Amanda’s POV The glow of my phone lit the velvet-dark bedroom like a secret fire. I lay sprawled on satin sheets, the curtains drawn tight, the hum of the city a low whisper beyond the glass. My painted nails clicked against the screen as I scrolled through the latest posts on the forum I’d seeded. Line after line of curated poison bloomed there, my handiwork turned digital wildfire: headlines suggesting Esther had seduced the Alpha King, cropped photos from the medical rally, speculative gossip about secret pregnancies and backroom deals. A thin smile curved my mouth. Let them chew on that. #PalaceMistress #slavetosorceress #AlphaAffair I had hired the right people this time. They were quiet professionals who could pump a rumor until it became a narrative. They’d doctored images, bo

