Madeline Harper was accustomed to absolute control. As the founder of a powerful real estate conglomerate, she had become a multimillionaire before turning forty.
Her life was wrapped in glass walls, steel lines, and marble floors. Her corporate offices occupied the upper levels of a beachfront tower, and her penthouse regularly appeared in business magazines. In her world, efficiency mattered, excuses didn’t, and weakness was a liability.
That morning, however, her patience snapped.
Jonathan Reyes, the man responsible for cleaning her office for the past three years, had missed work again. Three absences in one month. Always the same explanation.
“Family emergencies, ma’am.”
“Family?” Madeline muttered sharply while adjusting her tailored jacket in the mirror. “In three years, he’s never mentioned anyone.”
Her assistant, Claire, tried to intervene, pointing out that Jonathan had always been reliable and discreet. But Madeline had already made up her mind. To her, it sounded like irresponsibility wrapped in sentiment.
“Give me his address,” she said flatly. “I want to see this ‘emergency’ myself.”