The heavy mahogany door muffled the sounds of the bustling hallway, leaving a heavy, expectant silence in the office. Reth sat back, his eyes tracing the spine of a textbook on the desk. He didn't look like a student; he looked like a judge.
"So," Reth started, his voice cutting through the quiet. "What 'research' were you really talking about, Ms. Veronica?"
Veronica let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for a year. She walked to the window, looking out at the Northwood High courtyard where Mark's father had just retreated.
"A year ago, Reth, I was offered a promotion," she said, her back to him. "The Board wanted me as the new Vice Principal of this school."
"A big step up," Reth noted calmly.
"It was," she turned, her eyes flashing with a cold, suppressed rage. "I was thrilled. Until I realized the promotion came with a 'processing fee.' Howard Sterling made it very clear: if I wanted that office, I had to spend the night in his bed."
Reth's expression didn't change, but his grip tightened slightly on the armrest. "And did you? Did you sleep with him?"
Veronica looked at him, her gaze sharp and hollow at the same time. "Take a look at my door, Reth. Does it say 'Vice Principal' on the nameplate?"
"I guess not," Reth replied.
"I tried to fight it," she continued, her voice trembling with the memory of the humiliation. "I went to the other board members. I went to the Principal. But Howard's money is everywhere. They didn't just ignore me—they laughed. I've been looking for a way to destroy that bastard for twelve months. And then..."
She stepped closer, her eyes locking onto Reth's with a desperate intensity.
"...I saw you. I saw a boy who didn't flinch when Mark Sterling—the 'King' Howard built—tried to crush him. I saw someone who played the system better than the men who created it." She leaned over the desk, her voice a low plea. "I know it's asking for a lot, Reth. But will you help me destroy Howard Sterling?"
A slow, predatory smirk spread across Reth's face. He stood up, the [Commanding Presence] skill flaring, making him seem inches taller than he actually was.
"With pleasure, Ms. Veronica," Reth said, his voice a low vibration of pure authority. "I have a score of my own to settle with the Sterling family. A big one. Consider us partners."
The air in the office grew colder as Reth's plan took shape. It wasn't about a fistfight anymore; it was about a total professional and personal execution.
"Does his wife know about any of this?" Reth asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
"You mean Natasha Sterling?" Veronica shook her head. "No, I don't think she has a clue. Legally, most of his assets are in her name. She's the actual CEO of Sterling Enterprises. If she ever caught him and divorced him... Howard would be finished. Overnight."
Reth's eyes sharpened. "Then we target her."
"No, wait," Veronica countered, her brow furrowing. "As I said, Howard is the bastard in the wrong here. I want to destroy him. His wife did nothing wrong. She's a victim in this too."
Reth leaned forward, the shadows of the office making his expression look unreadable. "That's where you are lacking, Ms. Veronica. If we show Howard's real face to his wife, then we don't have to do anything. We won't need to lift a finger. She will take care of everything herself."
Veronica froze. She looked at Reth, a mix of surprise and genuine shock washing over her face. She had spent a year thinking like a teacher trying to find a way out, but Reth was thinking like a predator looking for the most efficient kill.
"I didn't know the 'silent student' was actually so terrifying, Reth," she whispered.
Reth didn't blink. "In this school, everyone plays a character. I'm just tired of playing the one who loses."
Veronica stood there for a moment, processing the sheer ruthlessness of the plan. Using the wife to dismantle the husband wasn't just revenge—it was a masterpiece of social engineering.
"So," she said, her voice regaining its strength. "How do we get to her? Natasha Sterling isn't exactly easy to reach. She's guarded by layers of assistants and security."
Reth tapped his chin thoughtfully. "We don't go to her. We make her come to us. Or better yet, we find out where she'll be when Howard thinks he's safe."
Veronica paced the small office, her heels clicking rapidly against the floor. She stopped and turned to Reth, her skepticism finally breaking through the shock.
"And why would Natasha believe anything we say about her husband?" she asked, crossing her arms. "She's a powerful, busy woman. To her, we're just a disgruntled teacher and a student. Howard has spent years building a facade of the perfect, loyal husband. Our word against his is a losing battle."
Reth didn't look bothered. He leaned back in the leather chair, a cold, knowing smile playing on his lips. "Right now, she won't. But I will make it so she believes me over her own husband."
Veronica stared at him, bewildered. "What do you mean? How can you possibly get that kind of leverage over a woman like her?"
"Just leave Natasha Sterling to me," Reth replied, his voice dropping into that calm, untouchable tone.
As Veronica watched him, wondering what kind of monster she had truly recruited, Reth's mind was already miles ahead.
With the help of my regression system, I know exactly what to do about Natasha Sterling, Reth thought to himself, his eyes darkening with a hidden intent. Just you wait, Mark. I'm going to give you the best gift of your life—I'm going to take everything your father ever built and hand it to the one person who can destroy him.
He could already see the pieces moving on the board. In his past life, he had seen the cracks in the Sterling empire; now, he had the tools to turn those cracks into a canyon.
"We're done here for now, Ms. Veronica," Reth said, standing up and smoothing his blazer. "Keep those files safe. I'll let you know when it's time to move."
Reth paused at the door, his hand lingering on the handle. He didn't turn around immediately; he let the silence of the office settle, the weight of their new alliance hanging in the air.
Then, he turned. But he didn't look like a student anymore. He activated [Commanding Presence], and the atmosphere in the small room shifted instantly. The air grew dense, charged with a magnetic pull that seemed to draw all the light in the room toward him.
"Oh, by the way... are you free for coffee or something this Sunday, Ms. Veronica?"
Veronica froze, her professional composure cracking for a split second. "What? Reth, are you seriously asking your teacher out for coffee?"
Reth shrugged, leaning against the doorframe with the effortless confidence of someone who already knew the answer. "I mean, yeah. When else am I going to get the chance to work this closely with the most beautiful teacher in school? You know every student here has fantasies about you, right?"
"Shut up, Reth," she snapped, though the bite was missing from her voice.
A faint, uncontrollable blush crept up her neck, and a small, private smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She adjusted her glasses, trying to reclaim her "Ice Queen" persona, but the heat in her cheeks gave her away.
"We do need to discuss our plan regarding Natasha Sterling," she said, clearing her throat and looking back at the files on her desk. "It's strictly for the mission. So... I suppose we can go for coffee tomorrow."
Reth nodded, his smirk widening. He didn't need the System to tell him that his influence over her was growing. "I'll text you the place. Don't be late, Professor."
As he stepped out into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind him, Reth's expression shifted. The playful student was gone, replaced by the strategist. He had the teacher in his pocket, a contract for protection, and a plan to dismantle the most powerful family in the city.
Reth walked down the hall, passing a group of students who scrambled to get out of his way. They had seen what happened at the gates. The "Invisible Student" was now the most dangerous person in the building, and he hadn't even started on Natasha Sterling yet.