CHAPTER FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX – JANA THE CHAMELEON

Over the next week, Jasmine carefully orchestrated a series of "casual" after-work drinks with various team members. She was careful to space them out and vary the locations, not wanting to raise suspicion. The conversations were revealing, to say the least. Alex confided that he'd been considering quitting, feeling like he couldn't do anything right. Mia admitted to having panic attacks before coming to work, terrified of facing Jana's subtle put-downs. Even some of the more senior team members, who Jasmine had thought were immune to Jana's manipulation, shared stories of self-doubt and anxiety. But it was her conversation with Lisa, one of the quieter designers, that really drove home the extent of the problem. "I thought I was going crazy," Lisa confessed, her voice barely above a whisper even in the noisy bar. "Jana would praise my work one day, then tear it apart the next. And somehow, it always ended up with me doubting myself, thinking I wasn't good enough." Jasmine reached