The seven Montgory Hall students sat in an orderly row, each occupying a chair that had been carefully arranged. They were dressed immaculately, their postures stiff, though their expressions ranged from bored to defiant.
Li, always the first to speak his mind, leaned forward in his chair. "Ma'am, this is so unnecessary," he said, his tone laced with irritation. "If you have an issue with so of the students, you don't have to drag all of us out of class for this. We have lessons to attend, you know."
Before he could continue, Amélie interjected, her smile growing sharper. "Oh, but I do have an issue with all of you, not just so," she said, her voice crisp.
Li blinked, montarily taken aback. "Pardon?"
"Yes, all of you," Amélie repeated, her tone firm. "Take, for instance, your disregard for protocol—the insubordination such as questioning like this. Then there's the shouting I heard in the classroom earlier." Her gaze swept across the group, her tone pointed as she continued listing seemingly minor infractions. "Talking during lectures, failing to adhere to dress code regulations, plus all the others i have heard about all of you—small offenses, perhaps, but violations nonetheless."
Ekaterina, seated near the edge, raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you serious right now? You called us here for that?"
Amélie's smile widened as she leaned forward slightly, clasping her hands on the desk. "Oh, yes, I am serious. The Montgory Hall students are held to the highest standard of class, respect, and decorum. This hall represents excellence, and I will not allow any of you to tarnish its reputation." Her gaze lingered on each of them in turn. "If I must whip you all into shape to ensure you embody the values of this institution, I will do so without hesitation."
Her words hung in the air, and she allowed a mont of silence before delivering the next blow.
"Starting tomorrow," Amélie said, her tone calm but resolute, "I will have a eting with all of your parents to discuss how we can collectively get you back up to standard."
The students' reactions shifted visibly. While they had seed unimpressed by her reprimands and threats, the ntion of their parents struck a nerve.
Caroline, who had been silent until now, spoke up, her voice firm. "That's not possible."
Daphne, seated beside her, crossed her arms and added with a haughty tone, "Yeah. Unlike so people," she said, looking Amélie up and down, "our parents have actual important jobs. They won't just drop everything because you summoned them on a whim. They won't co."
Amélie's smile never faltered. "You're absolutely right. So of your parents won't co."
Ekaterina exhaled in relief. "Phew. Thank God you understand."
Amélie's gaze shifted to her, and her smile turned razor-sharp. "Which is why I should add...if they don't attend, the child of said parents will be expelled."
A collective "What?!" erupted from the students, their outrage filling the once-calm room.
Amélie, unfazed, leaned back in her chair and lifted her teacup again. "That will be all," she said dismissively. "You may return to your classroom now."
The students remained frozen for a mont, their shock palpable, but Amélie didn't spare them another glance.
As they got up to leave, she added sweetly, "Oh, and on your way out, tell the lady at the front to co in, please."
The students exchanged glances as they filed out, their footsteps echoing faintly in the vast, historic office. Behind them, Amélie sipped her tea, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Throughout the day, the Montgory kids moved through their routines like shadows of their usual selves. Their confidence, typically unshakable, seed to waver under the weight of the headmaster's ultimatum. Even their sharp tongues, usually quick to bite, were noticeably subdued.
Caroline Blackwell, in particular, seed unlike herself. During her advanced business strategies class—a course filled with discussions about market domination, corporate takeovers, and intricate profit maximization models—she suddenly stood up without a word and left the room.
A pair of sharp black eyes watched her go.
Caroline made her way back to her room, her steps steady but her mind racing. Upon entering, she shut the door firmly behind her, leaning back against it with a heavy sigh. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to calm the frustration bubbling within her.
But there was no ti to dwell. Pushing off the door, she quickly grabbed her phone, scrolling to a familiar number. Her fingers trembled slightly as she pressed the call button. After a few rings, a calm, polite voice answered.
"Miss Caroline, how are you?"
Caroline ignored the greeting entirely. "Rachel, where is my father?"
Rachel, sensing the urgency in Caroline's tone, responded carefully. "Mr. Blackwell is on the island as we speak, ma'am. He hasn't left for so ti now."
Caroline inhaled sharply. "Hmm."
Rachel hesitated before cautiously asking, "Is sothing the matter, Miss Caroline?"
Without hesitation, Caroline launched into the story, recounting the ridiculous eting with Headmaster Amélie, the threats, and, most importantly, the insistence on involving their parents.
Rachel, having listened intently, let out a surprised, "Wow. By tomorrow? That's insane—all your parents?"
Caroline rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've already said that, Rachel."
Rachel cleared her throat apologetically. "Yes, of course, ma'am. I'm sorry. But I'm sure your father would attend if it's explained to him—especially the expulsion stipulation."
Caroline stiffened. "That's exactly what I don't want," she said firmly. "I can't let my father hear about this, Rachel. He trusted to attend school, to focus, and even that…" She trailed off, her voice lowering. "Even that I'm disturbing him with this nonsense? No. It's unacceptable. I refuse to disappoint him."
Rachel paused for a mont before suggesting gently, "What about your mother, then, Miss? You could call her to attend instead."
Caroline let out an incredulous scoff. "How are you even thinking right now, Rachel? It's not who will call them—it's the school. How would calling her change anything? I need my dad not to be called. That's the main thing." Her tone grew sharper, irritation bubbling through.
Rachel quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, ma'am."
But before Rachel could say more, Caroline froze mid-breath. Her eyes widened as a sudden idea struck her. "Wait. No—that's brilliant!" she exclaid, her voice rising with excitent. "All I have to do is call her first, then get the secretary to change the number on file—from my dad's to hers. That way, when the school reaches out, they'll contact her instead." Her mind raced, already formulating the details. "Rachel, you're brilliant! Thanks—bye!"
Rachel's warm laughter filtered through the phone just before the call disconnected. "No problem, Miss Caroline. Good luck!"
With the call ended, Caroline stood still for a mont, the plan solidifying in her mind. She quickly opened her contact list, scrolling purposefully through the nas. Her fingers paused over one in particular: Miss Beaumont.
Caroline stared at the na for a second, her breathing steadying. Then, with a determined exhale, she pressed the na, initiating the call.
This chapter is dedicated to all of you—thank you so much for your incredible support! You've all made this journey so much more enjoyable, and I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Because of your continued love and encouragent, I've decided to release a third chapter!
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