"A fleeting smile turns me from stranger to symbol."
—Ava Carter Reed
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Ava's Point of View
The morning sunlight poured through the tall glass panes of Dia's mansion, catching the silver trims of the grand staircase and casting soft stripes across the marble floor. My phone vibrated against the nightstand before I'd even opened my eyes.
Still half-asleep, I fumbled for it, then froze when I saw the screen:
'#MrsReedWithTheChild'
trending at number three.
"A heart for children in need."
"Is this the new face of Reed Empire?"
I sat up, the sheets sliding down my arms. My stomach knotted as I scrolled through an endless river of posts — photos of me crouched beside the little girl from the gala. Someone had caught the moment when I'd laughed; someone else had posted a slow-motion clip of the girl hugging me.
I could see the headlines forming already: "The Ice-Cold Empire Finds Its Warmth."
