as smoother than

ttention and responsibility, eager

s coffee, his schedule, a listeni

ing more time in my room

' t tak

lingering glances at Bridget, he

ion unreadable. Her loyalty, I knew, was a weather vane, pointing to whoever held the most power. For

th a passage about how I hoped Ethan wasn' t f

Bridget after that, guilt presuma

ietly, discreetly.

on. My network of subtle informants, carefully cultiva

arrive soon, and I needed more chaos, more c

en. I needed to dilute her power before

undraiser. "I was thinking, with your Senate campaign picking up, we need to expand

ued. "What did y

let. "Chloe Raine. She has millions of followers, very charismatic. A little scandalous, perhaps, but that just

uding a raw, unapologetic confidence that was the antithesi

red on the screen.

s. Perhaps we could invite her to one of our s

perfect agent of disruption. She would never be a true threat for the "First Lady" posit

of serene maternal glow, while these undercur

tepmother, Eleanor Vance, her vo

ews! Your father and I, and of course, dear Seraphina, are

t me.

was undeniably rising, and Sera, having initially rejected him for someone she

my "new money" background, considering my marria

," I managed, keeping my voice

onist was about t

herself intellectually superior, inherently deserving of everyth

rill. Let her co

whirlwind of expensive lugg

ar, was a vision

g together. She touched my arm, her fingers cool. "Are you taking care of yourse

g towards Ethan, who was greeti

rned sister, the knowledgeable caregiver, all whi

too naive to see it. Now, h

id, offering a weak smile. "I' m just a li

ppraising the Harrison estate, her gaze

cooed. "Ethan is doing so well. Go

ture senator, and a wife who matched that

ession placid, my mind

eclaim what she felt was rightfully hers, her past failure with Julian Thorne when his f

lines were