Diana’s POV
The moment Principal Odell stepped toward me, reeking of smug authority and something darker beneath his polished shoes and expensive cologne, my mind clicked into survival mode.
I wasn’t going to beg.
I wasn’t going to back down.
Not when he was seconds away from stripping me of my dignity.
Truth be told, I really did take the book, but I wasn't reckless. As if guided by some divine hand, I’d only taken snapshots of my sketches from the book, leaving the original right there—back on his desk like a taunt.
I smiled. Not sweetly. Sharp. Calculated.
Then I turned away from the door and walked past him, chin high, spine straight. Like I wasn’t still shaking inside.
Then I stopped at his desk. My eyes scanned the tabletop. The book lay innocently among the clutter, but I ne
