The sky was the color of champagne - soft, sparkling, and perfect for a birthday. Lana Kingsley tilted her face toward the sun from the backseat of her family's silver Bentley, letting the warmth kiss her flawless skin. Beside her sat her tiny dog, Valentino, wearing a diamond-studded collar worth more than some people's cars.
"Are you ready for the most extra day of your life?" her best friend Margo squealed from the front seat, snapping a selfie with Lana in the background. "Hashtag LanaTurns18!"
Lana smirked. "Please. My whole life is extra."
It was true. She had grown up in a world where butlers polished her shoes and chefs shaped her pancakes into hearts. Her father, Charles Kingsley, was the CEO of Kingsley Capital-one of the most powerful investment firms in the country. Her mother, Celeste, was a former supermodel who still looked like she belonged on a runway. Their mansion in the Hills had a glass elevator, a koi pond in the bathroom, and a closet that needed its own zip code.
Today's celebration? A surprise birthday brunch on a rooftop in downtown Los Angeles, with gold-rimmed champagne flutes, customized macarons, and a live performance by a pop star Lana had casually mentioned liking two months ago.
Of course she was used to it. This was the Kingsley life. Opulence wasn't a treat; it was her birthright.
But something shifted when they pulled up to the rooftop venue.
Her father was waiting outside, not smiling.
"Dad?" Lana climbed out of the Bentley, her heels clicking on the pavement. "Is everything okay?"
Charles glanced at her, his usually sharp suit looking slightly wrinkled. That was strange. Charles Kingsley never wrinkled. "Lana, sweetheart, we need to talk. Now."
"Can it wait? Everyone's upstairs, and-"
"No," he said, voice tight. "Inside the car. Now."
Margo blinked. "Should I-?"
"Go inside," Lana muttered, eyes still locked on her father. Margo hesitated, then scurried off with the driver.
Back inside the Bentley, Lana watched her father pinch the bridge of his nose. He looked like someone had just canceled his company.
"I need you to stay calm," he said.
Her heart tightened. "What is it?"
"There's been an... issue with the firm."
Lana frowned. "What kind of issue?"
"There was a leak," he said. "Some documents. Financial irregularities. Allegations. The SEC froze all our accounts this morning."
She blinked. "Wait. Froze... all?"
Charles looked at her then - truly looked at her - and for the first time in her life, Lana saw fear in her father's eyes.
"Everything, Lana. The money, the cards, the trusts. It's all under investigation."
The words didn't make sense. Lana stared at him like he was speaking another language.
"What about my birthday?"
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "There's no brunch. No surprise. I barely convinced them to let me keep the car until tonight."
Lana shook her head slowly, disbelief thick in her chest. "No. You're Charles Kingsley. You fix things. You always fix things."
"This isn't something I can buy my way out of." He looked away. "They're talking about jail time, Lana."
She felt like someone had unplugged the world. The air drained from the car. The golden day outside dimmed.
"You mean..." she swallowed. "We're... broke?"
He didn't answer.
The silence was answer enough.