Chapter 5 - A Toast Dripping with Venom
The silence that followed was suffocating. Mom looked like she was about to faint, fanning herself with a linen napkin, while Dad stared down into his wine glass, his face shadowed with deep, heavy regret.
Jason, however, was not the type to bow out gracefully. He had been the golden child of this family for thirty-four years. He was the star athlete in high school who barely passed his classes, the college frat boy whose tuition Dad paid in full, and the mid-level manager who acted like a Fortune 500 CEO. His identity was built entirely upon being better than me. To see me thrive without his shadow was a threat to his very existence.
Slowly, Jason picked up his crystal wine glass. He stood up from his chair, his tall frame towering over the table. A sinister, arrogant smile spread across his lips once more.
"Well," Jason began, his voice dripping with condescending theatricality. "Since we’re all laying our cards on the table, I think it’s time for a proper Thanksgiving toast. To family, to unexpected... surprises, and to true success."
Mom immediately perked up, grasping onto Jason’s sudden confidence like a lifeline. "Oh, yes! Jason, darling, go ahead. Tell your brother about your big news. Clear the air."
Jason puffed his chest out, adjusting his tie with an obnoxious flick of his wrist. "As some of you know, my firm is undergoing a massive restructuring. Next week, the board is officially announcing my appointment as Vice President of Operations for the Tri-State Region. The paperwork is on the desk of our Senior Managing Director, Marcus Vance-Sterling."
He looked directly at me, raising an eyebrow with supreme satisfaction. "A six-figure base, equity options, and an executive suite in Manhattan. Real corporate power, Brian. Not playing around with old bricks and dusty wood in the woods. When you’re backed by people like Marcus, doors don't just open—they get blown off the hinges."
I paused, setting my fork down carefully on my plate. I glanced over at Emily.
Emily had paused mid-bite. Slowly, she dabbed her lips with her napkin, her expression shifting from calm amusement to utter, incredulous disbelief. A quiet chuckle escaped her throat, soft at first, but then blossoming into a full, genuine laugh.
Jason’s smile vanished instantly. "What the hell is funny about that?"
"Marcus Vance-Sterling," Emily repeated, tilting her head. "You work under Marcus Vance-Sterling at Vanguard Holdings?"
"He's the Senior Managing Director of the entire Northeast division!" Jason snapped defensively. "He doesn't deal with small-timers. He’s the most influential developer in the state!"
"I know who he is, Jason," Emily said, leaning back comfortably in her chair. "He’s my uncle."
The entire room seemed to lose atmospheric pressure.
Jason froze like a marble statue, his wine glass hovering halfway between the table and his chest. Amanda’s eyes bulged so wide they looked like they might pop out of their sockets. Mom gasped, nearly dropping her fork into her lap.
"Your... what?" Jason choked out, his voice cracking like an adolescent boy's.
"Uncle Marcus. My father’s older brother," Emily explained with casual indifference. "He’s also the godfather to our son Nathan. He was actually at our small wedding in Maine. I believe he gave us the antique grandfather clock that currently sits in our foyer."
She paused, looking at Jason with a look of genuine pity that cut deeper than any insult ever could.
May you like
"And if you’re referring to the restructuring proposal on his desk, Jason... Uncle Marcus called Brian two nights ago over dinner to ask if he had any insight into the regional budget leaks. Apparently, an internal audit discovered that a certain mid-level manager in your division has been inflating expense reports to lease an AMG Mercedes and cover a country club tab."
Emily tilted her head, her smile razor-sharp. "Would you like me to call Uncle Marcus right now and put him on speakerphone to confirm your promotion?"
