Chapter Thirty-Eight

Claire was sitting in her tiny office, scrolling through the day's lesson plans, when a tap on the door broke her concentration. She glanced up and saw Mrs. Thompson, the school secretary, waiting in the doorway with a huge package.

"Ms. Montgomery, this just came for you," Mrs. Thompson replied, giving her the letter.

Claire scowled as she took the envelope and instantly recognized a legal firm's emblem in the corner. "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson," she said, her voice strained.

Mrs. Thompson nodded and exited the room, shutting the door behind her. Claire's hands shook slightly as she opened the package, and her pulse raced. Inside, she discovered Emily Carter's court complaint outlining the defamation action against her. Her eyes scanned the pages, her rage building with each line she read.

"She can't be serious," Claire told herself, her cheeks flaming with wrath. "This is absurd."

Just as she finished reading the complaint, her phone rang. This was the principal's office. "Ms. Montgo