Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

Meanwhile, Parker was completely oblivious to the digital battlefield his return had sparked. He and Naomi stepped into Silverbrook High's pristine, marble-tiled office. The air smelled faintly of lavender—probably some expensive-ass essential oil diffuser in the corner.

Naomi, though calm on the outside, still felt the residual heat from the blog storm. She'd seen the posts before they arrived. Her face was still slightly flushed, though she hid it well behind her composed expression.

Parker knocked on the frosted glass door.

"Come in," a firm voice responded.

The principal's office was as fancy as the rest of the school. A mahogany desk, sleek leather chairs, and a massive window that overlooked the school grounds where more luxury cars were still rolling in.

Principal Hughes, a stern man with salt-and-pepper hair, glanced up. His sharp gaze swept over Parker before landing on Naomi with curiosity.

"Mr. Black," he said smoothly, standing to shake Parker's hand. "I see you're back with… quite the impression."

Parker nodded coolly. "It's good to be back. I'm here to finalize my return—and I'd also like to discuss Naomi's scholarship adjustment. We'll be covering her and my tuition going forward."

Naomi blinked, eyes darting to Parker for half a second. Even though they had agreed on this, hearing it said so plainly in front of the principal felt... overwhelming.

Principal Hughes raised an eyebrow. "Is that so, Miss Sinclair?"

Naomi hesitated, then gave a small nod, voice steady but soft. "Yes, sir. I—I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity. I just... wanted to clarify everything properly."

Hughes leaned back, folding his hands together. "Well, it's highly unusual. But if both parties have come to a clear agreement…" He looked back at Parker. "I'll have my secretary process the tuition changes immediately."

Parker gave a brief, respectful nod. "Thank you."

Principal Hughes adjusted his tie, giving Parker a long, considering look as he glanced over the finalized tuition documents on his desk. The Silverbrook High crest embossed on the paperwork practically screamed wealth—the kind that made this place one of the most elite schools in the country.

"Mr. Black, I actually received confirmation that your both tuition has been paid in full for the year," he said, voice calm but measured, like he was still trying to figure Parker out. "I was under the impression your family previously handled this differently. I just want to ensure this arrangement is official and sustainable moving forward."

Parker, seated across from him, remained composed, his face giving nothing away. No tension. No cracks. Just calm authority.

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"It's all settled, sir. The payment was handled yesterday. I wanted to make sure the records reflected that I'll be managing my own tuition from now on. Everything is squared away."

The principal nodded slowly, tapping his pen against the paper.

"Well, it's certainly...unusual. Most students don't—"

"—Most students aren't me," Parker cut in smoothly, but without arrogance. Just fact. "It's taken care of, Principal Hughes. I assure you there won't be any issues."

A long beat. Hughes seemed to weigh whether to press further but, ultimately, nodded in understanding.

"Very well. Your records will be updated accordingly. If there are any concerns, my office will reach out directly."

"Appreciated," Parker replied, standing up as Naomi mirrored his movements.

As they turned to leave, Hughes added, "Oh, and Mr. Black?"

Parker glanced back, hand already on the door handle. "I trust your focus on academics will match this...newfound initiative."

Parker gave a small, unreadable smile. "Of course, sir. Wouldn't expect anything less."

The door clicked shut behind them.

Naomi exhaled the breath she'd been holding the whole time. "Okay, that was intense. You didn't have to shut him down so hard."

Parker shrugged, adjusting his blazer cuff. "He was pushing. I handled it."

Naomi blinked, still processing. He was so... different. But she couldn't say he was wrong either. Naomi wiped her eyes quickly with the back of her hand, her voice barely a whisper.

"Thanks, boss Parker. Really."

He just shrugged, hands in his pockets.

"Don't mention it."

Outside the office, the whispers and stares were already picking up again. And somewhere across campus... Maya was already typing her comeback.@@novelbin@@

The sharp clang of the school bell echoed through the courtyard, loud enough to cut through the lingering whispers and scatter the last few clusters of gossiping students.

Immediately, most of the student body sprang into motion, scrambling toward their classrooms like their lives depended on it. Designer backpacks bounced as students jogged through the pristine hallways, muttering complaints about being late or how their physics teacher was a total hard-ass.

But then there were the others.

The Silverbrook elite.

The ones who walked like they owned the place. Calm, unbothered, moving in slow strides as if the bell was just a suggestion. These were the students who didn't fear tardy slips—because their last names were enough to make rules bend. Perfectly pressed uniforms, polished shoes that echoed against the marble floors, and that signature smugness like they knew they were untouchable.

A few of them were still lingering by their lockers, phones in hand, eyes flicking back and forth between the Silverbrook blog and the empty reply box under Cleopatra's jab. Some kept refreshing, waiting for Maya's inevitable comeback.

But after a few minutes, the page remained frozen. No response.

"Damn, she's really leaving it like that?" someone whispered, locking their screen with a sigh.

"I thought Maya never backed down. Weird."

"Guess class actually matters today," another muttered sarcastically as the last stragglers finally drifted toward their homerooms.

The tension lingered, but for now?

Silverbrook High was back to business. Then in the certain class...

Annabelle swept into the classroom, posture sharp, head high, the picture of forced calm. The room practically shifted when she entered, a tension dropping over the space like a ripple in still water. Eyes flicked up but quickly darted away, no one daring to hold her gaze for too long.

The rumors were too fresh. The whispers about her father. The scandal circling the Blackwoods. No one wanted to be the idiot to bring it up in front of her.