking about it, Madison could guess it herself.

Although the McMahons were considered modest in Horizon City, Nora's beauty was well-known. Since childhood, she had been the center of attention among the young elites, always surrounded by wealthy heirs. She couldn't imagine it being too difficult to get to know someone like Grayson.

"Ugh, talk about a classic jerk and a naive girl. Gross!" Amelia suddenly burst into laughter. "Just imagine if Nora found out you're carrying Grayson's baby. You think it'd kill her?"

"I have no idea if it would kill her, but if she ever found out, it would certainly be the end of me."

"Come on, just thinking about it feels good, doesn't it?"

Madison pondered for a moment. "You know what, it actually does feel pretty damn good."

They exchanged a glance, and both laughed heartily.

After chatting for a while, Madison's phone rang. It was Grayson calling. She looked at the screen and answered.

"Come home for dinner tonight," Grayson's voice said as soon as the call connected.

Madison hesitated. "I don't really feel like cooking tonight. Is it okay if we order in?"

Grayson dismissed her suggestion. "Madison, I spend so much money on you every month, and you can't even cook me a meal? Do you not need my money anymore?1"