CHAPTER 29: COLD STRATEGY
(Lorain Hart’ pov)
The Student Council conference room on the second floor of the Student Center usually felt like my personal sanctuary on campus. High ceilings, dark oak paneling, and massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the quad—it was the one place where order reigned, governed entirely by schedules, color-coded highlighters, and strict Robert’s Rules of Order.
Today, it felt like an interrogation cell.
It was 3:55 PM. I sat at the head of the long conference table, my laptop open, two spreadsheets laid out side-by-side, and my pink and yellow highlighters aligned perfectly parallel to my notebook. On the surface, I looked composed. I looked like the disciplined Student Council President who had everything under control.
Underneath the desk, my kn
