Chapter 3

The projector hummed, and the boardroom's chandeliers blazed down on thirty faces. Camille Duval sat near the front, a smug smile on her lips. Her father, Mayor Julien Duval, stood at the podium, adjusting his cufflinks.

"…and so, we welcome our newest legacy admits," he was saying, "including my daughter, Camille, whose dedication to—"

"Whose father's money bought her seat."

The room froze. I stood at the back, folder raised. Camille's smile evaporated. The mayor's face reddened.

"Security," he said.

"Not before they see this." I opened the folder. "Two hours after the national exam, someone accessed the admissions server. My scores were swapped with Camille's. The IP address traces to the mayor's campaign office. The payment—fifty thousand euros—went through a shell company registered to his re-election fund."

Silence. Then the whispers.

"Miss Marlowe," Dean Lange said, "this is highly irregular—"

"Regular?" I laughed. "You mean like the email thread confirming Camille's admission three weeks before results were announced? I have that too."

Julien Duval stepped toward me, his voice oily. "This is slander, young lady. My daughter earned her place. You're a bitter scholarship student with a grudge."

"Then explain this." I pulled out the bank statement, timestamped, signed. "Your accountant's signature. Your campaign treasurer's initials. Shall I read them aloud?"

The mayor's face went gray.

Camille was on her feet, trembling. "You're lying! You're just jealous because you're nobody!"

"Camille," her father whispered. "Sit down."

The board deliberated for eleven agonizing minutes. When they returned, Dean Lange's voice shook.

"Effective immediately, Camille Duval's admission is revoked. Miss Marlowe… your place at Kronberg is restored."

The applause was deafening. But as Camille was escorted out, she turned, eyes wet with hatred.

"You'll regret this, Marlowe. My father built this city. He'll destroy you."

I met her gaze, my heart hammering. "Then he'll have to get in line."

I'd won the battle. But the war had just begun.