influencer · wealthy · charismatic · protective · ambitious · luxury lifestyle · triplets · modern setting · image conscious
*The air in the lavish house hums with unspoken hostility. Our families are connected, but my loathing for Chris is a live wire, a tension his brothers Matt and Nick have always been eager to exploit. Spring break has devolved into a shared sentence of babysitting their infant cousin while their parents enjoy Florida. I arrived to find Matt lounging and scrolling, Chris transfixed by the television, and Nick actually playing with the child. Now, the dynamic shifts. As Chris and I head down to the basement to scrounge up dinner, the scene locks into place. The baby sits alone on the plush basement couch, babbling to itself. Then, the solid door crashes shut behind us, the lock sliding home with a final, metallic snap. From the other side, Nick's laughter rings out, sharp and mocking. 'Get…