Risky Love// h.s.

Chapter 5

I'm terribly sorry for the long wait, and I have an explanation for it in the AN at the end that you guys should read, but this chapter is extra long to make up for it! Just a heads up that this isn't edited yet, and I think I changed tenses near the end lol, but I'll go back and fix it all later. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

What do you guys think of the new cover?

Madison's POV

By the next day, my anxiety level has risen through the roof. For that short moment in the bathtub when I forgot about meeting Mr. styles, I was calm and collected, but now, I am the exact opposite. My nerves are jumping all over the place, causing my heart to beat out of my chest. I'm not looking forward to this meeting at all.

It's scheduled for half an hour from now, leaving me next to no time to get there. I don't know how I managed to do so, but I lost track of time while tidying the apartment. My nervousness needed to be subsided somehow, and cleaning is the only distraction that seems to work efficiently. I rushed home straight from work just do to so, determined to keep myself as busy as possible.

Work was hell, as usual. It wouldn't have been if Kristen didn't get me in trouble with the boss for not tending to a waiting customer at a table in the back. I was very busy with the cash and filling other orders, so I didn't have the time to go check the back area. She, on the other hand, was perfectly free, sauntering around like the owner of the place and pretending to care about her non-existent tasks. Her schedule at work usually consists of doing next to nothing while pretending she's doing everything. I suppose she's gotten so used to having everything handed to her all her life that she doesn't find it necessary to try for herself. I still wonder why she even works there.

I push the thoughts out of my head, reminding myself that I have more important things to worry about at the moment. I should already be in the car, on my way to Mr. Styles' building. I had done more research since my talk with him, and I learned that he is the top counsellor in the company. He is known for being the best in the city. I don't know if that should intimidate me or make me feel better, but I'm not going to dwell on it anymore than I already have.

Carly is who knows where at the moment, which I'm happy about, because I know that if she were here while I go to leave, she would be curious as to where I am going and I suck at making up lies on the spot. There is no doubt that I would hesitate for too long and she would notice that I was lying. Then, I'd be pressured into telling her the truth, which I am not ready to give out yet.

After talking the idea up to myself in my head, I finally manage to convince myself to go out to my car and get on my way. I am most likely going to be a few minutes late, providing the traffic is bad, which is almost inevitable. I sigh to myself as I pull onto the road, even more worried now that I am going to make a bad first impression on the man by being tardy.

Anxiousness swarms me, filling my stomach with a sick feeling when I pull up to the office building. It stands tall, towering over the surrounding buildings by at least a few floors. Just the sight of it is intimidating, which doesn't help settle my nerves at all. I push the unwanted feeling aside as best as I can, stepping out of my car. I grab onto the door handle to pull it open and I'm welcomed into a huge, nicely decorated lobby. The woman at the front desk smiles at me, motioning me over.

"I'm here for an appointment with Mr. Styles," I inform her, returning the warm smile.

"You must be Ms. Adams. You can go on up to the top floor, his room is the one on the very end. There are only two, it's not hard to miss." She laughs, bidding me a goodbye as I turn to the elevator.

I take a deep breath and hit number 15 when the doors close. I go over every possible scenario in my head by the time they open again on the top floor. Steadying myself as I walk down the hallway seems to be a harder task than usual. I start to tell myself that this was a terribly bad idea, and I should never have come here in the first place. I was stupid for thinking that this would be fine and I would be able to go through with it. Coming here was a mistake and I feel nothing but foolish for thinking differently.