Chapter 3 - The Blackmail
The principal left the office and closed the door behind him.
Mrs. Whitmore dropped the silver keychain onto the wooden desk.
She casually informed Eli that she knew exactly what he was doing in the vents.
She did not yell or threaten him with physical violence.
Instead, she opened her checkbook and clicked a gold pen.
She offered to pay for his entire college tuition in exchange for the original video file.
She knew Eli's family was struggling with massive medical debts.
The offer was incredibly tempting for a boy who had nothing.
Eli stared at the checkbook, his mind racing with conflicting emotions.
He finally looked her in the eye and refused the money.
He told her that Jordan was his friend and he would not betray him.
Mrs. Whitmore let out a dark, terrifying laugh.
She pulled a different folder from her leather briefcase.
She slid the folder across the desk until it stopped right in front of Eli.
She explained that she had hired private investigators to look into Jordan's family.
The folder contained official deportation orders for Jordan's undocumented mother.
She warned Eli that if the video ever leaked, she would make a single phone call to immigration enforcement.
Jordan would keep his scholarship, but he would lose his mother forever.
Eli felt a cold wave of absolute defeat wash over his body.
He walked out of the office and found Jordan hiding in the library.
Eli showed him the video and explained the horrific ultimatum Mrs. Whitmore had presented.
Jordan stared at the screen with tears streaming down his face.
He told Eli to delete the video immediately because his mother's safety was more important than college.
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Eli slowly reached for the delete button on his phone.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the next aisle of books and snatched the phone away.
