"Alright, Principal," he walked up with a shrug, barely making eye contact, "am I bound for detention, or should I channel my inner Zen at meditation class?" Hunter chuckled softly clearly unfazed by either option.
"I need a visit to the nurse, maybe if you could add that on your list, Principal," Jace said in a low steady tone as he held up his bruised hand briefly.
"Didn't realize you were such a wussy! What's next? Calling mommy to kiss it better, mummy's boy?" Hunter jeered, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Oh, at least I've got a mommy to run to," he scoffed, a venomous smile creeping onto his face, "Can't say the same for you though, can I? Guess it's hard when your mom couldn't be bothered to stick around." His smirk widened.
In a flash, Hunter grabbed Jace by the collar, his fist clenched, trembling with barely restrained anger. His glare was fierce, and he looked ready to lunge, the threat clear in his eyes. Before he made his move, the principal stepped in, voice firm and commanding, "ENOUGH!" stopping them just before thing escalated too far on his watch.
Mr. Sterling adjusted his glasses as he sat down, his gaze steely as he looked between the two boys. "Am expecting your parents to be here tomorrow," leaving no room for argument, "And as an added reminder, you'll be attending both meditation and detention for the entire semester."
In a sleek, glass-walled office, the cold and domineering, Damon Montgomery, sat with an air of authority behind an imposing desk crafted from dark mahogany, its surface polished to a mirror-like finish, exuded understated luxury, hinting both at wealth and precision. His ergonomic leather chair tailored to perfection, its sleek design as commanding as the man who occupied it. His cold aura in contrast with his handsome face.
The room, adorned with minimalist décor, reflected his unyielding personality. He wore a tailored navy suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and sharp jawline, his dark hair neatly slicked back. As he reviewed a stack of reports with a frown, his piercing blue cold eyes scanned the documents with meticulous precision as he signed others while some dove right into the bin.
His secretary, Ethan Cole, stood at the door, hesitating before entering. He adjusted his glasses nervously, clutching a file tightly.
"Mr. Montgomery," his voice steady but anxious, "there's been another incident involving your brother. He got into a fight at school... for the fifth time this term."
Ethan's words were met with silence. Damon didn't look up, his pen completed the signature it had paused over, then he calmly set it down, aligning it perfectly with the edge of the desk and leaned back in his chair. His icy gaze settled on Ethan.
His tone devoid of emotion, "And?"
"The principal is insisting on a meeting. Immediately," Ethan hesitated, unsure if the lack of reaction was a good or bad sign.
"You thought this warranted interrupting me?" with an icy stare that made Ethan swallow hard.
Clutching the file like a lifeline, he nodded nervously, "It's the fifth time this term, sir..."
Without lifting his gaze from the documents, his voice cut through the silence, cold and precise.
"Tell Hunter I'll meet with him once I arrive at the manor." He paused, "You can leave."
Ethan stiffened, nodding, bowing his head before quickly exiting.
Wave sat cross-legged on the heated mat on the floor, at a small, cluttered desk in the small rooftop room, the faded walls surrounding her like a quiet cocoon, the room had a charm of its own, cozy despite its wear and tear. Her textbooks, notebooks and highlighters spread out like a fortress of knowledge. With her earplugs in, the world felt far away, she tapped her pen against her notebook absentmindedly as her eyes scanned the page, absorbing the material with a quiet intensity.
She flipped through textbooks, as she highlighted key points and took notes. It wasn't until the sharp ring of her phone broke the silence that she blinked, startled. She reached for her phone, reluctantly pulling herself from the deep concentration that held her for so long. A smile spread across her face as soon as her eyes locked on the name of the caller.
"Blessed be the Lord, my dear," Sister Michael greeted warmly.
"Blessed be God," Wave replied eagerly.
"How was your first day at school?"
"It was okay, I guess. A lot bigger than I thought. Kinda overwhelming." Wave leaned back on the heated mat for a comfortable position.
"I figured. Did you meet anyone? Talk to anyone?"
"Yeah, actually. I met two girls. They're nice. I don't think they noticed how out of place I felt," She sighed.
