« RACHEL, THIS TABLE IS FOR FAMILY, GO SIT OUTSIDE, » MY COUSIN LAUGHED IN THE MIDDLE OF BELMONTS, WHILE MY MOTHER LOOKED DOWN LIKE SHE HADN’T HEARD HIM, HIS WIFE PARKED HER DESIGNER PURSE ON THE EMPTY CHAIR MEANT FOR ME, AND THE WHOLE TABLE KEPT ORDERING WAGYU, LOBSTER, AND BORDEAUX UNTIL THE WAITER DROPPED THE $2,200 BILL IN FRONT OF ME.

For a few seconds, nobody spoke.

The leather folder sat in front of me.

Heavy.

Waiting.

The waiter stood politely beside the table.

Lucas smiled.

Britney adjusted her bracelet.

My mother stared at her lap.

And suddenly I understood everything.

This dinner wasn’t an invitation.

It was an ambush.

A very expensive ambush.

Lucas tapped the edge of the table.

« …

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