The weeks following the board's decision to suspend Harper were filled with cautious optimism, but the weight of the unresolved situation loomed over Emma and Alexander. The investigation into Harper’s dealings had begun in earnest, but they both knew that the worst was far from over. The storm that Harper had warned about had not yet arrived—but they could feel it on the horizon, waiting to strike with brutal force.
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The mornings were spent in strategy meetings, the afternoons consumed with paperwork and tracking down the last of the scattered pieces of evidence. Emma often found herself looking over her shoulder, aware that Harper's reach extended far beyond the walls of Prescott. Even though the board had acted swiftly, there were still whispers of loyalty to Harper in the lower ra
