Chapter 4 - Madison Didn’t Know What She Was Selling
Madison came to my office parking garage three days later.
She was wearing sunglasses despite the gray sky.
“You froze the loan.”
“Yes.”
“You ruined everything.”
“What exactly did I ruin?”
“My launch.”
“The application says debt consolidation.”
She lowered her sunglasses.
“What?”
I watched her face carefully.
“The fifty-thousand-dollar loan Dad submitted in my name. It doesn’t mention your company.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Did you see the application?”
“Dad handled financing.”
“Do you even have a company?”
She stiffened.
“We were forming it.”
“Business bank account?”
“Not yet.”
“Contracts?”
“The consultant was setting those up.”
“Who is the consultant?”
“Neil Vance.”
I wrote the name down.
Madison’s anger shifted.
“Why are you acting like I did the loan?”
“You cut up my dress and then sat there while Dad asked me for fifty thousand dollars.”
“I thought you were going to co-sign.”
“I said no.”
She looked away.
“Dad said you always say no first.”
That hurt more than I expected.
My family had turned my boundaries into opening bids.
“Did you know he already submitted it?”
“No.”
I believed her about that.
Believing her did not erase the dress.
“Why did you cut it?”
Madison crossed her arms.
“I already told you.”
“You were anxious?”
“You make everyone look at you like you’re the successful one.”
“By wearing a dress?”
“By existing like everything is easy for you.”
I stared at her.
“I pay your car insurance.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“Your phone. Part of your car. Half the groceries you eat.”
“Mom said they paid that.”
I almost laughed.
“Of course she did.”
Madison looked genuinely unsettled.
That was the first crack in the family story.
She had spent years believing Mom and Dad funded her life while Claire—competent, cold, selfish Claire—merely liked controlling everyone with money.
“You’re lying.”
I pulled three months of statements from my phone.
Madison read them.
Her face slowly drained.
“Why would Mom say they pay?”
“You should ask her.”
She handed my phone back.
“I’m still mad about the loan.”
“And I’m still done paying your insurance.”
“Claire.”
“You’re twenty-two.”
She stared at me.
“What am I supposed to do?”
May you like
“Figure out what your life actually costs.”
For once, I didn’t solve the next step for her.
