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Chapter 5 - Top Performer

The tension outside the school entrance was palpable, charged with a hint of anticipation, as the sound of engines hummed through the courtyard. Luxurious Rolls Royce Phantom pulled up in front of the building entrance, flanked by two sleek, black SUVs. The convoy came to a sharp stop and the world seemed to hold its breath.

Bodyguards stepped out first, their movements synchronized with military precision, scanning the area before one of them opened the door to the phantom. Damon Montgomery emerged, a vision of power in his immaculately tailored charcoal suit that spoke of wealth and power. His presence was magnetic, commanding attention without a single word. He didn't spare a glance toward the waiting crowd as the air around him exuded authority.

At the entrance, Principal Sterling and a group of board members and some teachers stood stiffly in their best attire, beads of sweat visible on some faces. Principal Sterling nervously fumbled with his tie, stepping forward with a trembling hand extended for a handshake.

"Mr. Montgomery," he began in a shaky voice, "w-welcome to our institution, I-uh-we appreciate you taking the time to visit."

Damon paused briefly in front of the principal, his sharp gaze locking onto Sterling's for an uncomfortably long moment. He didn't speak, didn't move to shake the offered hand but his silence was as intimidating as any response could have been. Sterling faltered, his voice trailing off as the weight of the moment sank in. Awkwardly, he lowered his hand, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Recognizing the silence as a cue, Sterling quickly stepped aside and gestured toward the main building, his tone trembling as he spoke.

"This way, Mr. Montgomery."

Damon moved forward without a word, his long strides forcing the group to hastily adjust their pace to keep up. His bodyguards followed closely, their presence adding to the suffocating tension.

The hallway was silent, the usual chatter replaced by a tense anticipation. Wave, Taya and Dream stood together by the hallway sides, watching like everyone else as the grand convoy pulled up outside and as they stepped in the hallway.

"Who is that? Why is everything so extra?" Wave asked, her voice cutting through the quiet tension of their corner.

Dream turned to her, wide-eyed. "You're joking, right?"

"Why? Who's he?" Wave replied, her gaze fixed on the imposing figure now approaching them.

Taya leaned closer, lowering her voice as if speaking too loudly might draw attention. "That's Damon Montgomery, CEO of Trident Corporation, the sponsor to your scholarship. Everyone knows who he is."

Dream nodded, "And everyone knows why he's here."

Wave frowned, "Why?"

Taya sighed, her gaze shifting to Wave from Damon, "Damon Montgomery, Hunter Montgomery?... Does that ring a bell?"

"They're related?" with a puzzled expression.

Dream exchanged a glance with Taya before responding with a low murmur, "Wavy, of course they're related. Damon and Hunter are stepbrothers, different mothers."

Just then Damon and his entourage passed by the trio and Damon's eyes swept across the trio, lingering on Wave for just a brief second before continuing his stride without pause. It was a subtle assessing glance that caught Wave off guard, leaving her feeling oddly exposed. But Wave felt as if he had imagined the glance because she was talking about him previously moreover, Taya and Dream didn't notice it.

After the group passed, the break time ended and the students resumed to their classes for the next class, The procession halted at the door to the principal's office. Mr. Sterling, opened the door, with a slight tremor in his hand, glancing back at Damon, whose expression was unreadable but intimidatingly calm, stepping aside to let Damon enter first.

Damon walked in with his usual air of authority, his polished leather shoes making soft but deliberate sounds on the hardwood floor as his Secretary, Ethan, followed him closely, clutching his tablet with practiced efficiency. Mr. Sterling closed the door softly behind them, leaving the bodyguards, teachers and board members standing outside.

Damon moved to the nearest couch, lowering himself onto it with a deliberate grace. Mr. Sterling hesitated for a brief moment before settling into the opposite couch. For a moment, no one spoke. The ticking of the clock on the wall filled the silence, underscoring the weight of the conversation that was about to begin.

"Mr. Sterling," Damon's tone was calm but laced with no room for argument, "You have exactly twenty minutes to give me two things."

Mr. Sterling shifted uncomfortably, gripping the edge of his seat as Damon continued.

"First, I need a detailed explanation of how someone from your institution managed to leak Hunter's disciplinary issue and more importantly, I want a solution. Not a heartfelt apology or vague promises, A solution." His tone dropping an octave.

Mr. Sterling opened his mouth to speak, but Damon raised a hand to stop him,

"Second," Damon said, "you will provide me with a concrete plan to address his failing grades as they are a direct reflecting of your school's inability to support its students." his voice lowered further, each word sharp and deliberate as he glanced his watch, "You have thirteen minutes to provide solutions and convince me this institution is worth my investments."

"Mr. Montgomery," Mr. Sterling began, his voice steady and confident now, "I've already found the perpetrator responsible for the leak and expelled him." he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. "For Hunter's academic problems, I'm placing him under the mentorship of our best performing educators. A tailored plan will be developed and I'll personally oversee his progress to ensure you see results in the coming semester."

The weight of Damon's stare was settling on him like a physical force like telling him If you are joking and not serious with whatever you just stated you are going to suffer a terrible fate that exhausting your entire generation's fortune isn't going to solve.

"I understand what's at stake, Mr. Montgomery and I assure you these solutions will be implemented immediately."

"Which educators are you going to place him under?" Damon asked.

"All the teachers in this facility." 

The moment he finished his statement, the air in the office turned coldly that made Mr. Sterling and Assistant Cole stiffen and find it hard to breath. Ethan looked for a very fast solution as Mr. Sterling couldn't think as of that moment, he blurted.

"We can put him to be tutored by one of his fellow classmates."

"Yeah YEAH! Why didn't I think about this!" Sterling shrieked but a glare was quick to shut him and make him choose his next words carefully, "We can choose the school's top performer to tutor him, Riley Edwards or Taya Collins."

"Or the country's top performer." Ethan added

"Who?" Sterling asked as if he turned dumb while looking at Ethan like he was speaking of something non-existing.

"The girl under Mont Charity Scholarship!" Ethan answered with disbelief.

"Wave Fishers!"

The moment Wave's name was mentioned it was like the lifesaving that Principal Sterling needed. Damon stood up and said emotionlessly with his icy gaze between Sterling and Ethan.

"Times up!"

They all didn't know whether it was a good thing or not as it was emotionless. They stood up nervously hoping for the best and wishing for him to just punish them and get over with it before they just get a hypertension and blood pressure.

"I need to see the result at the end of the semester."

He then left. Mr. Sterling saw him out himself and bid him goodbye. Mr. Sterling went back to his office and that's when he relaxed a bit and chugged all the water on his desk before he reached for the intercom on his desk and pressed the button, its soft click echoing through the room. The speaker buzzed to life with his clear, authoritative voice as it added a layer of stern professionalism to his words leaving no room for hesitation.

"Hunter Montgomery and Wave Fishers, please report to my office immediately!"