“Everyone is against me… everyone!” Vanessa paced back and forth inside her dimly lit, luxurious bedroom. Her hair was in disarray, her fingers clutching her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her bloodshot eyes gleamed with restless anxiety.

She opened her messages and began typing furiously:

> “If you dare open your mouth about those photos, I’ll make sure your life is destroyed. Don’t even think about crossing me. You know who I am!”

Her hands shook, her breath came in sharp bursts. With a final jab of her thumb, she hit send.

“Now they’ll know who holds the power,” she muttered with a crooked smile, though her heart...