The Substitute Heiress
"
The last thought settled heavier than the others.
If Serena had access to those rooms, if she had moved through the penthouse freely, then she had proximity not just to Nathaniel but to Evie. To her.
Her heartbeat accelerated, not from jealousy, but from clarity.
This was not a scandal, this was bait.
“You can go,” Alessa told Mireya softly.
Mireya hesitated. “Ma’am...”
“I will handle it.”
When the door closed, Alessa remained still for a full thirty seconds.
Then she reached for her phone, then dialed Riley's number.
~~~
Across town, Eleanor sat in her private sitting room.
She watched the same images circulate across news panels and commentary feeds. Analysts speculated about moral condu