Jasmine's POV
The week after the press conference moved in a blur of camera flashes, interviews, and restless nights. The world saw Ares and me smiling together on every business blog, calling us the perfect team… but behind those smiles was a silence thick enough to choke on.
Still, I had no time to dwell. We had a major investor pitch that Friday, one that could decide the company's future. I spent days perfecting the files, rehearsing slides, cross-checking figures until my eyes burned. This deal had to work… not just for KnightCorp and Duvall Holdings, but for me. For my reputation. For the part of me still desperate to prove I didn't need Ares' shadow to shine.
The morning of the pitch, I arrived early. My heels clicked across the marble floor as I walked into the conference room. Everything was ready… coffee steaming, folders lined up, screens on standby. The city glowed outside the windows, the skyline looking almost peaceful.
Then my stomach dropped.
