The press conference was scheduled for the following morning, a final attempt to control the narrative before she stepped away for good. Min Hee-jin sat in her office, staring at the statement she had written, her eyes scanning the words over and over again. She had spent the night crafting it, pouring every ounce of her remaining strength into each sentence, each carefully chosen word. It was a farewell, a declaration, and a plea all at once.

She glanced at the clock. Only a few hours left until she would stand in front of the cameras, face the world, and let them see her one last time as the CEO of ADOR. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, but she forced herself to breathe, to stay calm. She had made her decision, and there was no turning back now.

A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. “Come in,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

The door opened, and the members of NewJeans stepped inside, their faces a mixture of determination and sadness. Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein—the girls she had seen grow from hopeful trainees to the brightest stars in the K-pop galaxy. They had been through so much together, weathered so many storms. And now, this might be their final moment as a team.

“We wanted to see you before tomorrow,” Minji said, her voice soft but firm. “To say… thank you.”

Min blinked, taken aback. “You don’t have to thank me,” she said, her voice cracking. “I should be the one thanking you. For everything.”

“No,” Hanni said, shaking her head. “We wouldn’t be here without you. You believed in us when no one else did. You fought for us. And we’ll never forget that.”

Min felt her eyes well up with tears, but she fought them back. She couldn’t break now, not in front of them. She had to be strong, for their sake.

“I don’t want you to worry,” she said, forcing a smile. “This isn’t the end. You’re going to keep going. You’re going to be amazing.”

“We can’t do this without you,” Haerin said, her voice trembling. “It won’t be the same.”

Min’s heart ached at their words, at the pain she could see in their eyes. She wanted to promise them that everything would be okay, that they would find a way through this. But she couldn’t lie to them, not now.

“I know it’s hard,” she said, reaching out to take their hands. “But you’re strong. Stronger than you know. You’ll get through this. And I’ll always be with you, even if I’m not here.”

They were silent for a moment, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Then, one by one, they nodded, their eyes shining with unshed tears.

“We’ll make you proud,” Danielle said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“You already have,” Min replied, her heart breaking all over again. “You always have.”

The room was quiet as they stood there, hand in hand, a circle of strength and love in the midst of the chaos that had consumed them. It was a moment Min would carry with her for the rest of her life, a reminder of what they had built together, of the bond that nothing could break.

But all too soon, the moment passed, and they were left with the reality of what was to come. The press conference. The truth. And then… the end.

They left her then, after one last hug, one last whispered word of encouragement. Min watched them go, her heart heavy, but with a strange sense of peace settling over her. She had done everything she could for them, for ADOR. Now, all she could do was hope that it would be enough.

She turned back to her desk, to the statement waiting for her. She read it one last time, making small adjustments, until it felt right. Until it felt like her.

She sat back, the exhaustion catching up with her. Her eyes drifted shut, the events of the past few months replaying in her mind like a film. The accusations, the betrayals, the moments of hope and despair. And through it all, the shaman’s voice, echoing in her ears like a ghost from another life.

“They will turn against you,” she had said, her eyes distant, as if she could see the future laid out before her like a map. “But you are strong. You have your sister with you. You will survive this.”

Min didn’t know if she believed that anymore. The strength she had once felt, the certainty that she could overcome anything, had been worn down, chipped away piece by piece. But she had to hold on to something, even if it was just the memory of that belief.

She opened her eyes, staring at the statement in front of her. This was it. Her last stand.

She reached for her phone, dialing a number she knew by heart. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

“Are you ready?” her lawyer asked, his voice steady and calm.

Min took a deep breath, feeling the weight of everything that had led to this moment pressing down on her. “Yes,” she said, her voice firm. “I’m ready.”

“Good,” he said. “We’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Min nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “Thank you.”

She hung up, her hand trembling as she placed the phone back on the desk. She took another deep breath, forcing herself to stand, to move. She walked to the window, staring out at the city below. The sun was rising, painting the sky with shades of pink and gold. A new day, a new beginning.

Or maybe the end of everything she had known.

But she would face it, whatever came next. She would stand before the world and tell them the truth. And then she would walk away, her head held high.

Because this was not just her story. It was the story of everyone who had fought beside her, who had believed in her, who had stood by her through the storm.

And that was something worth fighting for, even if it meant losing everything.

The day was breaking, the sky brightening with the promise of a new dawn. Min took one last look at the city she loved, the city that had given her so much and taken so much in return. And then she turned away, ready to face whatever came next.

She was ready.

The war was almost over. But her fight, her journey, was just beginning.