Invisible to My First Love (Harper and Maddox) novel Chapter 18

Maddox 

“What are you doing here?” I asked Kate, too stunned to soften my tone. 

She chuckled. “Tiffany invited me.” 

I glanced to the side for a moment. Of course it was Tiffany. 

“I thought this was a family gathering,” I said bluntly. 

She placed her fingertips over her red lips as she came closer to me. “You say the funniest things. Tiffany said it would be nice to have close friends around since they’re considered family. Anyway, you haven’t been picking my calls or replying to my texts.” 

She placed her hand on my shoulder and I began to look around just to see if anyone was watching, but it was just the two of us. 

“Relax.” Her tone was low and flirtatious. I’m not trying to stir anything, at least not for now. You and I have all the time in the world and we need to…catch up.” 

She ran her hand halfway down my chest, then took a few steps back and made her way to the garden to join everyone else. 

Just as I processed that moment, I heard a familiar voice behind me. 

“You made it.” 

I turned and looked at my father. He was always dressed like he just came from a board meeting even when he was home. 

“Dad.” I kept it brief. My tone wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either. 

He took a few steps forward like he wanted to do more, maybe place his hand on my shoulder or something but instead, he just nodded. 

“I saw the company’s report. Good job,” he said with a blank expression. 

I only gave a light nod. Most of our chats usually involved business, but a moment for something different had presented itself. 

“I didn’t know Kate was on the guest list,” I said. 

“Me neither, but your mother was so excited when she arrived.” 

I balled my hand into a fist at how he addressed her. 

“Your mother has been planning this all week.” He gestured towards the other direction. “We’ll be having lunch in the garden.” 

Just when I was about to tell him that I already knew that, Margot’s voice interrupted. 

“It’s a shame Grayson’s parents couldn’t make it even though they were looking forward to this. Well, there’s always a next time. Now that everyone’s here, why don’t we take our seats in the garden? Come along, boys.” 

She smiled at me as she wrapped her arm around him without hesitation, like it was some happy family gathering. 

I followed behind the two of them, already counting down to when it would come to an end. 

Even though I was home, I didn’t want to be there. 

When I made it to the long dining table and took my seat, Kate, who was having a chat with Tiffany, took her seat right next to mine on my left, Grayson settling down on my right. 

Under the table, she slid her hand on my thigh and my breath hitched a little as I looked over at her. I played this game with her once but I was the one in control. That was the fun part for me, not that. So I looked away from her and pushed her hand off of me. 

She didn’t back down, slowly teasing me with her hand again on my thigh, but this time, I didn’t even look at her and focused on the food. 

Eventually, she withdrew, dropping her hand with a flicker of annoyance. 

Across the table, Margot sipped her wine and looked over at me with a polished smile. 

“So, Maddox,” she began, her tone pleasant but that didn’t reflect in her eyes, “how’s the company doing under your management?” 

“It’s doing well.” My voice was smooth and I didn’t stop eating. “The quarterly growth is up and it’s about to get better with the recent two major deals.” 

She hummed, like she was unimpressed. “That’s nice to hear. Though I keep wondering how much more progress you’d be making if you let people help you. And that’s someone like Tiffany or even… myself.” 

There it was, the bitterness masked as friendly advice. I paused with the fork in my hand, looking up at her. If only I could see Tiffany’s face. I was certain she would have been in agreement with her mother. 

“The board made their choice,” I said. 

Margot smiled, her eyes getting narrower. 

“Our son is right, honey,” my father chimed in. “Let him do his job. He still has a long way to go, but he’s thriving.” 

She took another sip, tilting her head like she wasn’t convinced. “It’s just that I believe he can do better with-” 

“And I believe,” I said calmly, meeting her cold gaze, “that I know how to run my company.” 

She chuckled bitterly, “Fine.” 

I glanced at my father and he gave me a nod. It wasn’t affectionate but approving. 

Everyone focused on their food in silence but soon, her annoying voice cut through the air after she put down her wine glass and looked towards Tiffany with a smile. 

“I saw the post you made, sweetie. That was clever. Harper needed to be humbled after what she did to you. I actually thought you were just too calm about it but when you told me you were waiting for the right moment, I should have known it was going to be this good.” 

My father’s eyes lifted from his plate with a sharp look at Margot. 

“Are you listening to yourself?” He shook his head in disbelief. 

“Did you really think this was the best way to deal with this?” 

The cutlery on the table clanked rapidly and my gaze shifted to it. It was actually Grayson’s hand, holding a fork so tightly that his knuckles turned white. I looked up at his side profile and spotted how clenched his jaw was. 

My thoughts were interrupted when Kate slid her hand on my thigh again. I glanced at her as I pushed it off and she pouted at the rejection, but I didn’t care. I looked back at Grayson, wishing I could get inside his head. 

Grayson 

I needed a damn minute to breathe without anyone around me. I was able to get away from everyone else and found myself by the corner near the garden. 

I leaned against the wall and let my head fall back with my eyes shut but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

Hearing my mother–in–law and Kate rip Harper apart like that left my heart pounding and I didn’t know if I was more mad at them or myself about the way I felt. They weren’t the first, but that was why I just wanted to 

be alone. 

The thought of Harper even seeing my reaction in such a situation made me want to punch the wall in front of me. Had I been back at my residence, maybe I would have done it. 

I sensed movement in my peripheral vision and turned my head slightly and spotted Tiffany and Kate, as if they wanted to be as far away from everyone as possible while they had a moment alone. They were whispering like teenagers. 

Tiffany looked beautiful, she always did. She had the kind of beauty that made heads turn when she walked into a room. 

But for a few seconds, my eyes drifted to Kate. Her dress clung to her body like a second skin. She looked sexier that day compared to most days and it was for one purpose only. 

They both spotted me and Tiffany came over for a second, her heels clicking softly against the tile as she approached me. 

“Babe,” she said, smoothing the sides of her dress. “I’ll be right back.” 

My forehead creased. “Where are you going?” 

She came closer and lowered her voice, her gaze shifting towards Kate, who was pretending not to look our way. 

“I’m just encouraging Kate to get to work.” 

“Work?” I raised an eyebrow. 

She smiled with satisfaction. “She needs to win over Maddox and grab his full attention. She hasn’t succeeded so far, at least not in the way we want.” 

I was a little amused but shook my head. “You do realize that there are other girls in his life, right?” 

She shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “That doesn’t change anything. Kate and Maddox are actually a good fit. She knows how to play the game and he needs someone like that. The others won’t stand a chance when my best friend wins him over completely.” 

I didn’t even say much but nodded in agreement with her. 

Kate had known Maddox for years and knew exactly how to handle him, but in the end, it didn’t matter if it was going to be her or someone else who would end up with him, as long as it wasn’t Harper. 

If Tiffany wanted to play matchmaker, she was only doing me a favor. My hope was that by the time we were leaving the Aldridge estate, Kate would have him wrapped around her finger.