Maddison's POV

His remark was meant to be a nice thing, but it was awful to hear. She felt like all the air got knocked out of her lungs, and she just couldn't help but think that her fake smile was just going to shatter.

"He, uh..." Her mind just completely blanked. All the good excuses she had practiced, such as an office emergency or a family situation, just disappeared.

Jenna who had been silent, stepped in to help, and she was so good with people. "He was called into an emergency meeting at the last minute, Professor. He's so sad about missing this but you know how it is with those oil companies; they just don't care about graduation days."

"Oh, what a shame! A real shame on a day like today," Professor Davies called out but then he was already distracted by another lecturer waving at him. "Well you tell him I said hello, Maddison and once again, congratulations. You really have earned all of this."

As he turned and walked away, Maddison leaned back against the cool stone of the window frame and her whole body was shaking from trying to hold herself together.

"Thanks," she whispered to Jenna, and her throat felt tight. "I couldn't think of what to say."

Before Jenna could answer, a low, clear voice cut through the noise nearby. "Ms. Carter."

Maddison turned around and saw a man standing a little step behind who seemed very composed and dignified, and though he looked hot, he seemed to be in his forties and was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit. He had a quiet aura of power surrounding him, and as other party guests laughed and chatted, he was calm, his dark grey eyes settled on her with a stare that made her uncomfortable.

"Your speech was..." he started, taking a step forward.

"The structural integrity of a promise. A novel approach."

Maddison was surprised. "Thank you, I..."

Just then, a quiet buzz came from his inside pocket and he didn't move, but his eyes looked down for just a second. He held up one hand, which was both an apology and a clear sign for her to wait. He pulled out a simple phone, looked at the screen, and his jaw tightened just a little.

"Excuse me for one moment," he said, and his voice became a quiet, commanding whisper. He turned away from them and brought the phone to his ear. "Stevens... Yes... Tell Zurich the wire transfer is not up for debate. If they refuse, we acquire them by morning and I don't care what it costs."

He walked a few steps away with his back to them, already lost in his important business after which Maddison and Jenna gave each other a wide eyed look.

"Whoa," Jenna mouthed without making a sound. "Who was that?"

"No idea," Maddison whispered back, feeling a strange chill even though the room was warm. She was curious but also a bit scared because the man was so different from all the other men in the room, and when he looked at her, she got the impression it was less of a compliment and more like he was judging her. But soon, her worry for Tyler took over, and she turned to look back out of the window. The man and his commanding phone call were already fading from her mind as the familiar ache returned to her chest.

"I have your back and I always will." Jenna looked very loyal and worried. She moved a little closer, and her voice was barely a whisper. "Did you call him?"

Maddison shook her head while she stared into her champagne. "No. I texted him as soon as the ceremony finished and I texted him twice earlier, but he didn't answer." She swirled the glass and watched the bubbles race to the top. "His phone could be dead or he could be somewhere with no signal."

She listed off all the possible good reasons, as if she were trying to convince herself there was still hope but each reason sounded less and less likely.

"Or," Jenna said, and she wasn't joking at all, "he could have taken five seconds to text you back, Maddy. A simple, 'So sorry, can't make it.' That's all it would've taken." The simple truth of it really hurt Maddison's feelings, and this wasn't about some big problem he couldn't get out of, it was about five seconds. Tyler didn't think she deserved five seconds of his time on one of the biggest days of her life.

The small bit of worry she felt during the ceremony started to grow much bigger, and it now felt as though that worry was breaking apart the trust she and Tyler had built for the past years.

"I don't want to think about it," Maddison said, and the words sounded meaner than she wanted them to. She tried to push the thought away but the decision felt empty, as if she were ignoring the big problem that was already happening. "I'm not going to let him ruin this, because I worked too hard."

She squared her shoulders and drank the rest of her champagne in one gulp, then she set the empty glass on a passing tray before she put her brightest smile on her face, but just when she turned to join the party again to act like a happy graduate who wasn't bothered by anything, Jenna's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Hold up," Jenna said, and her eyes were serious. She pulled Maddison back, out of the way of people walking by. "Look I love you and today's your day, and I'll punch the next person who asks where Tyler is, but we need to be real for a second. This isn't the first time he's let you down on an important day."

Maddison pulled back a little. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" Jenna's voice was gentle but also very firm. "Do you remember my 21st birthday party? The one he promised he would be at, the one we spent months planning? He said he fell asleep. Do you remember the awards dinner when you won that big scholarship? He said he had a meeting late in the night. Maddy, I have been hearing you make excuses for him for many months."

