The first article appeared just after sunrise.
It was not aggressive.
It was polite.
That was what made it dangerous.
Aria found it by accident while scrolling through her phone in the quiet of the morning, Sofia asleep nearby on the sofa with the stuffed bear tucked under her chin. The headline was framed as a question, carefully balanced to look neutral.
Is Palermo Ready for a Symbol Instead of a Leader?
Aria read it once.
Then again.
The language was elegant. Educated. Calm. It spoke of bloodlines and influence, of the risks of elevating one woman into something more than human. It never accused her directly. It did not need to.
It planted doubt.
By noon, there were more.
