Chapter 3

Amidst the flood of insults, I opened the video Josie had posted.

On screen, she looked exhausted. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had just finished crying.

“Does anyone understand what I’m going through?” she said, her voice trembling. “I was harassed on campus. That man made lewd gestures toward me in a public place. I asked him to apologize, but he…”

Tears streamed down her face as she cried.

“I reported it to the university, but they refused to take action just because his brother teaches here. I really don’t know what to do anymore. Please… someone help me.”

The so-called evidence she presented was an edited video and photoshopped chat screenshots. She even pinned my contact information in the comments.

In the video, I could be seen glancing in her direction before turning away and briefly placing my hand on my pants.

The live chat exploded at this point.

[He’s so disgusting! Can perverts like this just die?]

[Why isn’t the university expelling him? We send our daughters here to study, not to be harassed by creeps!]

[I don’t see anything wrong. What if he was just scratching an itch?]

[Posting his contact info like this feels excessive, doesn’t it?]

But every comment defending me vanished almost as soon as it appeared. Josie deleted them one by one, carefully steering public opinion.

Just as I was about to post my evidence, my advisor kicked my dorm room open with Josie and a crowd of coursemates.

He pointed at me in anger.

“Owen Xander, look what you’ve done! Your classmates couldn’t tolerate this anymore and reported you to me!

“The university has decided to suspend you. You may return once this incident dies down. During this period, go home and reflect on your behavior!”

I took a deep breath and said helplessly, “Mr. Bonn, you know about my condition. I have a skin disease. Wouldn’t a simple clarification be enough? Why does the university have to suspend me?”

Mr. Bonn’s tone grew impatient.

“How am I supposed to know what you were doing at that moment? The situation online is already out of control. The university needs to contain the damage first. If you clarify now, it will only drag the school into controversy. As a student here, can’t you think about the university?”

I let out a cold laugh and said, “So I deserve to be framed? If what she said was true, why didn’t she go straight to the police?”

When my coursemates heard that, they glared at me angrily.

“Owen, what do you mean? Do you really think a girl like Josie would risk her reputation just to frame you?”

“She’s severely depressed because of your harassment, and all you’re getting is a suspension! What more do you want?”

Another coursemate raised his phone and filmed me.

“You still won’t admit your mistake? Fine. I’ll just let everyone see what kind of person you really are!”

At that moment, my brother, Henry Xander, stepped out from the crowd.

He looked down at me, his expression dark and cold.

“Kneel!”

I stared at him and sneered inwardly.

Everyone who had hurt me in my past life was standing right here.

The louder they yelled at me today, the more spectacular their downfall would be when public opinion finally turned against them.