Chapter 2 - The Assault
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The applause died instantly. A suffocating silence fell over the two hundred guests sitting in the ballroom.
Dad’s smile tightened into a rigid, hostile line. “Claire, sit down. Don’t embarrass the family on your sister’s special day.”
“You just gave away my property,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline roaring through my veins.
Madison’s theatrical expression melted into an ugly glare. “What are you talking about? You said you bought it for the wedding!”
“I said I bought it the week of the wedding,” I corrected coldly. “There is a massive difference.”
Mom leaned across the table, her face contorted in a furious whisper. “Claire, stop being so utterly selfish! Your sister deserves one beautiful thing today! You have plenty of money!”
I almost laughed out loud at the sheer delusion. Madison’s wedding had already cost my parents nearly one hundred thousand dollars—funds that had been pulled directly from a home equity line of credit that they had begged me to help them restructure just four months ago.
Madison pushed her chair back and marched toward me, her bridal veil trailing behind her.
“Give me the title, Claire,” she demanded, extending her manicured hand. “Dad gave it to me.”
“No.”
What happened next occurred in a split second. Madison’s face twisted in rage. Her hand shot out, her fingers tangling deep into my hair near my scalp.
Pain ripped across my head. Before I could even raise my arms to defend myself, she yanked backward with vicious force, driving me sideways. My knee buckled, and my shoulder slammed hard against the polished floor.
Gasps rang out across the ballroom.
Trevor shouted from the head table, “Madison, stop!”
But my father didn't check on me. Instead, he stepped between my sprawled body and the shocked onlookers, pointing an accusing finger down at my face.
“Look what you made her do!” Dad barked at me. “Look how you ruined her moment!”
Mom immediately crouched beside Madison, rubbing her back. “Sweetheart, are you okay? Did you ruin your dress?”
Not a single person asked if I was okay.
That was the exact moment something inside me went completely, utterly quiet. The lifelong desire to win my family’s approval evaporated into thin air.
I rose slowly, smoothing down the fabric of my dress, ignoring the burning ache in my shoulder and the throbbing pain on my scalp.
Madison clutched the silver key fob against her chest. “It’s mine now. Dad said so.”
Dad nodded firmly. “We announced it publicly, Claire. You cannot take it back now without making us look like fools. Don’t ruin this.”
I looked at all three of them—my father, my mother, and my sister.
“You’ll regret this,” I said quietly.
Dad snorted, resting his hands on his hips. “Is that a threat?”
“No,” I said, reaching into my clutch to pull out my phone. “It’s a forecast.”
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Behind me, the wedding band awkwardly struck up a dance tune in a desperate attempt to cover the scandal. It failed. I turned my back on the head table and walked out of the ballroom, my father’s mocking laughter following me into the lobby.
I smiled calmly, dialling the one person my family had completely forgotten I knew better than anyone: the senior attorney handling every single loan, guarantee, and financial document they had signed that year.
