Chapter 4

Alexandria burst into even louder sobs. "It really is her! It really is Maggie!"

"Maggie, that's your hoodie!" Christine pointed straight at me. "What do you have to say for yourself now?"

I stared at the figure on the screen.

The hoodie was indeed mine, but the person wearing it wasn't me.

In my previous life, this single frame had destroyed me. But I wasn't going to let that happen again. This time, I'd make them uncover the truth themselves, piece by piece.

Alexandria suddenly stopped crying.

She slowly pulled a piece of paper from her bag and held it up for everyone to see. It was supposedly an evaluation of her mental health.

"I've been taking medication," she said bitterly. "I've been suffering in silence this whole time. I didn't want to bring this up, but I really can't take it anymore."

She thrust the paper into Tracy's hands.

"Ms. Trigg, please look at this. I really do have a medical condition. I'm not making it up. Maggie just won't leave me alone."

Tracy glanced at the document and sighed sympathetically.

"Alexandria, you've been through so much."

Christine leaned over to look at it, then shook her head in frustration.

"Maggie, what do you have to say now?"

Becky raised her phone and pointed the camera straight at my face.

"Hey, bully! Look up so everyone can get a good look at you!"

I stood my ground without flinching or trying to avoid the camera. Every frame they recorded today could become evidence later.

My gaze settled on the report, and my blood slowly ran cold. In my previous life, this very document had sealed my fate. But this time, I could see right through it.

I'd suffered from genuine depression, so I knew what an actual hospital diagnosis looked like. This paper had no official hospital letterhead, no signature from a licensed psychiatrist, and no official seal.

It was nothing more than a cheap self-assessment quiz. Anyone could fill it out and score in the moderate depression range. But no one else in that room knew the difference.

Christine glared at me. "Alexandria is already suffering so much, and you still went and shredded her clothes?"

Becky kept recording. "I'm going to make sure the whole campus sees what a bully looks like!"

Tracy lowered her voice, disappointment evident in every word. "Maggie, I don't even know what to say. You've disappointed me beyond words."

Steven spoke solemnly. "We will investigate this matter thoroughly and ensure Alexandria gets the justice she deserves."

Not one person stopped to ask whether the figure in the footage was actually me. Not one questioned whether Alexandria's medical report was legitimate.

All they saw was a trembling, tearful victim and a bully who supposedly had no way to defend herself.

Soon, the campus forums and social media were flooded with posts about the incident.

[Journalism major Maggie Lomax bullied her roommate and drove her into a depressive breakdown.]

[Someone like this wants to be a journalist? Expel her!]

[Alexandria Clarke is so pitiful. Her dress was destroyed, and now she's being harassed online.]

[I heard Maggie comes from an ordinary middle-class family. What gives her the right to act so viciously?]

[There's video evidence and a medical report. The evidence is rock solid. Why is she still denying it?]

[I've already filed a formal complaint with the dean's office. People like her need to be kicked out!]

[Upvote this so everyone can see what kind of person she is.]

...

I scrolled through the posts one by one.

Not a single person bothered to hear my side of the story. Nobody even considered the possibility that the figure in the footage wasn't me.

My name was dragged through the mud in every thread. People demanded that I withdraw from school, apologize, and face the consequences.

Some of my classmates even tagged me in our class group chat.

[Maggie Lomax, do you seriously still have the nerve to show up to class?]

[Get the hell out of the journalism department!]

I muted the notifications but didn't leave the group.

Every message was evidence.

Sitting quietly in a dark corner backstage, I carefully organized the files on my phone. I sorted the new video clips, verification documents, and a detailed timeline of events into separate folders.

By the time the gala officially began, the auditorium was packed.

Alexandria had changed into a fresh outfit and stood backstage with a sweet smile on her face. She thought I was still the same girl I'd been in my previous life, someone who could only cry and desperately defend herself to no avail.

I walked straight into the spotlight, looked at the sea of faces in the audience, and then turned toward the wings. Steven, Tracy, Christine, and Becky were all standing there.

The moment Alexandria saw me at center stage, the color drained from her face.

Ignoring them, I adjusted the microphone and began to speak.

"Regarding the incident in which Alexandria Clarke's performance outfit was shredded, the school administration spent three days investigating the matter. It concluded that I was responsible because the person in the security footage was wearing my hoodie."

Murmurs spread through the auditorium.

I paused and connected my phone to the projector. "Today, I'd like to present a new piece of evidence. I want everyone to take a close look and decide for yourselves whether the person in that footage is really me."

The entire auditorium fell silent.

Once the video file finished loading on the massive screen, I placed my finger over the Play button.