Days passed in quiet routine. Nothing unusual disturbed the rhythm of life. Until the morning every news outlet exploded with coverage of William Levine and Victoria Stuart's upcoming wedding.

Only three days left? That was remarkably fast.

Elise closed the news app. She stood from her desk, preparing for her next meeting. The four bodyguards Patrick assigned followed her seamlessly. They had become her constant shadows since their arrival. Only the restroom and dressing room provided moments of solitude.

Her staff had initially found the presence unsettling. But familiarity bred acceptance. Now it felt almost normal.

During the meeting, Sophia's calls came repeatedly. Elise declined each one. Finally, she silenced her phone completely. She understood Sophia's motives perfectly. This was about gloating. In the end, Victoria Stuart had won William Levine.

Sophia had become Victoria's devoted follower. But Elise wondered how long that loyalty would protect her. Useful pawns often met ugly ends once their purpose was served.

At Scott Enterprise, Sophia glared at her phone. How dare Elise ignore her! She desperately wanted to rub this victory in her face. After all Elise's arrogant displays, this defeat tasted particularly sweet.

Still, Sophia's mood remained buoyant. She sat in her magnificent office, enjoying her power. No one could order her around here. The memory of her family's shocked faces when she triumphed brought particular satisfaction. They never expected their overlooked daughter would achieve such success. Their preference for her brother had blinded them.

Her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. She answered with syrupy sweetness. "Miss Stuart."

"There's an important dinner tomorrow night. Be in Rockville."

"But I have prior commitments—"

"Know your place, Sophia Scott. You don't get to argue."

Sophia's grip tightened on her phone. Victoria continued coldly, "Make sure you look presentable. Don't embarrass me."

The line went dead. Sophia ground her teeth. Every month, Victoria summoned her to Rockville for several days. There, she was forced to entertain wealthy, influential older men. Sometimes she provided physical favors to secure their support for the Stuarts. Other times, they filmed compromising videos for blackmail.

Each encounter left her feeling filthy. The memory made her stomach churn. But maintaining appearances required compliance.

Rage burned in her eyes again. She blamed Elise for everything. Without Elise's interference, she wouldn't have needed desperate measures. She wouldn't have sunk this low.

But Victoria wouldn't tolerate Elise's existence forever. Sophia refused to believe Elise could continue thriving. She would wait patiently for Elise's downfall.

Three days later, William and Victoria's wedding dominated all media. Every news outlet competed for coverage. Social media trends overflowed with wedding content. Video platforms streamed the event live.

The wedding was publicly broadcast. Netizens everywhere tuned in via their devices.

Elise watched too, though more from weekend boredom than genuine interest.