d open the heavy oak door of the stu
walked straight to the massive desk, pull
or open. His tie was pulled loose. The d
f paper down in front of her. "Preston has a
cal register. "Amara, we are profoundly disappointed in you. We took you in, and this is how you beha
own good, we have contacted a highly disciplined boarding school in Nevada. They special
e pulled out a fresh lollipop, unwrapped it, and pl
cade of a concerned patriarch instantly shattering into raw rage.
or and pulled out a thick manila envelope, one of the countless contingency plans-Plan B-prepare
the oak desk and pushed the
black text at the top of the pages. Declaration of
these, and I walk out the front d
teen-year-old girl sitting in his chair, tryin
ature line. "I already signed it. I am waiving the hundred-thousand-dollar severa
His pulse slowed. A violent, emotionless dau
on the desk. "Sign it, Sterling! Before she chan
s jacket pocket. He pressed the nib to the
, invisible weight lifted off Ama
ded it, and shoved it into her backpack. She
efficiency. A sudden, cold knot of pan
t of dumpsters in a we
er hand on the brass knob. "I hope you n
irs. She did not look at Brandie, who was h
ront doors. A torrential down
e black umbrella. Her eyes were red. She tri
umbrella. She leaned in and wrapped her ar
nd stepped into the rain. The hea
ay. The rain pounded against th
ssive, armored black SUV sat idl
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