Chapter 3

Lillian Reid, our academic advisor, stormed into the dorm in her high heels, clearly furious.

She didn't even glance at my ruined bed. Instead, she slapped a suspension notice down on my desk.

"Look at what you've done! You've completely disgraced the entire department!" she shrieked, spraying spit all over as she pointed in my face. "Do you have any idea what you've done to Beyton University's reputation? The administration is furious!"

"Ms. Reid, those photos were taken maliciously and deliberately taken out of context," I replied, looking at her coldly. "I was simply volunteering at a nursing home.

"But instead of investigating the person who spread those lies, you're punishing the victim. Is that really how Beyton University operates?"

Lillian was momentarily speechless.

"I can't believe you still have the nerve to argue with me," she spat, her expression darkening. "Everyone saw the pictures. Everyone is saying the same thing. Are you seriously claiming that all of them are wrong?"

She waved her hand impatiently, attempting to pull rank as my academic advisor.

"That's enough," she announced. "I don't have time to listen to your excuses. Hand over your student ID. You're suspended effective today. You can come back when the rumors die down."

With that, she snatched my student ID off the desk and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

The girls who had been following Jenna immediately burst into gleeful laughter.

Ignoring their taunts, I quickly packed my backpack and walked out of the dorm.

If the people running the university had already become nothing more than puppets for the powerful, then I'd have to find the evidence myself.

…

Later, I avoided the crowds and found a small, tucked-away internet cafe on the street behind campus. I took the most secluded computer I could find and sat down.

Once I was online, I used my IT skills to trace the IP address behind the post.

Jenna knew how to spend money, but she had no idea what she was doing when it came to technology. The people she'd hired were so technically incompetent that it took me less than twenty minutes to trace the digital trail they'd left behind.

It eventually led me to a PR firm in the heart of Beyton. Following the trail further, I found the company's payment records.

A transfer of 50,000 dollars from Jenna's personal account appeared on the screen.

The recipient reference clearly read, "Final payment for forum promotion."

I backed up all the IP logs, screenshots of the payment records, and chat history, then uploaded everything to my encrypted cloud drive.

Just as I pulled out my USB drive and prepared to head to the police station to report it, someone kicked open the door of the internet cafe.

Jenna stormed in with four burly bodyguards, looking as arrogant as ever. The moment she spotted me in the corner, a cruel smile spread across her face.

"Well, well. Look who it is," she drawled. "The university's latest celebrity. What are you doing hiding out in a dump like this?"

She strode over and snatched the mouse right out of my hand.

"What are you looking for? Planning to go to the police and have me arrested?"

I stared at her coldly without saying a word.

At the snap of Jenna's fingers, one of her bodyguards immediately stepped forward and dumped a bucket of foul-smelling leftover soup from the cafeteria onto the floor beside my feet.

The murky liquid splashed across my pant legs, filling the air with a nauseating stench.

"I'd save yourself the trouble," Jenna said, covering her nose and retreating in disgust. "You think a few screenshots are enough to bring me down? By the time the police even open a case, that so-called evidence will be treated as proof that you fabricated everything."

She leaned down, and a vicious glint flashed in her eyes.

"Let me tell you something. My dad has his eye on the land on the northern outskirts of Beyton. He's planning to buy it and develop a commercial center there.

"If you set foot in a police station, I'll have my dad cut off the water and electricity to that dump of a nursing home.

"Then, in the middle of winter, with no heat, water, or electricity, let's see how long those old people can survive."

My chest tightened. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

"Don't you dare touch them!"

I shot to my feet and glared at Jenna.

"Oh, did I finally strike a nerve?"

A smug grin spread across Jenna's face as she reached out to pat my cheek.

"Some nobody from the bottom of society actually thinks she can stand up to me. What are you going to do to protect those old people?

"Do what you're told. Get up in front of the entire university and publicly admit that you were sleeping with old men. Hand the scholarship over to me, so everyone can see that I deserve it.

"Otherwise, I'll make sure every one of those old people ends up on the street begging for food!"

Jenna threw her head back, laughing hysterically as she walked away with her bodyguards.