Chapter 3: The Viral Tide Turns
The video that Vanessa had uploaded to TikTok wasn't getting the laughs she expected. Within twenty minutes, the internet had done what it does best: it identified the ring. A thousand comments flooded in, not mocking the "beggar," but identifying Elena as the legend who saved the economy during the '08 crash.
The guests—influencers, investors, and socialites—began checking their phones. The room changed. People who had been laughing at Vanessa began to slowly drift away, like rats abandoning a sinking ship. The caterers stopped serving. The band unplugged their instruments.
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"You wanted an audience," Elena said, stepping closer to the bride. "You wanted to show the world how powerful you were. You succeeded. Everyone is watching."
Vanessa finally felt the cold hand of reality. She looked at her phone. Her sponsors were dropping her. The venue manager was already walking over to tell her that the reservation for the reception had just been revoked by the owner—who, as it turned out, was one of Elena’s many subsidiaries.
