Madison didn’t bother reading it.
THE RISE
Six months later, Madison appeared on the covers of Forbes, Time, and Business Weekly.
Her company soared.
Her foundation—For Women Who Were Told They Weren’t Enough—expanded nationwide.
At home, her penthouse was filled with laughter.
Her best friend, Lauren Bennett, moved in to help with Noah.
Michael remained her loyal right hand.
One night, she stood by Noah’s crib.
“You’ll never know hate, baby,” she whispered. “Only strength.”
ONE YEAR LATER
The ballroom glittered at her annual charity gala.
Madison, radiant in scarlet, took the stage.
“Some people tried to break me when I was at my most vulnerable,” she said.
“They thought I was weak because I was kind. Worthless because I was humble. They were wrong on every count.”
The crowd erupted into applause.
Across town:
Patricia and Richard watched from their tiny condo.
Sabrina scrolled through photos with tears in her eyes.
Daniel drank in a bar he couldn’t afford, staring at the woman he threw away.
Madison lifted her glass.
“Never let anyone make you feel small when you were born to be extraordinary.”
She raised Noah in her arms as cameras flashed like stars.
And in that glittering moment, Madison Carter—the woman they once mocked as a nobody—stood as everything they could never be.
Because the best revenge isn’t destroying your enemies.
It’s proving you never needed them to rise.
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