I should’ve known my birthday would be a disaster the moment I saw my niece and nephew whispering like little villains, eyes locked on me. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the audacity that followed. The morning had started perfectly—fresh highlights, a salon-fresh blowout, flawless makeup, and a dress that made me feel like me and not just someone’s daughter, sister, or aunt.
I was turning 30 and I deserved to feel special. The backyard was buzzing with the sounds of sizzling BBQ, and clinking glasses. My dad was manning the grill, my mom fussing over the side dishes, and my brother, Mark, stood off to the side, beer in hand, laughing at something on his phone.
And then, there were Mark’s kids. Ava and Lily were running wild, screaming, and, pushing past guests. I watched as they shoved my elderly neighbor, Mrs.
Thompson near the pool. She barely caught herself on a chair, gasping. Immediately, I turned to their mom, Jessica.
Surely now she’d say something? Instead, she just laughed. “Oh, kids will be kids!” As for Mark, he chuckled, not even looking up.
I clenched my jaw. Breathe, Liv. It’s your birthday.
I tried to let it go. I really did but then I noticed something. Ava and Lily huddled together, whispering, and giggling.
Ava held up a phone, clearly recording. Ethan crouched slightly, like a sprinter ready to launch. And then I knew.
They were going to push me in. My eyes flicked to Jessica. She saw them and she just… smirked.
I took a deep breath and decided to play the game. The second they lunged, I took a step to the side. SPLASH.
Ava and Lily fell into the pool, arms flailing, eyes wide with shock. Silence. Then—
“HOW COULD YOU LET THEM FALL?!“
Jessica’s scream cut through the party.
She stormed forward, face red, eyes locked on me like I’d committed a crime. I blinked. “Let them?
They tried to push me.”
She didn’t even look at the kids. Didn’t check if they were okay. Her hands flew to her head.
“Their iPhones!!!” she wailed. “Do you have any idea how expensive those were?”
I stared at her. “Maybe you should’ve watched your kids instead of laughing?”
Mark finally looked up, saw the kids dripping wet, and sighed.
“That sucks.”
I handed Ava and Lily towels, but Jessica was still fuming. “This is your fault, Olivia! You knew they would fall!”
I let out a dry laugh.
“Yeah, and you knew they were going to push me. Should I have just let it happen?”
Jessica scoffed, shaking her head. “Unbelievable.”
“No, you are, Jessica,” I fired back.
I turned, grabbed my drink, and took a long sip. Happy freakin’ birthday to me. The morning after my disastrous birthday, I woke up groggy, still annoyed by everything that had happened.
I grabbed my phone and squinted at the screen, hoping for a funny meme or a belated birthday message. Instead, I saw a text from Jessica. It was a link.
Curious, I clicked on it, and my eyes widened. It was an Apple store page for two brand-new iPhones—top-of-the-line, the most expensive models. My stomach dropped as I scrolled to see the price.
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