Chapter 4

Wesley signed it without even looking.

Derek withdrew the complaint without hesitation.

The next day was his grandmother's funeral.

Wesley shoveled in the last of the earth, then knelt with his forehead against the headstone, begging her to forgive him.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the cemetery.

"Wesley North, the plagiarist, belongs in jail!"

"You bullied a poor student for four years! Why don't you just die?"

"You drove your own grandmother to her death! You should've been buried right next to her!"

Wesley was shocked and furious. "What are you talking about?"

Someone held up a phone. "You signed it yourself! You admitted you bullied Derek Sloan all through college and that he did all your research for you. It's in black and white. You still want to deny it?"

Wesley thought of the paper he hadn't bothered to read.

He scrambled for his phone.

Derek had posted a scan of the document publicly.

It wasn't a withdrawal at all. The title on the cover page read: "Statement of Facts Regarding My Bullying of and Unfair Competition Against Derek Sloan, by Wesley North." And he had signed it.

The crowd swarmed toward Evelyn's grave. They crushed the wreaths, trampled the flowers, and surrounded the North family.

"Anyone who raised trash like Wesley North can't be any better."

"Your whole family should just drop dead right here in the cemetery. Do the world a favor and don't pass on those rotten genes."

Wesley's father, Richard, had just lost his mother and already had a weak heart. He clutched his chest, collapsed, and gasped for air.

His mother, Laura, was knocked to the ground. Her ankle swelled badly above her high heel.

Wesley's heart was breaking.

He called the police, then held up his phone, photographing everyone, and screamed, "If anything happens to my family, I'll drag every one of you to hell with me, even if it kills me!"

Wild-eyed, he swung the knife from the memorial reception table. Afraid he'd truly snapped, the crowd scattered.

By the time Wesley had taken his mother home and checked his father into the hospital, it was late at night.

Exhausted, he lay on a cot in the hospital hallway, scrolling through his phone.

Public opinion wasn't completely one-sided. Plenty of his old classmates had organized on their own to speak up for him, and his thesis supervisor had recorded a video publicly supporting him.

Footsteps came from the far end of the hallway.

Natalie had arrived carrying a fruit basket. She went to see Richard first.

Richard took her hand, eyes red. "Nat, you have to speak up for Wesley. You two grew up together. You know what kind of person he is. How could he ever bully anyone or steal their work?"

Natalie was silent for a moment before she spoke.

"Mr. North, some people online are saying Wesley's innocent and that Derek set the whole thing up.

"That's really hurting Derek.

"I came because I'm hoping you can convince Wesley to come forward publicly, admit what he did these past four years, and shut down the people claiming Derek's lying."

Wesley held back his rage.

"Get out."

Natalie stayed perfectly calm.

"Wesley, we grew up together. Eighteen years. You're the one I've always known I'd spend my life with. Help Derek one last time, and as soon as we graduate next month, we'll get married."

She added, "It was your grandmother's last wish too."

It felt like a knife twisting in Wesley's heart.

He looked at her earnest face and listened to her weigh the pros and cons, and his heart sank like a stone.

He gave a bleak smile.

"Fine. I'll post a video to clear things up. Go home and wait."

After Natalie left, Richard forced himself to sit up, looking at his son with worry.

"You're really going to post a video? That'll destroy your reputation! I know you love Natalie, but you can't throw away your principles for her!"

"I said I'd post a video to set the record straight," Wesley said. "I never promised Natalie I'd set it straight for Derek.

"And Dad, I got an offer for grad school overseas. Most of our business has been overseas for years now. If it weren't for Grandma, you and Mom would've emigrated a long time ago.

"Grandma's gone now. It's time for us to leave."