She looked at me, confused, but something in my expression must have conveyed the urgency. She nodded slightly, swaying a little on her feet, her smile faltering.

“Whoa, Madison, are you okay?” I asked loudly, drawing the attention of those around us. Her friends rushed over, concern etched across their faces.

“I’m… I feel a bit faint,” she murmured, playing along with my impromptu plan. Someone fetched her a chair, and she sank into it, her perfect composure now convincingly replaced with feigned distress.

In the midst of the commotion, I seized the moment. “I think she needs some fresh air,” I suggested, taking her arm to help her up. “I’ll take her outside.”

As we made our way toward the exit, I caught my father’s eye. His expression was a cocktail of emotions—anger, confusion, perhaps even a reluctance to cause a scene. But he didn’t stop us. Not yet.

Outside, beneath the moonlit sky, the cool air was a relief against my heated skin. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

“Natalie, what the hell is going on?” Madison asked, her voice laced with genuine concern now. Her perfect facade had slipped away, revealing the sister beneath.

“It’s Dad,” I confessed, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay strong. “He put something in my drink, Madison. I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t good.”

Her eyes widened, disbelief mingling with realization. “Are you serious?”

“Dead serious,” I replied. “I don’t know why, but we need to figure it out. We need to expose him, Madison. Before anyone else gets hurt.”

She nodded, the gravity of the situation settling in. My perfect sister, my rival in so many ways, was now my ally. Together, we would have to untangle the web my father had spun, uncover his motives, and—most importantly—make sure he could never harm anyone again.

As we re-entered the party, a silent agreement passed between us. This wasn’t just about me or her. It was about the truth. About justice. And about ensuring that Richard Brooks’s reign of quiet terror would finally come to an end. The night of celebration had transformed into a night of revelation, marking the beginning of a battle we were determined to win—together.