Chapter 6: The Birthday Showdown

Rachel disappeared from school for the rest of the day, her absence noted by every teacher. I knew she’d never risk showing her face until she could weaponize it again. All I had to do was wait.

Saturday came—my eighteenth birthday. My parents, delayed in Tokyo, left me to descend the country club’s spiral staircase alone, my Vera Wang gown catching the light from crystal chandeliers. I spotted my brother Nathan, cold in his Tom Ford suit, glancing at his Rolex before calling out: "Madison, come here."

I glided over, heels echoing on marble, ignoring Tyler’s burning stare and Rachel’s near-tears in her clearance-rack dress. I smiled sweetly: "What do you need, Nathan? Please tell me it’s not another boring gift card."

Nathan stared, his voice dripping Harvard MBA disdain: "Bullying classmates, insulting friends—Madison, is this what the Thompson family stands for?"

He didn’t bother to lower his voice. The room froze; champagne glasses midair.

"What are you talking about?" I shot Rachel a look, feigning innocence. "Who did I insult? Who even is she? The new janitor?"

"It’s too late to play dumb. When you do wrong, you face the consequences. Mom and Dad aren’t here, so I’ll handle it."

He pulled a wooden paddle from the display—our great-grandfather’s Yale relic. He fixed me with a glare sharp enough to cut glass. "Get on your knees and apologize, Madison. Right now. In front of everyone."