CHAPTER FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN – A SPLIT FRIEND GROUP

"They hit us again," he said, his voice shaking. "The hacker got through our new security measures. They've drained our accounts, Jas. We're ruined." The news spread quickly, and the fragile peace that had been maintaining the group shattered completely. "This is your fault!" Ian shouted at Marty. "If you had been more careful with our finances in the first place, none of this would have happened!" Marty bristled. "My fault? I'm not the one who was too busy sneaking around with Molly to notice our security was compromised!" Molly flinched at that. "Leave me out of this. I've been working just as hard as anyone to save this studio." "Oh really?" Ian sneered. "Is that why you've been avoiding me? Too busy 'working'?" As the accusations flew, Jasmine felt something inside her snap. The stress of the past weeks, the emotional toll of her confrontation with Konan, and now this final blow – it was all too much. "STOP IT!" she screamed, her voice raw with emotion. "Just stop it, all of