CHAPTER 48 THE DINNER PARTY [II]

As the night wore on, Madison found herself growing increasingly weary, the weight of the day and the events of the past few weeks finally catching up with her. As she made her way through the crowd, she stumbled slightly, her heel catching on the edge of the carpet, her balance thrown off as she struggled to regain her footing. A hand on her arm steadied her, a concerned voice reaching out to her in the darkness. "Mrs. Madison, are you alright?" the voice asked, the concern palpable in its tone as Madison turned to face its owner. As Madison turned, she found herself face to face with one of the company's key managers, a man named James who had worked closely with her mother for many years. "James," she said, her voice soft and weary as she took in his concerned expression. "I'm... I'm sorry. I guess I'm more tired than I thought." James nodded, his expression sympathetic as he took her arm in his own. "Don't worry, Mrs. Madison. You've had a long day. Why don't I take you to a