In Bed With Her Shithead Boss (By Ellie Wynters) novel Chapter 327

One week later…

Keira flopped down on the bed in her suite, exhaustion seeping into every muscle. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the nursing home had been her third public appearance of the day, and her face hurt from smiling. She kicked off her heels, not caring where they landed, and pressed her palms against her eyes.

The week after their engagement announcement had been a whirlwind of charity events, public appearances, and endless photo opportunities. Each one carefully orchestrated to present her as the perfect future princess, worthy of Alexei and Wystovia.

But despite Tanya's meticulous PR strategy, the press continued their assault on her as Alexei’s chosen bride. Every appearance was dissected, every outfit criticized, every gesture analyzed for signs that she was "faking it" or "not royal material." The tabloids remained relentless, their headlines growing more vicious by the day.

"Keira Warner Looking for Approval: Using Charities to Win Over Skeptical Public"

"Palace Insiders Claim Warner Girl Struggling with Royal Protocol"

"Is Prince Alexei Already Regretting His Hasty Engagement?"

Keira reached for her phone, then thought better of it. She'd promised herself she wouldn't check the news coverage anymore. It only fueled her anxiety and made her doubt herself, which was exactly what they wanted.

Instead, she pulled up her contacts and started a video call with both her sisters. They answered almost immediately, their familiar faces appearing on split-screen.

"There's our royal sister!" Blair greeted, her smile warm. "How was the nursing home opening?"

"It's all exhausting," Keira admitted, adjusting her position to lie more comfortably. She thought everything she was doing was important and loved some of the things Tanya had been getting her to do. But the ongoing stress of worrying whether she was doing the wrong thing was getting to her. "I've smiled so much today my face might be permanently stuck this way."

"Poor baby," Sutton teased, but her eyes held understanding. "The press still giving you hell we see. Do you want me to put a virus in their systems?"

They all laughed because Sutton could and would if needed.

"No." Keira sighed. "My approval rating with the Wystovian people is at an all-time low. Apparently, I'm 'trying too hard' or 'not trying hard enough' and 'too interested in the media coverage.'"

Blair's expression hardened. "That's ridiculous. You're doing amazingly well considering you were thrown into this with zero preparation."

Keira reached up with her free hand and started pulling pins out of her hair. "Everything I do is wrong. If I smile too much, I'm fake. If I don't smile enough, I'm cold and unapproachable."

"Sounds like a no-win situation," Sutton observed.

No one, not even Alexei, could change the public opinion.

"What is it?" Blair asked, leaning closer to her screen.

"I'm thinking about leaving Alexei."

The words hung in the air, heavy and shocking. Both sisters stared at her in stunned silence.

"What?" Sutton finally managed. "You seemed so happy when we spoke last week!"

"I know, I know." Keira pressed her palms against her eyes again. "And I do love him. So much. But this life... I don't think I can do it. The constant scrutiny, the criticism, the fact that nothing I do is ever good enough. It’s hurting Alexei and the palace. I don't think it's ever going to stop. Is love enough?"

"Keira," Blair said gently, "If it's just the press—"

"It's more than that." Keira's voice cracked slightly. "I don't belong here. Everyone knows it. I'm not cut out to be a princess or whatever I'm supposed to be. I'm ruining his reputation, his standing with his people. I wouldn't care if it was just the press, but the people hate me."

"That's not true," Sutton insisted. "The thing with the press will die down eventually."