I inhaled slowly and walked toward the bar.
I picked up the glass. It was cold in my hand.
Right then, my sister-in-law Chloe appeared, wrapped in a yellow silk dress that probably cost more than my first car. She looked me up and down, clearly enjoying the chance to humiliate me in front of others.
“Is that dress from a flea market or a clearance rack?” she said loudly. “God, Emma, you can’t even dress properly for your own daughter’s birthday.”
I smiled calmly. Chloe was predictable. Vain, impulsive, and incapable of resisting attention.
“This drink tastes a little strong,” I said lightly. “I think the bartender overdid it.”
She immediately reached for it.
“Give it to me. I need something to survive this tacky party.”
“I can get you another,” I replied. “Maybe this one isn’t your taste.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She snatched the glass from my hand.
Across the garden, Victoria froze. Her lips parted slightly.
In that instant, she realized her plan was slipping out of control.
Chloe lifted the glass and took a long sip.
Then another.
I stood still, watching, as she handed it back with a smug half-smile.
And in that moment, I understood: whatever came next would destroy everything they had built.
It didn’t take long.
