CHAPTER 102 THE PAST.

Madison made her way through the darkened halls of the office, her footsteps echoing off the marble floor as she descended into the basement, the hum of the HVAC system filling the air. She knew what she needed to do. The company had a contingency plan for just such an emergency, a hidden room tucked away in the basement, a place where she could hide until Julian arrived. That wad her mom's special place in the company, though it was a basement but her mom saw it as more. The metal door was concealed behind a stack of dusty old filing cabinets, and Madison's fingers shook as she slid the cabinet aside, revealing the steel handle that led to the room. A wave of nostalgia washed over Madison as she slid open the heavy metal door, the hinges creaking in protest as the memories of her childhood flooded back. She remembered those days with her mother, those moments of carefree joy when they would hide together in the secret room, giggling and laughing as they waited for the game to en