Mrs. Vance narrowed her eyes. She had never liked Sterling’s aggressive influence over the school. “Let the girl show her evidence, Richard. If she assaulted your daughter, the video will confirm it.”
Before Davis could object, Maya reached over and plugged the flash drive into the table’s USB port. The large smart-screen on the wall flickered to life.
Maya didn't play a video of the hallway fight.
She played the video from chemistry class.
The board members watched in silence as the screen showed the empty classroom. They watched Chloe stand up. They watched her produce a silver master key with a Sterling Real Estate fob. They watched her unlock the teacher’s desk, pull out the midterm answer key, photograph it, and lock it back up.
The room went graveyard silent.
Chloe buried her face in her hands.
“What is this?” Mrs. Vance demanded, her voice turning dangerously sharp. “Chloe, where did you get a master key?”
“I... I found it!” Chloe stammered, crying real tears now. “It was just on a desk!”
“No, you didn't,” Maya said. She clicked a button on her mouse.
The screen shifted from the video to the plain-text email log.
The words loomed large on the glowing screen.
...the master keys are in Chloe’s locker as requested... We appreciate your latest $500,000 contribution... The board will ensure Chloe’s GPA is adjusted to meet Ivy League requirements...