Sugar and Spice_ An L.A. Candy Novel - Lauren Conrad [78]
“No!” Madison clenched her fists, trying to keep her voice down. This situation was getting out of control. Aside from the fact that there was press nearby, weren’t Sophie and Jesse both miked? It was hard to tell, since Sophie’s clingy black halter dress didn’t have any telltale bumps underneath, and Jesse was in a tux. Maybe Dana hadn’t caught up to them yet?
Madison knew that she had to do something, fast. “Listen, Jesse—can you get us a couple more drinks?” she said sweetly.
Jesse smirked. “Sure, anything for my girls. Be right back.”
He lurched toward the bar, bumping into a couple of guests along the way and receiving nasty looks in return. As soon as he was out of earshot, Madison whirled on Sophie. “We’re going upstairs.”
“Why? I just got here.”
“Yeah, well . . . party’s over. You’re going straight to bed, and we’ll talk about this in the morning.” Madison put her hand on Sophie’s arm and started to steer her toward the exit.
Sophie jerked her arm away. “What are you doing?” she screamed. Then she tossed her champagne glass to the ground, shattering it.
The crowd around them stopped talking. Madison froze.
Sophie glared at Madison with glazed, bloodshot eyes. “Who do you think you are, my mother?” she spat out.
“No, Sophie—Sophia. But you’re in no shape to—”
“Yeah, that’s right. You are not my mother!” Sophie said, raising her voice as if to make sure everyone could hear. “Cuz Mom lives in a trailer park back East, and you live in a fancy-ass penthouse in Hollywood. Oh, except, it’s not even your penthouse. It’s your boyfriend’s penthouse where he keeps you stashed away so his wife doesn’t find out. Because you’re a whore, Maddy.”
Madison felt the blood rushing from her face. Veronica Bliss and Diego and the others were watching and listening intently. Madison heard whispers all around her.
“Sophie, please,” Madison said quietly, her desperation rising. “You want money? I’ll give you money. I’ll give you whatever you want. But just shut up, okay? Or you’re gonna ruin everything for both of us.”
“God! I’m so sick of you ordering me around!” Sophie shouted. “I’m not your little kid sister anymore. I’m gonna be a way bigger star than you ever were. And I don’t need to pretend to be someone I’m not to get there. You’re so pathetic, faking that you’re some rich bitch named Madison Parker just so people will like you. Tell them, Maddy! Tell them your real name . . . Madelyn Wardell!”
There were gasps, then more whispers, then a low, steady rumble of excited chatter all around them. Madison stood there numb with shock, her gaze unfocused, her heart hammering in her chest. She was vaguely aware of a flashbulb popping, and someone calling out her name, and then Sophie muttering, “Shit!” as she grabbed on to a chair and fell.
Good, Madison thought, glancing at her sister passed out on the floor. Maybe the little bitch is dead.
Although it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.
Madison’s life was over.
Madison leaned against the wall and peered around the dark, enclosed space, wondering where she was—an empty closet? An unused coat-check room? She could hear the muffled sounds of the party in the distance—the DJ was playing Jay-Z—and the rise and fall of conversation and laughter as people passed by in the hall outside.
She had slipped in here on her way upstairs to escape a couple of reporters trying to chase her down for comments. She knew there would be many, many more of them, following her 24/7 and staking out her apartment, as soon as the news had had a chance to spread. In fact, she was already thinking about leaving the country for a while, like Jane did back in December after the Gossip story broke.
Except that Madison’s screwup was way worse than Jane’s. Jane had merely hooked up with her boyfriend’s best friend, and lots of girls did crazy stuff like that. Not too many girls faked their identities in order to become famous.
She slumped down to the floor and burst into tears.
“Hey . . . Madison?”
Madison’s head jerked up. Blinking in the darkness, she made