Ares's POV
The moment Jasmine walked out of the boardroom, I saw her expression… and I knew something had snapped.
Not broken.
Shifted.
The fire in her eyes was sharp enough to cut steel.
I stepped forward and caught her arm gently. "Jasmine? What happened?"
She exhaled, shaking with a mix of anger and adrenaline. "They gave me an ultimatum. Step down or get dragged through the mud."
My jaw tightened. "They did what?"
"I refused." Her voice was steady, but I could hear the tremor beneath it. "Ares… they're scared. They're hiding something. And they want me gone before I expose it."
I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to stay calm. The hallway lights danced above us, humming quietly against the tension in the air.
"They made the wrong enemy." I said.
Jasmine met my eyes. "Then let us prove it."
And just like that… we were locked in the same war.
Side by side.
