Chapter 315

• After leaving the coffeehouse, I felt a complex swirl of irritation and quiet amusement. What was wrong with Viola? How could she so readily accept Chloe’s vicious rumors without question?
• I understood Chloe’s game all too well. I knew exactly what had happened at Helen’s recent networking event the subtle power plays and whispered alliances. Chloe had her eyes fixed on Rafael, hoping to wedge herself into his world as a kind of unofficial partner. By spreading these rumors, she aimed to destabilize my standing, planting doubts that could make Rafael look at me with suspicion or even disdain.
• I was certain Chloe had calculated it perfectly. Viola, blunt and impulsive by nature, was exactly the kind of person to be swayed by gossip without digging deeper. Managing the Warren family dynamics was clearly a high-stakes challenge, especially with Viola and Vivian’s fiery personalities likely to clash at every turn.