"They were different," Maddison whispered, but the words sounded weak even to her. She remembered those times clearly, and they were like small problems she had tried to ignore and perhaps, she should not have.

"Is it different?" Jenna asked, her eyes still fixed on Maddison's. "Or is it just a larger occasion? I'm not trying to argue with you or spoil your day, I swear. I just... I want you to be safe. Please."

Her words were serious and felt important. It was more than a warning and it showed how strong their friendship was, and it was also her way of trying to help Maddison before something bad happened.

***

Now, the stuffy air in the party room suddenly felt hard to breathe and Jenna's words along with the quick, strange meeting with the mysterious businessman had bothered her more than she wanted to admit. She was trying hard to stay calm, but it wasn't working anymore.

"I need some air," she whispered to Jenna, and then she slipped out through a pair of heavy, arched oak doors, and just like that, the loud noise of the party became a soft, distant hum. She walked out onto the perfectly kept lawn, and the late afternoon sun felt warm on her face, and in that moment, she felt like she needed a moment to be honest with herself. Her thumb stopped over the power button on her phone, as a mix of fear and silly hope grew in her stomach. She just needed a sign...any sign that would make her world feel right again.

"Ms. Carter? I hope we can finish our conversation."

Maddison's POV

The voice was the same one from inside. It was deep and rich, with a calm power that broke right through her thoughts and even though she composed herself, a shock of worry went through her, she turned and saw the man in the dark suit coming from the doorway, as he stepped out of the shadows and into the sunlight.

He moved quietly and surely, his broad shoulders filling out the pricey suit well and his face, now that she saw it quite well in the light, serious and interesting. He possessed a rugged jaw, and dark gray eyes that seemed to scrutinize her, and this was both smart and somewhat daunting. He was the party guy, the one who talked about business transactions of a large magnitude while other people ordered coffee.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you," he said, and his eyes didn't leave hers. It was like he wasn't staring at her, but studying her, as if he was trying to see how much she could handle. "Some things, regretfully, must be done in haste. I was in the building, and I couldn't help but overhear your speech, and I must say that was good...very good. The honesty is the best policy thing was very astute."

Maddison clenched her fingers around her phone tighter until her knuckles hurt. "Thank you." She tried to figure out who he was, and for her, he didn't seem like a professor or one of the wealthy donors that she knew, and certainly not one of her friends' parents; he was clearly a wealthy businessman who was clearly in the wrong place at a college party.

"You have a unique mind, Ms. Carter," he continued, and then he took another extremely slow and careful step closer. He moved with a silent confidence. "Your brain works in a very logical, very orderly way, something that is very rare, and you can picture where things are going to go wrong before they ever happen. I saw that in your big school project, and I saw it today in your presentation." Then he continued, "It's like everybody else can see a bridge but you're seeing the little tiny details that make the bridge exist."

A shiver and an unpleasant feeling crept down her spine because even when he was praising her, it didn't feel the same, as if he could penetrate through her. "You've read my paper?"

A faint smile skimmed the edge of his mouth. "Your research about how tiny cracks form in long-lasting materials was great. You described how things start to weaken and break down where everyone thinks they are strongest; that's a good concept for buildings, and for life too."

She was shocked to discover him talking about her work. It was not just a polite compliment, he had taken the trouble to find out things about her which was extremely flattering, but which was also rather unsettling at the same time.

"I take it upon myself to find new talent," he told her, answering the unspoken question. "My name is Grant Harrison."

The name rang a bell; Grant Harrison, of Harrison Enterprises. The man was a big time player in the construction world. His company had built so many buildings that it had changed the face of entire cities and his face was featured in all the big time magazines, along with stories of billion dollar deals. What in the world was he doing here, talking about her school paper?

"I... It's good to see you, Mr. Harrison," she continued, but the words tasted awkward on her tongue.

"The pleasure is all mine." His sharp eyes flashed directly into hers. For an instant, she glimpsed something in them, not just a look of judgment but a flash of something like hunger like he was starving for something from her, and it vanished before she could even analyze it. "I wasn't here by accident Maddison, I came here today just for you." He dipped into his suit jacket and retrieved a business card and it was thick heavy paper, white with simple black print, and handed it over to her. "I think you are capable of something more than the ordinary job that you are probably thinking of. I can provide you with a different kind of life and the opportunity to do things on a much greater scale."

