Chapter 4

Parker leaned closer to check the power cable.

"Maybe it's dead. Plug it in and try."

Caleb fumbled for the power cord, plugged it in, and pressed the power button again.

Still nothing.

He jerked his head up and glared at me.

"Noah, did you do something to this laptop?"

"What could I have done? It was locked in my cabinet. You're the one who smashed the lock and stole it. Now that it won't boot, you're blaming me?"

I gave a cold snort.

Caleb was sweating, slamming the keyboard with both hands.

"Impossible. It's an Alienware. How could it be broken? You must have set me up!"

His face went pale as he pulled out his USB drive. His hands shook.

"My thesis. My award-level thesis is all on this drive. The indicator flashed when I plugged it in just now. It must have been infected by a virus from your laptop!"

The crowd exploded into chatter.

"Oh my God. Noah is ruthless. He deliberately put a virus-filled computer in his cabinet as bait?"

"That's not just petty. That's practically criminal. Wrecking someone's future is as good as murder."

Parker pointed at me and shouted, "Noah, this is too much. If Caleb can't graduate, can you take responsibility?"

Just then, the glass doors of the lab hall were shoved open.

A middle-aged couple stormed in, furious. Behind them came an influencer holding a selfie stick.

"Which one is Noah Hamilton? Where is that vicious little bastard?"

Everyone looked at me. Caleb's mother followed their gaze and spotted me at once.

She lunged at me, raising her hand to slap my face.

I stepped aside. She nearly fell from the force of her own swing.

"Mom, you're finally here. Noah deliberately put a virus on the computer. My whole thesis is destroyed. I can't graduate!"

Caleb threw himself into his mother's arms and wailed.

His father rushed over and jabbed a finger at my nose.

"You uneducated little mongrel. You couldn't get the graduate slot, so you tried to ruin my son. If you don't restore his thesis today, I'll break your legs!"

The influencer immediately aimed her camera at me.

"Everyone, this is the college schemer I told you about, the guy who set up his roommate and destroyed his future!

"Push the views up. Expose people like this!

"Anyone who uses such malicious tricks in school will be a nightmare in the workplace!"

Comments rolled across the livestream.

"Doxx him! Doxx his whole family!"

"Trash like this should be expelled. And he thinks he deserved the graduate slot?"

The commotion spread. The dean and several administrators hurried over.

Mr. Fuller followed behind them and pointed at me.

"Dean, it's him. Noah Hamilton. He's selfish in normal life, and now he's done something this deranged."

The dean looked at the chaotic hall, his face dark.

"Mr. Hamilton, you are a disgrace to this college. I am officially canceling your outstanding graduate honor and recommending expulsion."

Caleb choked out, "Dean, expulsion isn't enough. He ruined my future. I want him to kneel and apologize to me in front of the whole school."

"Yes, kneel. If you don't kneel, don't think you'll leave this room today!"

Caleb's father picked up a chair and glared at me.

Everyone else stood around, waiting for the show.

When I didn't move, Caleb's father raised the chair and swung it toward me.

At that exact moment, the projector screen in the hall lit up.