THE DAY THE CHIEF'S DAUGHTER LEARNED THAT POWER HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE

The heavy oak doors of the administrative suite slammed shut, cutting off the muffled echoes of the hallway. Inside Principal Henderson’s spacious office, the air was thick with tension, smelling faintly of old leather and expensive cologne. Arthur Vance paced across the Persian rug, his polished leather shoes clicking rhythmically against the floorboards, while Principal Henderson nervously adjusted his tie behind a massive mahogany desk.

Chloe sat stiffly on a velvet armchair, her arms crossed tightly over her green and white letterman jacket. Her bottom lip trembled, not from sorrow, but from a blinding, incandescent rage that had been festering since the cafeteria incident.

"I want her expelled!" Chloe snapped, slamming her palm against the armrest. "She poured food on herself, she insulted my father, she's completely unhinged! Principal Henderson, if she isn't gone by the end of the day, I'll make sure my dad pulls all the funding for the upcoming science wing!"

Principal Henderson swallowed hard, his eyes flickering anxiously toward Arthur. He knew who signed the checks that kept the elite academy running, and he knew the exorbitant donations the Vance family poured into the institution. But Arthur hadn't said a single word since they entered the office. He had stopped pacing and was now standing by the rain-streaked window, staring blankly out at the athletic fields.

"Chloe, be quiet," Arthur finally said. His voice was dangerously low, stripped of all warmth.

"Quiet? Dad, she humiliated me in front of the entire school!" Chloe shrieked, standing up. "Everyone was looking at me like I was the villain! Why are you acting like this? Just call her file up and throw her out!"

"There is no file to throw out," a calm, chilling voice answered from the doorway.

The heavy office door swung open slowly. Maya stood on the threshold, having walked in behind them without a sound. She was no longer wearing the stained light-colored top; instead, she had changed into a simple, crisp black turtleneck. Her long dark hair was tied back neatly, and she held a thin, leather-bound folder in her left hand.

Principal Henderson sprang out of his chair, his face contorting in confusion and outrage. "How did you get in here? Security was supposed to—"

"Security answers to the board of directors, Principal Henderson," Maya interrupted smoothly, stepping into the room and letting the door click shut behind her. "Not to your administrative budget."

Arthur slowly turned away from the window. His eyes locked onto the leather-bound folder in Maya's hand, and for the first time, color completely drained from his face.

"Where did you get that?" Arthur whispered, his voice trembling audibly.

Maya walked past a stunned Chloe, stopping right in front of the principal’s desk. She placed the folder down, tapping the gold-embossed seal on the cover with her index finger.