Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 263

Serena glanced at the screen but couldn't make sense of what she was seeing.

She shook her head, turning to Gabrielle with a puzzled look.

Gabrielle smiled knowingly. "Clearly, you don't spend much time on Instagram. This is your fan page, but it's been locked down. I just searched your name—any conversation about you, even the vaguest reference or nickname, has been wiped. Do you know what that means?"

Serena frowned. "What does it mean?"

"It means someone's paid to have your public image managed," Gabrielle said, a hint of pride in her voice. "But this isn't something money alone can buy; you need the right connections. So, it has to be William. I mean, isn't that proof he loves you?"

But Serena's expression darkened immediately. "You're saying that any online discussion about me is getting censored?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Exactly."

"But this isn't William's doing."

Gabrielle looked startled. "If not William, then who? In all of Northspire, only the Grayson family could pull off something like this..." She noticed Serena's troubled look and grew anxious. "Serena, what's wrong?"

Serena felt her heart sink.

told William this morning-trying

to make such a

Unless...

Antiquities Gambit account and tapped on the

the

of trying to silence criticism-calling her the real puppet

photos of her and William together, fueling rumors

were saying online

named her directly, but it was

saw it too, her hands trembling

make things worse, but Gabrielle hadn't believed it until now. She clenched her

at the barrage of hateful comments, a bitter smile

other person capable of this—and he had his own

replied, her voice barely

hands. "So... what do we do now?" She'd only just returned from years abroad and knew

up and gave Gabrielle a reassuring smile. "We stick to the plan.

"Are you