Ashley had been buried in work for days, so much so she hadn’t even touched her socials. With a quick signal, she nudged Liana for an update.

Liana, always sharp, handed over her tablet—already playing clips of people reacting to Ashley’s samples.

What really caught Ashley’s eye was a bold headline: The Sample Empress.

Ashley burst out laughing. “Wait, hold up—did they seriously just crown me with a new title?”

Liana grinned. “That’s right, Ms. Ashley. Folks are ...