CHAPTER FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE – HOW TO SPOT A MANIPULATOR

Marco was quiet for a long moment, his fingers absently tracing patterns on Jasmine's arm. "Power," he said finally. "Control. Some people, they get off on manipulating others. Making them dance to their tune." Jasmine shivered, remembering her past experiences with manipulation and control. "So what do I do? I can't just fire her without proof. And even if I could, who knows what kind of damage she could do on her way out?" Marco pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You watch. You document. And you protect your people as best you can. We'll figure this out, babe. Together." Jasmine nodded, feeling a little calmer in Marco's embrace. But as she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't shake the feeling that things at Savant Studios were about to get a lot worse before they got better. The next day, Jasmine arrived at the studio with a renewed sense of determination. She'd spent the morning brainstorming with Marco, and they'd come up with a plan to gather more concrete evi