"That's wonderful! How'd you meet them?"
"They just started talking to me like it was nothing. It was surprising."
"It sounds like they're kind-hearted. Did you click with them?"
"Yeah, I think so. They gave me a school tour and invited me to sit with them at lunch. One of the girl is the principal's daughter and the other girl is a daughter of the school's board chairperson."
"See? You're already finding your place. It'll get easier from here."
Wave smiled slightly before she said, "Maybe. It still feels weird, but at least I have someone to talk to now."
"Wave have you eaten dinner?" Sister Michael asked with a soothing tone filled with motherly love.
"Yes I did, Mrs. Pierce invited me to have dinner with her."
Mrs. Pierce was the landlady of her rooftop house and lived alone managing a small convenience store at the ground floor where Wave has to help out every weekend.
"Good, good. Remember, my dear, you need to rest. You're not a morning person and your body needs time to adjust. Go to sleep, Okay?"
Wave nodded sheepishly, "I know sister, am going to sleep now, May God bless you."
"May he bless you too, Take care of yourself. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
As Wave hung up, she felt a sense of peace. With Sister Michael's words and reminders, she felt ready to face the days ahead.
A sleek black Maybach glided smoothly onto the expansive cobblestone driveway, it came to a silent stop in front of the towering double doors of the opulent manor, a symbol of wealth and power. A bodyguard in a sharp black suit stepped forward, opening the back door with precision.
Damon emerged, his commanding presence emanating an air of cold authority. The maids, lined up neatly by the entrance, dipped their heads in synchronized respect "Welcome back, Master Damon" The butler, Mr. Yates said. The bodyguards by the door gave curt nods, their stances rigid as they held the heavy double doors open for him.
Inside, Hunter sat in the grand cold living room, the tension palpable as he nervously tapped his fingers against the armrest of an ornate leather chair. His eyes darted toward the entrance at the sound of the door clicking shut. The sight of Damon walking in, calm and composed, made his stomach tighten.
Damon's gaze landed on Marcus, a cold look that said more than any word could. He swallowed hard, rising from his seat as he followed his elder brother, his nerves heightened with every step as they made their way to the study. The door to the study opened, Damon stepped in as Hunter trailed behind. A soft click echoed in the silence as Hunter closed the door.
"I... I heard you wanted to see me," He stammered, his voice trembling slightly.
"Do you have any explanation for the fights?" Damon asked as he sat down and unbuttoned his cufflinks.
"I- " He hesitated, wringing his hands. "I lost it. He kept insulting my mum. He asked for it."
"Lost it?" his tone flat, "Be decisive, You either control yourself or face the consequences."
"I will control myself," he said with a very humble tone.
"The end of term examination I need you first, Okay?"
"WHhat... I can't do it. Am not a genius. Am always not passing. I can't just wake up and be first!" He tried reasoning with Damon since he knew it was practically impossible to do it.
"You can leave!" Damon said his tone carrying finality.
"Damon please!" Hunter tried to bargain but one icy look from Damon was enough to shut him up.
Just as Hunter turned to leave, A slap echoed in the room. Hunter was given a heavy slap that made him fall down and his corner of lips bled.
"Redmond, leave the boy alone, Damon has already disciplined him!" Adina, Damon's mother's voice was heard from the staircase since she was too old to keep up with her husband who was furious after receiving a call from the principal asking for his presence the next day.
The four people in the study, Adina trying to calm her husband down as Hunter sat on the floor bleeding and his face swollen while Damon seated on his chair massaging his temples.
"Hunter, you want to be the death of me! After all the shame you still want to add shame in our family's name?" Redmond said furiously as he tried to pick him up by his collar and hit him once more.
"Redmond, he's already bleeding, Do you want to kill him?" Adina tried to meditate
"Yes! He's better of dead. I wish he was not even my son!" He said.
The commotion in the room was really loud that it garned attention of all the maids and the bodyguards but they were really proffesional and continued with their works instead of eavesdropping.
"ENOUGH! Don't bring violence in my house!" A calm and cold voice penetrated and made everyone in the room stop.