Chapter 2

Ten minutes later, I finally pulled myself together and went inside. The private dining room was warm and cozy. Madison Calder wore a pale blue mini dress, and my brother, Brandon Lewis, was peeling grapes for her.

As soon as Madison saw me, her eyes lit up, and her smile was dazzling. "Adeline, you're finally here!"

She immediately stood up, looked around, and feigned awkwardness. "Oh no, my friend had just arrived earlier, and there's no seat left for you. I'm so sorry."

Brandon didn't even look up as he chimed in, "There's a folding stool by the door. Just sit there."

I followed his gaze and finally noticed the tiny stool near my feet. If I remembered correctly, that was where the servers usually sat to wait for customers' instructions.

"That doesn't seem right..." Madison appeared sympathetic, but a sly glint flashed in her eyes.

It was obvious that she was doing this on purpose.

When Nicholas saw I wasn't moving, he couldn't help but frown. "What, you have a seat and still won't sit? Everyone's been waiting for you long enough. Do you really want to make them watch you throw another tantrum?"

Everyone looked at me, their gaze impatient. I glanced at the dining table in the center of the room, where most of the food had already been eaten. It was clear that they were just waiting for the final celebration.

Fortunately, I hadn't expected much to begin with.

"Fine, I'll sit there," I replied calmly, sitting on the stool under everyone's gaze.

Nicholas looked surprised, but after a brief glance, his expression quickly returned to normal. Before long, the room buzzed back to life again as Brandon pushed in a massive birthday cake. Nicholas pulled out a party popper he had prepared and twisted it with a pop.

"Happy birthday!" Everyone gathered in a circle, clapping and cheering.

I sat to the side, watching them, and a wave of sadness crept up my chest. Three days ago, it was my birthday. They all said they were too busy that day, so I ended up eating alone at the restaurant I had booked weeks in advance.

When the clock struck midnight, I quietly whispered to myself, "Happy birthday."

It wasn't until I checked social media that I realized they were all out with Madison, lighting fireworks together.

They divided up all the cake among themselves without even thinking of me. I didn't know how long I had been zoning out when Nicholas handed me a small slice of cake.

I was caught off guard and smiled politely. "Thanks."

He said indifferently, "In a few days, we're taking Maddy on a surprise trip. Since you're just hanging around campus anyway, help us plan the itinerary. We're short on funds this time, so we'll take you next time—"

Before he could finish, I dropped my smile and spoke calmly. "That's fine with me."

Nicholas was caught off guard, looking stunned. "Are you serious?"

Why wouldn't I be? It was just another excuse to leave me out again. Nicholas and Brandon built the company together, and it was thriving. Yet now, they claimed there wasn't enough money to include me.

"You agreed too quickly. Are you planning something to sabotage it?"

I looked straight at both of them and answered sincerely. "I mean it. If you want to spend time with her, then go. I'll wait. How many days are you planning? I can—"

"Shut up!" Nicholas snapped, his face darkening with annoyance. "Cut the act. I'm warning you—don't try anything stupid."

I let out a quiet sigh and kept my tone steady. "I'm really not. And soon, I'll be leaving for the classified research program."

Nicholas narrowed his eyes at me, filled with suspicion. "Do you think saying that'll make me cancel the trip?"

I swallowed the rest of my sentence—the part where I would've said I was never coming back.

Just then, Madison trotted over and slipped her arm through Nicholas', smiling sweetly. "What are you guys talking about?"

Nicholas' expression immediately softened. He smiled and patted her head. "She agreed to help plan our vacation."

"Really? That's amazing!" Madison exclaimed as she hugged me. "Thank you, Adeline! That's exactly what I wanted!"

Then, she grabbed Nicholas and Brandon, dragging them away into the crowd. "Well, if we're all good here, let's play some games!"

The three of them were all smiles, holding hands and disappearing into the party without even glancing back.

As I stepped out of the room, I heard one last shout from Madison, bright and carefree. "It's us against the world!"

Suddenly, I remembered the time three years ago when my parents were killed in the line of duty; their bodies were never recovered. Brandon and I had only been able to claim their uniforms.

Nicholas had held me as I sobbed, nearly passing out, and whispered, "It's okay. You have me and Brandon. You'll never be alone."

Brandon gripped our hands tightly and added, "He's right. From now on, it's us against the world!"

What a bunch of liars.

My nose stung, and I started walking faster. By the time I pushed through the restaurant's front doors, my tears were already blurring my vision. Later, I found a quiet spot and crouched down, sobbing out loud.

I told myself that it was okay, and I just needed to cry it all out. Once everything was out of my system, no one could hurt me anymore.