Jayden's POV
The events from yesterday weighed heavily on my mind. Sleep had been elusive, slipping away every time I closed my eyes. The image of Jasmine's face during that council meeting haunted me. The hurt in her eyes when those false accusations flew at her like daggers cut deeper than any physical wound I had ever endured.
This entire mess was my doing. I had dragged her back into this world of politics and betrayal. She would never have faced such humiliation if I had possessed the strength to leave her be. Yet every fiber of my being rebelled against the thought of staying away from her.
Elder Ziva's confession from yesterday echoed in my thoughts like a relentless drumbeat. He claimed to be just one of many men who had shared Sylvia's bed, and now he wanted to expose them all before his own downfall became complete.
