Aurora had expected whispers. What she hadn’t expected was the roar.

By sunrise, every major news outlet carried her face on the front page, caught mid-waltz with Damien Leclerc under the golden lights of the gala. Heiress Allies with a Wolf, one headline read. Veyra Scandal: Aurora Strikes Back, blared another.

Screens inside the penthouse flashed with updates as Elise scrolled through articles. “You’re trending in three continents,” she said, her voice caught between awe and worry. ...