The first ripple hit the next morning.
Dean’s office was tense, the kind of tension that didn’t announce itself with shouting but with the subtle weight of impossible expectations. He had stayed late last night, ensuring Rafael wouldn’t find another way to disrupt our lives. And yet, the ripple had reached him anyway.
He sat behind his sleek desk, hands pressed together, jaw tight. Marlene stood to the side, the perfect picture of calm, but even she couldn’t hide the storm brewing.
“Angel…” Dean’s voice was low, almost reluctant. “There’s been… fallout.”
I frowned. “What kind of fallout?”
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “Some of the board members—some investors they heard about Rafael showing up. About the legal confrontation. They’re questioning my judgment.”
I bli
