Linda had expected that.
Jana always needed to feel important, needed her ego fed before she listened.
Linda stayed quiet for a beat, pretending to think, then smiled slowly.
"You're right. You probably will be queen one day. But let's be honest, your current support base is mostly Year Ones. You haven't exactly won the upper classes yet, have you?"
Jana's brows twitched. Linda knew she had hit a nerve.
"I, on the other hand," Linda continued smoothly, "have solid footing in Years Four, Five, and even some Six. I can get some of the alumni to talk too. You can't reach them from where you are now, but I can."
Jana looked intrigued, but not convinced yet. Linda leaned closer, dropping her final card.
"And don't forget, my father is the Minister for Communications in Riverum. If I ask, he can put in a good word for you when the time comes. Influence isn't just about popularity, it's about connections."
There it was.
The gleam of greed flickered in Jana's eyes.
