James leaned back in his leather executive chair, the polished oak desk gleaming under the soft glow of the desk lamp in his spacious office. The room smelled of expensive cologne and aged books from the shelves lining the walls, a testament to the elite charter high school that catered to the wealthiest families in the city. It was late afternoon on a Friday, the hallways outside empty as students and staff had long since departed for the weekend. He glanced at the clock—4:45 PM—then at the doo