When no one moved, I barked, “I saidnow.”
The room shifted. Their confidence cracked.
“Put them in the basket,” I said, grabbing a silver punch bowl from the table. “You’re done.”
“You documented everything,” I said coldly, voice low but razor-sharp. “Every text. Every group chat. Every damn video. That digital trail? It’s evidence now. And congratulations—your little prank just became cyber harassment and conspiracy to commit defamation.”
I stepped closer, eyes blazing. “There are lawyers involved. Real ones. And remember those NDA agreements from Ohio? We’re tearing them apart. Which means everyone—everyone—who knew about tonight is fair game now.”
Their faces paled.
“You think this ends with a suspension or some sanitized apology? Try civil suits. Misdemeanor charges. Maybe even felonies."
I scanned the room like I was memorizing each of their names.
“Ivy League? Gone. Pledge week? Not happening. Your perfect college essays about integrity and leadership? Shred them. You’re not getting internships—you’re going to get subpoenas.”
They blinked.
I didn’t.
“You won’t feel the weight of this tonight. Or tomorrow. But one day—when you’re fifty, forgotten, and bitter—you’ll remember this night.The night you fucked with the wrong girl.”
Pause.
“And realized you weren’t the predators. You were the prey.”
“Phones. Now.” My palm was out, jaw ticking eyes ablaze. I wasn’t fucking around and they all knew it.
“You can’t?—”
“Watch me.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
TRISTAN
It was war now.
The moment Xavier hung up with Landon, I pulled out my phone and hit speed dial. “Cecily? It’s me. I need a PR release. Tight. No fluff. Headline needs to bite.”
“You want defense or offense?” she asked without missing a beat.
“Offense. Full assault. Make them bleed, but tastefully.”
Within minutes, my inbox pinged. Draft one.
A disturbing trend of elite parents using wealth and social leverage to protect their children at the expense of scholarship students has come to light at Royal Oaks Prep, where recent events involving harassment, cyberbullying, and misconduct have sparked internal investigations and external concern.
Sources close to the situation have confirmed that the victim, a high-achieving female student with D1 athletic offers, was targeted repeatedly while school officials looked the other way. As of this morning, several legal teams have become involved.
The institution has yet to comment, but parents of legacy students involved are reportedly preparing public statementsand facing scrutiny over how such behavior was allowed to thrive.
Cecily didn’t miss.
I turned the phone around for Leo and Xavier to read.
Leo’s jaw ticked. “Release it.”