The offer was bold and cryptic, and it lingered between them. *A completely different life.* They rang in her head continually, and for one thrilling second, she let herself believe it, she saw a world of glass-walled offices, of projects so enormous that they would reshape a city, and of hurdles that were as enormous as her dreams. It was a world so different from the stable, everyday career she had taken for granted.

Abruptly, her memory of the empty red seat at her graduation hall came rushing back to mind, and the stabs of sorrow were real. Tyler. Her future, devotion and heart were his but this man, this formidable stranger was bricking her up.

She set her chin, and her doubt gave way to a feeling of audacious courage.

"Appreciate the offer, Mr. Harrison, but I won't take it," she asserted. Her tone was unbreakable, each syllable another brick in a wall she was building around herself. She refused to take a step forward to receive the card he was offering her. "I already have a life and am very content with it. My boyfriend and I have our future planned."

The words were a shield and it was a promise of loyalty she made for him as much as for herself. She was Maddison Carter, Tyler Cook's girlfriend, and that was her whole world.

Grant Harrison's face did not alter in the slightest but it seemed as though his eyes could see through the wall she had tried to build. He did not look angry or even shocked. He just held out the card for another long moment, and his calm was intimidating, yet when it was clear she was not going to take it, he slowly pulled back his hand.

"Loyalty is a wonderful thing, Ms. Carter," he said to her. His voice was deep but it was extremely final-sounding. "Just see that you're giving it to someone who'll value it."

And then he nodded to her briefly, and then he turned and headed back towards the party, where he shortly disappeared into the crowds of people and music.

Maddison remained still but his words reverberated inside her, like the last blow that had struck, and then rage surged through her body. How did he dare? How could he assume to understand anything of her existence, of Tyler, or of their love?

She spun around with a rapid, wrathful movement and took a few steps back, her heels anchored in the grass as fury moved her forward. Her path took her past a high, decorative trash can near the edge of the lawn, and at that point, on the spotless green grass next to it, she saw Grant Harrison's business card which was white standing out against the grass. He hadn't put it back in his pocket and it seemed as if he had just dropped it.

Seething and still very proud, she stopped. She bent stiffly and picked up the heavy, nice-looking card. She didn't read the words, but felt its weight, and noticed the shining, fancy edges. After this Maddison held it between her thumb and finger like a piece of trash, and then quickly flipped it into the bin with a flick of her wrist.

A hollow, strange sense of gratification overcame her because she had come to a decision, and she had stood firm on her beliefs and her allegiance.

She made an adjustment, smoothed out her dress, and then looked back toward the party one last time but through the tall glass of the oak doors, she could see him. Grant Harrison stood just inside, staring straight at her and hadn't moved. And again, he did not appear mad and he did not even seem to be disappointed, but his face instead had an expression that she could not comprehend at first. It was a look of deep, almost sorrowful understanding, as if he felt sorry for her, and in that moment, a small voice at the back of her mind warned her she might have just thrown away something so much more important than a piece of paper.

She raised her shoulders, her rail-thin graduation gown the only thing standing between her and harm, so she was thinking that she needed to speak with him and demand some answers from him. Loyalty; that was why she'd reject the billionaire and his stare, and all her loyalty was meant for one man named Tyler.

***

She finally made it to the edge of the campus and stood under the gigantic stone archway when the world outside seemed unforgiving and cruel, then she turned over her hand, and a yellow cab rushed to her to pull over for her.

The cab's interior smelled of stale smoke and air freshener. Maddison gave Tyler's address to the driver, and her own voice was dull. The ride in the yellow cab through town was a blur of city lights and an increasingly tight knot in her gut. When the cab finally arrived at the three-story brick building she knew so well, she gave the fare to the driver with trembling hands and pushed open the heavy front door. Her heels clattered harshly on the floor as she ascended the stairs, her heart racing in her chest with every flight.

When she came to his floor, she took the final few steps to his door, 3B. She took deep breaths, bracing herself for a confrontation, for crying, for an explanation. She curled her hand into a fist to knock on the wood, but she never got the chance to. The door was already slightly open.

And from the sliver of darkness, a sound drifted out that stopped her heart. It wasn't the TV, and it wasn't Tyler's voice. It was a woman's laugh; light, soft, and intimately at home.

