Maddy's POV
"You really have to ask?" he practically purred at me, his gaze softened, a stark contrast to the sharp lines of his jaw. "It was about you, Maddy."
My breath hitched. The words, simple and direct, landed with the force of a physical blow. I'd been bracing myself for explanations, for justifications, for a carefully constructed narrative designed to manage the fallout. But this? This was uncharted territory.
"Me?" I managed, the word barely a rustle of sound.
"Yes, you." He reached across the small table, his fingers brushing mine. A jolt, electric and unwelcome, shot up my arm. I didn't pull away. "From the moment you walked into my office, there was something... different about you. You weren't impressed by the trappings, you didn't fawn. You just wanted the job
