“That’s the price I pay for the life I want.” She shrugged, but I could see that my words had affected her. That she was thinking about what I had said. I’d meant it—I actually thought Vanessa would be a much better politician than she would a politician’s wife.

“You don’t have to be married to . . .”—I almost said an idiot but thought better of it—“Gilbert to have the life you want.”

She studied me, like I was a piece of art she was considering buying. “Remember what you said. The thing about making your own choices. And nice earrings.”

What kind of weird mind manipulation was that supposed to be? I waited for her to say more, but she just gave me a catlike grin and walked away. But she didn’t go far.

I was thinking about demanding that she explain herself but Violet found me first. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away from the crowd of people to my left.

When she was certain we were far enough from everybody else, she whispered, “I can’t do it. I can’t tell them.”

“You can. I’m here to help you and support you.”

She shook her head, and I could see the tears in her eyes. “No. I thought it would be easier during the party with all these people here. That they couldn’t make a scene. But . . . what if they do? What if they fire me? Right here, right now? In front of everyone?”

I grabbed her hands. “We already know what you’ll do. You will find a new job. And I’m proof that you can survive without them.”

“Are you?”

My mother.

Turning around, I noted that she had on a pink Chanel gown covered in crystals that resembled tiny snowflakes. I wondered where my father was.

“Madison, we didn’t know you would be here tonight.” Her voice was sickly sweet sounding and I knew something bad was about to happen. That she was lying and had in fact known I would be at the party. Which meant she’d figured out a way to hurt me.

“Violet invited me.” I made big eyes at Violet, hoping that maybe my sister would take the opening I’d just offered her. Instead she looked down at the floor, unwilling to make eye contact.

Then she mumbled, “Excuse me,” and left me there alone with my mom.

So much for supporting each other.

“And have you had the chance to say hello to many people? Did you talk with Frederica?” my mom asked.

“I saw she was here but no, I didn’t talk to her.” More bizarre questions. I wondered if Violet was okay and whether I should go check on her.

“I’ve found her advice so sound,” she said with a smile. “Haven’t you?”

“What is happening right now?” This was heading into alternate dimension territory.

Vanessa had made her way over to us, and she stood next to my mother. She didn’t speak and it was her silence that was most disconcerting.

My mother started to do enough talking for them both. “Did you really think you just lucked into your current life? That your uncanny ‘survival’ skills are what saved you? Your indomitable strength? That you’ve really stood on your own two feet?”

Why did her words fill me with dread? “I have stood on my own two feet. I’ve had to be stronger than I knew I could be. I am strong.”

My mother let out a fake tinkling laugh. “Darling, how would you know? You’ve never been strong. You’ve had two moments of defiance. That’s not strength. Even now you’re being cared for. Spoiled.”

“What . . . what do you mean?”

“Your job? Who do you think recommended that you be hired?”

Shay had put in a good word for me. As soon as I thought it, I knew that wasn’t the only possibility. Given how competitive the school was, I had to admit that my mother and father would know enough influential people to pull some strings. It was a possibility I hadn’t even considered.

And they obviously did know some powerful people at Millstone Academy, as evidenced by the fact that they had just tried to get me fired.

“Or what about your car? Where did you buy it? From the dealership that your aunt recommended? Your aunt, who was in need of money? Who is here tonight as my guest, as we’ve repaired our so-often-fractured relationship? Who would do anything for her dearest sister? And tell me, did you buy the car from the manager at a reduced price?”

“No . . .” My voice sounded shaky and I tried to shore up my reserves, but I felt sicker and sicker by the moment. “I negotiated that price. On my own.”

She laughed again. “How naive.”

Had they really been involved with that, too? Why? To show me that they were still in control of my life? After I thought I’d taken over the reins? I knew they wanted my gratitude. They wanted me on my knees, thanking them from the depths of my soul that they were wise enough to keep controlling my life. The job I had, the car I drove. I thought they had all been my decisions and my mother was telling me I was wrong.

My chest constricted and I found it difficult to keep sucking in air. I wasn’t going to let them keep doing this to me. I’d had enough. “Look, I don’t know what you’re all up to but I’m not going to stand here and—”

“Here’s your father. And speaking of meeting people here at the party, you absolutely must meet his guest. One of the up-and-coming stars at Weston Wilshire. Madison, I believe you know Tyler Roth?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

I couldn’t process what was happening. My dad was there, in a tux.

And so was Tyler.

They were together. And Tyler worked for my father’s company? Why hadn’t he told me? An unsteady pulse started throbbing against my right temple.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Madison?” Tyler sounded confused. “What are you doing here?”

My mother was in her element. “And then we come to the matter of your apartment. Frederica was more than happy to show you the worst possible places to stay so that when an opportunity became available with one of our most valued employees, well, we liked the comfort of knowing that you’d be looked after.”

The apartment? Pigeon?

Tyler?

They’d had a hand in all that? Was I actually in control of any part of my life? I’d walked into all their traps, trusting and unknowing.

Naive, as my mother had said. She had a cold, calculating grin on her face. Like a viper who’d been lying in wait for the perfect time to strike.

And she’d found it.

But Tyler? How could he have agreed to be part of this? My heart wrenched painfully.

“Why?” I asked him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but my mother was faster. “Why else? For the promotion we gave him.”

A ringing started in my ears as blood rushed into my heart, making it beat faster and faster until I felt like my chest was going to explode. All that time, when I was trusting him and trying to respect him and his rules and be his friend, all that time he’d been deceiving me?

For that stupid promotion?

That he had lied to me, tricked me, was bad enough. That he’d made me think he might have feelings for me and wanted us to be in a relationship was terrible. But that he’d allied himself with my mother?

That was a betrayal I would never be able to get over.