Maddison's POV

That laughter was coming from inside Tyler's room and cut into Maddison's chest, her arm froze, with her fist still wrapped in the air just above the door, and she wondered if she had come to the wrong door. All of the witty things that she had practiced telling him just disappeared, and then she was left with a chill, hollow fear. Her posture was rigid in her graduation robe as the diploma she held in her hand, her prize for five years of hardwork, was now heavy, and at this moment the only thing rightly in existence for Maddison was that sound...that laughter. It was a sound of someone who was comfortable Tyler's apartment that didn't belong there, especially not on a day like this.

Her mind spun with the other options. A sister, a cousin, or a friend's girlfriend waiting for him, but they didn't quite fit in her head, and that laugh sealed it. It sounded too comfortable in the room, like the person was supposed to be there.

She had an awful urge to know, even as she wanted to spin around and run. She needed to see for herself, to understand the truth behind the door, but her fingers were slow and numbed as if they belonged to someone else. She extended her hand and found the top of the door before she pushed. The door swung softly open, and then she was able to see more of Tyler's living room.

Her gaze took in the scene piece by piece. She saw things she was unaware of; two half-finished slices of pizza were left in a box on the coffee table, an open bottle of good whiskey, a brand he never drank, sat next to two glasses but one glass had red lipstick rimming it. And then she saw a green short dress spread over the arm of the couch. It was a woman's outfit, and it looked so refined in the messy, dull room, and it seemed so misplaced.

Tyler was reclining on a couch, relaxed, with his arm slung over the woman next to him but when she looked again, intently, she saw that the woman in that green dress was Brooke. It was the woman from his office. He had promised Maddison that Brooke was a friend, he even explained to her that her overbearing personality scared him, but tonight, huddled in next to him, she did not seem like someone scary. Tonight, she was standing tall, as if she had won and her head rested on his shoulder, her perfect blonde locks shining against his rumpled t-shirt.

Maddison's breath was caught in her throat, she stood still in the hallway as if she was invisible, then Tyler leaned forward and whispered softly but clearly in the still room.

"I'm telling to you, it's over," he said, speaking as though he were referring to work. "It was always going to end. She's a wonderful girl, truly. Just a sweet, simple girl, easy to figure out what she's thinking, but it was never going to work out. You are my future Brooke. All of it with her was just practice and getting ready to come meet you."

Sweet girl, Simple girl and Easy to know. They were little words, but they cut her so deeply. He used her name as if she was a thing he had finally gotten rid of, he made her deep love and trust seem like a weakness as to be ridiculed. Maddison held her fingers in a vise-like grip, and a sick sensation swept over her stomach.

Brooke moved and tilted her head to look at him, she had a radiant smile on her reddish lips. "What about her special day? The whole top student thing?" she said, and there was a mocking tone to her voice.

Tyler let out a short laugh; it was a sound Maddison had not heard him produce before, it was empty and callous. "I nearly sent a message this morning saying 'Not feeling well, sorry.' The best excuse but then again, she trusts me; she'd never question so I didn't send it." He shrugged, as though years of trust did not matter. And then he leaned in over to the messy side table and picked up a small, recognizable item.

Maddison's heart stopped because it was the little steel bridge piece that she had labored over more than 40 hours to create for their anniversary. She had carefully carved their initials and the date on the bottom because it was a symbol of her two loves, which were engineering and him.

He displayed it, turning it over between his fingers like trash. "Look what she gave me here," he taunted with a nasty little laugh. "She said that it represented our 'unbreakable bond.' Robust, solid, created to stand the test of time; can you believe it? She really thinks that life is like one of her blueprint designs that is all cleanlines and easy conclusions."

Brooke laughed again, and this time it destroyed the last piece of Maddison's control. Cheating was bad enough, but this...this happy wrecking of something so personal, was a nastier kind of betrayal, and for Brooke, it was not just about cheating; it was hate.

With her laughter fading, Brooke's black eyes moved in the direction of the door. For an instant, Maddison thought Brooke had not seen her, but then Brooke's eyes met hers. In shock, there was no horror, no guilt, but a cold glint of awareness, then a slow, sneering smile. It was a look that meant she had won.

Still locked onto Maddison, Brooke slid her hand along Tyler's neck, pulled him into her for a kiss with a slow, deliberate motion. Never looking away from Maddison down the corridor, she kissed him intensely, as if to signal that this was hers now, and at that moment, the message was very much clear.

Maddison's body eventually responded, and a squeaked, strangled sound came from her as she took a shaky step back, then her heel caught on the carpet before she stumbled backward. The door, pushed by her movement, swung shut with a clear click.