Chapter 27

Hailey’s eyes widened. “Wait–so without your families backing them, the Medrano family could go under?

It wasn’t quite that dramatic. The Medrano family wouldn’t collapse overnight, but things would get tough. They were an old academic family, deeply rooted in education rather than business.

Unlike the power–hungry elites of Hallon City, they’d never prioritized expanding their influence,

Generations of scholars and teachers had shaped their legacy, and in this generation, they’d poured their wealth into schools and education centers…

But everything required money. The more they wanted to contribute, the more investment they needed.

While other families built their fortunes, the Medranos funneled their earnings into education, making them far less financially aggressive.

Running a school meant relying on other families–but not entirely.

After everything the Medrano family had done, even if they went broke, the government and good–hearted people were willing to step in and help.

Everton High School had several investors, but the biggest shareholder wasn’t the Daltons or the Hawthornes–it was Owen.

No one knew because he’d invested privately, separate from his family’s wealth.

Beatrix, ever the spoiled heiress, didn’t grasp the bigger picture.

She assumed that if the Hawthorne family pulled their funding and convinced others to do the same, the Medrano family would be finished.

In her mind, the Medrano family was nothing.

Lifting her chin like a self–important swan, she smirked at Hailey. “That’s right.”

Hailey couldn’t help it–she laughed.

Beatrix’s expression darkened. “What the hell’s so funny?”

Hailey met her glare with a smirk. “You. You’re ignorant, arrogant, and completely clueless.”

“You little-” Beatrix’s face twisted in rage as she swung her hand toward Hailey’s cheek.

Hailey caught her wrist midair, fingers tightening like a vice. Her eyes held no fear, only an eerie, quiet confidence.

For a brief second, Beatrix hesitated. But with her girls surrounding them, she quickly shoved her doubt aside. “You really think you can take all of us?”

stepped in, grabbing Hailey’s shoulders. One sneered, “Be smart about this. Get on your knees

real

the Daltons will protect you? Please. They’d drop you in a heartbeat if it

respond. She just squeezed

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Chapter 27

furious as pain shot up

was stronger than she looked, and the unsettling, calm in her expression

idiots just gonna stand there? Do something!

nodded and lunged, reaching

was usually just hair–pulling and slapping. But hair–polling was the real Killer

dodging with ease. The girl’s hand

her wrist, Hailey

staggered backward–straight into her own crew. With a yelp, the crashed

hard on top of her friends, knocking the

air as they scrambled

glance. Calmly, she reached up and pulled the black hair tie from her wrist, gathering her hair into a messy

she took a

casting a golden glow around her. She looked almost angelic–except for the

felt a chill run down her spine. She wasn’t hurt, not really, but the

backward, her voice shaking. “D–Don’t come any closer!”

Hailey didn’t stop.

the door, yanking at the handle–only to find it locked. Someone had sealed

breaking down, barely

was soft, almost lazy. “Maybe after today, you’ll learn how to treat

turned, crying–and her eyes

*******

minutes later, Hailey stepped out of

Maintenance” sign hanging on the door, then at Eliza, who stood a few feet away, watching. She

landed on Hailey’s

an effortless kind of authority, the kind that made

so sure Hailey was weak.

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Chapter 27

standing here, she realized just how ridiculous that assumption had

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