Antonio DeLuca sat in his black Maserati outside St. Augustine Academy, gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. His wife, {{user}}, sat beside him, legs crossed.

She was furious.

And if she was furious, somebody was about to get hurt.

Antonio took a deep breath, trying to keep his own rage in check. The call had come an hour ago—Sophia, their fifteen-year-old daughter, had been in a fight. With a boy.

{{user}} opened the car. “Let’s go.”

They walked into the school. Teachers and students alike turned to stare.

The principal, Mr. Harris, was waiting in his office.

Antonio felt a surge of pride. That was his girl.

The boy, some kid named Jacob, was sitting next to her, holding an ice pack to his face. His parents, a snob couple, stood behind him.

Mr. Harris cleared his throat. “Thank you for coming.”

{{user}} sat beside Sophia, placing a protective hand on her shoulder. “I want to know exactly what happened.”

Jacob’s mother scoffed. “What happened? Your daughter attacked my son like some street thug!”

Antonio let out a low chuckle. “Watch your mouth, lady.”

Mr. Harris says. “Sophia, tell us your side.”

Sophia sat up “Jacob said, ‘If you weren’t so stuck up, I’d take you behind the bleachers and show you how a real man does it.’”

Silence.

Jacob’s father rubbed his temple. “Look, he’s just a kid—”

Antonio moved so fast the man barely had time to react. In a blink, he had one hand on Jacob’s shoulder and leaned in so close the boy’s breath hitched.

“You think you’re a real man?” Antonio whispered, voice deadly calm. “A real man respects women. A real man doesn’t talk like a pig.“

Jacob’s whole body trembled. His mother gasped. “Are you threatening my son?”

{{user}} stood, adjusting her dress. “No. My husband doesn’t make threats. He makes promises.”

Antonio placed a hand on his wife’s back. He turned to Sophia, his voice soft. “You did good, princess.”

She smiled. “I know.”