?Chapter 41:


    Paige unexpectedly posted a photo of herself with Merritt Carman on her social media, with a caption underneath: “From now on, I have a godfather to love me. So much joy!”


    This meant Paige had be Merritt’s goddaughter.


    And just who was Merritt, anyway? He was a legendary figure, known for his deep connections to the darker corners of the world.


    Starting as a small-time thug working the docks, Merritt had wed his way to the top, weaving a vast web of influence that stretched far beyond national borders. Back in the day, he had kept a low profile, running quiet maritime operations that only insiders knew about. Most ordinary folks didn’t even know his name.


    Recently, however, he had stepped into the world of show business, and hispany, Royal Entertainment, was home to a constetion of celebrities. As Royal Entertainment’s poprity soared, his own presence had followed, turning the name Merritt into one everyone knew.


    Because of Merritt’s ties to the criminal underworld, various forces kept their distance, and nobody was willing to cross him unless they had no other choice.


    Paige’s return to the spotlight wasn’t just luck—it was strategy. Aligning herself with Merritt gave her an edge no one could ignore. Just two days earlier, she’d taken a hard hit. That engagement party fiasco had gone viral, drawingughs, memes, and public shame.


    “Honestly, Paige caught me off guard. She used to brag about being engaged to Cole, and I once actually admired her. Thought she’dnded a fairytale. Turns out, it was just a story she made up for herself.”


    “Since the Evans family never promised to marry off a particr daughter from the Jones family, it means both Elliana and Paige were in the running. Why would the Evans family pick the in-looking Elliana instead of the gifted and stunning Paige? I don’t get it.”


    “Come on, it’s clear something’s wrong with Paige. The Evans family probably saw it and decided Elliana was the safer option. For a family like that, personality matters more than charm, and Paige’s little talents just don’t stack up.”


    The bacsh had hit fast. Fans had dropped Paige by the thousands, and her title of Ublento’s top socialite had turned into nothing more than an online joke.


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    But the tides turned fast. As soon as Paige introduced Merritt as her godfather, the public’s view of her flipped overnight. Shockwaves rippled through social media. Nobody saw iting—Paige teaming up with Merritt? That wasn’t just aeback. It was a total level-up. Being his goddaughter made her old title lookughably small.


    Sure, Merritt had been surrounded by plenty of women, but he’d never had a child of his own. With Paige stepping into the role of goddaughter, she was now the unofficial heiress of Royal Entertainment—and possibly the one to inherit his empire. If she ended up inheriting his fortune, what would be the point of marrying into wealth? She wouldn’t need a rich husband—she’d be the rich one.


    Sure enough, stars from every corner of the industry rushed to Paige’s page, filling her feed with praises and congrattions. Their fans did the same, stirring up an extraordinary wave of attention across Paige’s social media tforms.


    Paige’s loyal few, who hadn’t clicked “unfollow,” suddenly found themselves riding a wave of vindication and excitement.


    “Paige never stops surprising us! I swear I’ll support her forever!”


    “Elliana? That in, washed-up woman might be called Mrs. Evans now, but titles mean nothing when she’s one scandal away from being tossed out. Paige, on the other hand, is a different story entirely. With Merritt behind her, fame isn’t a dream—it’s a guarantee.”


    “Is it true Paige has finally made her debut in the entertainment industry? I can’t wait to see her crush the scene and rise like a phoenix.”


    The moment Paige publicly announced Merritt as her godfather, the media went into a frenzy. Overnight, every trace of her tainted past seemed to vanish. Her scandals? Forgotten. Her reputation? Rewritten. She was once again everyone’s sweetheart.


    Boredizens, always hungry for drama, quickly chose sides. And naturally, they sang praises for Paige while still hurling criticism at Elliana.


    Naturally, the flood of fresh hate directed at Elliana wasn’t just random—it was Paige pulling the strings from the shadows. The cruelest remarks, calling Elliana “shameless” and “worthless,” came from burner ounts Paige had crafted herself.


    With calcted sweetness, Paige responded to one of the viciousments she had written in one of those burner ounts. “There’s no point in lingering in the past. I hope peace finds us both someday.” This carefully staged reply instantly triggered another surge of public adoration for Paige.


    “Paige is such a gentle soul. Despite everything Elliana’s done to her, she still takes the high road. Meanwhile, Elliana just looks like a joke.”


    “Those old scandals about Paige? Lies, obviously. I bet Elliana made them all up.”


    “There’s clearly more to their history than we know, yet Paige bears the pain in silence. It breaks my heart!”


    The inte couldn’t get enough—the Elliana vs. Paige saga had be the kind of gripping drama that even television couldn’tpete with.


    Elliana skimmed the headlines and let out a dry, amusedugh. Sure, Paige using Merritt as her ace in the hole had caught her off guard, but she wasn’t fazed. The higher Paige soared, the more spectacr her fall would be, and she would make sure of it.


    Right then, Paige sent Elliana a message, saying, “Elliana, do you want to know what really happened with the fire back then? I can tell you the truth…”


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