Chapter 4

Heather turned to look at the screen, her complexion instantly paling as she stood there, paralyzed by shock and fear.

In the meantime, the audience whispered among themselves, their gazes toward her filled with contempt, judgment, mockery, and curiosity. They didn't even take the time to look at the photos on the screen, though, which clearly showed signs of being AI-generated.

I hadn't even started to defend Heather when Sylvia suddenly stepped onto the stage and pointed her finger at me. "Have you lost your mind, Kayla? Heather is only 16 years old! How could you let her go after an old, married man like that?

"You should have just asked us if you're desperate for money! You didn't have to sell her out! If this gets out, it's not just Heather's life that's over—the school's reputation is thrashed, too! How could any parent feel safe sending their children to this school?"

Sylvia appeared to be defending Heather, but she was actually placing the blame on us without considering the facts and making the situation more serious.

Upon hearing that, Cameron and Jeremiah's expressions hardened. "You ought to know that our school has a reputation to uphold, Mrs. Miller. Heather's excellent grades do not justify her scandalous behavior; thus, we won't tolerate having such a brazen student in our school.

"Heather is thereby expelled this instant. I'll also ensure the exact cause of her dismissal is documented in her files so that no other institution takes her in."

Heather broke down in tears.

She had always dreamed of attending grad school, earning her PhD, and working in a lab doing research that would yield genuine benefits for mankind. She had applied herself diligently ever since she started school, working through every winter and summer to keep her spot at the top of the class.

She had just turned 16 years old, and her entire future was now on the verge of being extinguished by a single scandal.

Sylvia, believing that she had won, cast a provocative smile toward me and gestured with her eyes for me to look at my phone.

I took out my phone and saw that Heather's "photos" had already gone viral online, with some eye-catching headlines. "Heartless Mother Permits 16-Year-Old Daughter to Date an Older Married Man; Was It On Purpose?"

There were tens of thousands of abusive comments aimed at Heather and me, full of crude language, with some even asking how much Heather's "service" cost for a night.

I was trembling so much that I almost dropped my phone. I was still thinking about Heather's ruined prospects when I received a message from my superior that pushed me over the edge into total despair.

"We've seen the rumors about you online, and the company has no place for someone like you. You're officially dismissed, Kayla Knight."

I felt completely numb as everything came crashing down at once, but I couldn't afford to break down, as Heather still needed me.

I tried to step forward and speak up, but Heather held me back, her tone hollow and completely devoid of life while saying, "You can stop now, Mom. I've resigned myself to this. I don't want you to suffer more on my account, especially since we can't win against them, Mom."

Heather's remarks cut through me like a knife.

Those annoying comments in the comment section flashed before my eyes again.

"It's such a clever move from the male lead's mother! It seems like the female lead will finally surrender and accept the male lead's affection, behaving like a compliant little pet!"

"In the end, the female lead's annoying mother's ultimate fate is to suffer a mental collapse from the trauma and eventually perish in a psychiatric ward within a few short years."

I couldn't possibly be forced to submit to the ending they had planned for us. I absolutely wouldn't allow that to happen.

I racked my brain, replaying everything that had happened lately, when it finally clicked; a detail I had previously overlooked finally came to light.

I knew that this single piece of evidence was sufficient to dismantle the rumors surrounding Heather and me, forcing Sylvia and Heather to suffer the consequences and pay dearly for their deeds.

It was time for this ridiculous farce to reach its conclusion.