THE RETURN OF MADISON TAYLOR

I stood in the glass elevator, watching my reflection grow smaller as the city below me shrank. There I was—Madison Taylor, no longer the awkward girl with too-big sweaters and a heart too soft for her own good. No longer the girl who flinched at the sound of his name. Now, I was confident, collected, and ready to face whatever lay on the other side of those doors. Even him.

Ethan King.

I hadn’t seen him in almost a decade. The last time we were in the same room, I’d been holding back tears as he and his friends laughed at my expense. High school had been its own kind of battlefield, and Ethan had been the king, both literally and figuratively. He’d ruled the halls with his charm, his looks, and his cruel words, cutting me down without ever giving it a second thought.

But that was years ago. I wasn’t that girl anymore. And he? Well, he was the CEO of a billion-dollar company. King Enterprises. I clenched my jaw at the irony of the name. How fitting.

The elevator dinged, jolting me from my thoughts. The doors slid open, and I stepped out into a sleek, modern office floor—marble, chrome, glass everywhere. It was intimidating in its own way, but I held my head high, striding forward like I belonged here. Like I was meant to face him again.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked, looking up from her computer.

“I have an appointment with Ethan King,” I said, my voice steady, cool.

She nodded and picked up the phone. “Ms. Taylor is here.”

Ms. Taylor. I almost smiled at how different that sounded compared to what he used to call me. “Maddy the Mouse,” or some other demeaning nickname that made me feel like nothing. But today, I wasn’t that girl. Today, I was Madison Taylor, here for business.

"Mr. King will see you now," she said, standing to lead me down the long hallway toward his office.

Each step felt heavier than the last. My pulse quickened, my hand tightening around the folder I held like it was a lifeline. I could do this. I had to do this. After all, this meeting wasn’t just about the job. It was about confronting my past—and maybe rewriting it.

The receptionist knocked once, then opened the large wooden door.

A petite blonde lady scurried out, hair disheveled and her heels in her hands.

She shot me a warning glare before getting into the elevator.

I stepped inside and admired the exquisite ambiance.

And there he was.

Ethan King.

The man who had once made my life unbearable.

He stood by the window, tall, broad-shouldered, and every bit as infuriatingly handsome as he had been in high school. His suit was tailored to perfection, of course, and when he turned around, his eyes—the same green eyes that had once narrowed in disdain every time they landed on me—locked onto mine.

For a brief moment, I felt the weight of all those old insecurities, the memories of his laughter at my expense crashing down on me. But I didn’t falter. I couldn’t.

“Madison Taylor,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with something I couldn’t place. He seemed… surprised. Good. Let him be.

"Ethan King," I replied, my tone as professional as I could manage, even though my heart was pounding. I could tell from the way his gaze lingered that he was taking in the difference. I wasn’t the shy, vulnerable girl he remembered. And I wasn’t here for small talk.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk.

I didn’t move right away. I wanted him to feel the weight of this moment—how much power I now held. I took my time, walking to the chair and sitting down, placing my folder on the desk between us.

"You look different Maddy the-" he said before I interrupted him.

"Don't even dare" I spat, shooting him a warning glare.

He looked taken aback but he quickly regained his composure.

"I looked through your resume and you're quite accomplished" he said as he swiped through his tablet.

"Thank you" I mouthed.

"Unfortunately, I don't think you're qualified to work in King's Enterprise" he said dismissively.

I needed this job. I had worked hard to make sure I met every single requirement.

How could he just sit there and judge my qualification by glancing at a piece of paper?

"No" I said firmly.

He looked up at me with confusion in his eyes.

"Excuse me?" He asked with a raised brow..

"No, I am over qualified for the job and your company needs me" I said confidently..

"You have no reason to deny me employment" I declared.

"I'm sorry Miss Taylor, I can't hire you" he said indifference obvious in his voice.

"No" I replied.

"I don't want to be tempted to call security to kick you out" I said, his eyes locked on mine.

"Call them then" I said calmly.

"Madison" he said, trying to warn me.

"I'm sure everyone would love to know the kind of man you actually are" I rolled my eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his tone rising in anger.

"You're a sick bully and I'm sure everyone would love to know that side of you" I retorted.

"Madison" he warned.

I shrugged and gave him a small smile,"Balls in your court"...

I grabbed my purse and snatched my resume from his hands.

As I headed towards the door, I turned back and caught a small look of confusion and shock on his face.

It was satisfying. He was a vile human being and he deserved to be mistreated.

"Did you forget something?" He asked as soon as his eyes caught mine.

"No" I chuckled, "See you Monday morning Mr King"....