CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR – SMEAR CAMPAIGN

It was during a brief intermission that things took a turn for the worse. Jasmine had just stepped out for some air when she heard a commotion from inside. Racing back, she found the auditorium in chaos. On the giant screen behind the stage, a video was playing. It showed Tyler, clearly inebriated, making a fool of himself at what looked like a house party. The camera zoomed in as he stumbled, knocking over a priceless-looking vase. The shattering sound echoed through the speakers. "That was last year," someone in the audience shouted. "At the dean's house!" Jasmine's heart sank. She searched the crowd for Tyler but couldn't spot him. Vanessa, however, was center stage, her face a mask of concern. "While I don't condone the sharing of private moments," she was saying, "this does raise questions about my opponent's judgment and reliability." The uproar was immediate. Tyler's supporters cried foul, accusing Vanessa of a smear campaign. Her faction fired back, questioning Tyler's fit