DEBORAH'S POV
I stared at Mrs. Whitmore, my hands still gripping the chair arms. The cross behind her desk seemed to loom larger, casting shadows across her stern face.
"You're worried about Charlotte's mental health?" I repeated slowly. "Because of gossip?"
"It's not just gossip, Mrs. Rossi." She leaned forward, her voice taking on what I assumed was supposed to be a caring tone. "Children are very perceptive. They pick up on things adults think they're hiding. The whispers, the stares, the tension their parents bring home after school events."
"So you're punishing my daughter for other people's behavior."
"I'm trying to protect her." Mrs. Whitmore folded her hands again. "We can try to create a safe space here, but parents still talk. Children still listen. And frankly, after seeing the news reports about your recent... struggles..."
My blood went cold. "What news reports?"
