“Do it quickly, just as I said!” Vanessa slammed her phone onto the marble table with a sharp crack. Her breath came fast, her face flushed with fury. Two of her assistants, seated nervously across from her, exchanged frightened glances.

“But, Miss Vanessa…” one of them dared to speak, his voice trembling, “the public is still buzzing about Deviana’s case. If we create another scandal now, they might—”

“Silence!” Vanessa’s eyes blazed as she cut him off. “I know exactly what I’m doing. If people are distracted with a new scandal, they’ll forget about Deviana, they’ll forget about… me.”

Her hand snatched up a glass of wine. She downed it...