جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

As the words trailed off, every scornful, mocking gaze in the room turned to Sebastian Anglem."Is that even a question? He's obviously still hung up on Aelia. He knew she'd be here with Jordan for the interview, and he still had the nerve to come cling to her.""Back then, he only cheated so he could get into the same school as Aelia. He got caught and still refused to admit it. It's disgusting.""Too bad for him. Aelia and Jordan are practically inseparable. They both topped the science track. Now that's what you call a match made in heaven. A cheating freak like him doesn't measure up to a single strand of her hair."Sebastian's fingers tightened. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the woman sitting by the window.Five years had passed since he had last seen Aelia Linden. She was exactly as he remembered her: a flower on a distant peak, visible yet forever out of reach.Yet despite her cold nature, there had been one summer when she had shown him a tenderness that

Sebastian looked into her eyes. He froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. "Five years later, and that line still sounds just as sickening coming out of your mouth as it did back then."Five years earlier…Although Sebastian had already decided to study abroad, he refused to let a false cheating accusation stain his name.He poured nearly everything he had into proving his innocence. Night after night, he stayed up organizing his complete set of practice notes and study records from before the exam. He compared every answer and every line of reasoning, one by one.He went from office to office at the education department to obtain the surveillance footage and finally managed to gather solid evidence.He did not dare waste another second. He headed straight for the police station.But just as he was about to get into his car, someone suddenly stepped into his path.Jordan had already dropped his usual gentle, well-mannered mask. Barely concealed mockery gleamed in his eyes

At that, Aelia's expression darkened."It was the man who came in with Bastian. He went into the interview room and spoke to the interviewers. Right after that, we really were disqualified from the interview..."Jordan's expression sank. "Aelia, I didn't want people to think I only found this job because you pulled strings for me. I thought going out and finding one on my own would at least be fair. I never expected this...""Sebastian, what gives you the right to disqualify Jordan from the interview?"Someone immediately spoke up in Jordan's defense, and the others quickly joined in."Exactly! Do you have any idea how talented Jordan is? He graduated from the top program at one of the country's best universities! He's ranked first in his class for years!""Four of his projects won national awards, and three won international gold medals!"With every word of praise, Jordan straightened a little more.A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes, but he quickly masked it with a show of hum

The next morning, Felicia invited every major media outlet and called a press conference.Two rows of cameras and boom mics filled the room.On the livestream, Felicia sat at the head table with the other two interviewers, while the candidates who had been disqualified occupied the representative seats.Aelia sat in the VIP section with Jordan beside her. Several Linden bodyguards kept a close watch on Sebastian.All around him, people stared with scrutiny and contempt, boxing him in like a prisoner on trial.The conference began.Felicia took the stage first and addressed the cameras. "Thank you to all our friends in the media for coming today. This press conference concerns Sebastian Anglem, who impersonated an interviewer and maliciously disrupted our company's official recruitment process, harming the interests of an outstanding candidate."She paused, and Jordan's résumé appeared on the large screen behind her.He had attended a top program at one of the country's best uni

The recorded conversation echoed throughout the hall."Bet you didn't see this coming. You liked Aelia so much, but in the end, the person she's always loved is me. Whatever I ask her to do, she'll do it.""So you went to all that trouble manipulating Aelia and used this filthy trick to pin the cheating on me. Is that it?""So what if I did? This is what happens when you dare compete with me."…Jordan staggered and nearly lost his footing. His eyes remained fixed on Sebastian. "How could you possibly have..."Sebastian's voice remained quiet. "I already told you. Do enough wrong, and eventually, it catches up with you. Sooner or later, every scheme you've built will turn against you and tear you apart."His gaze settled on Aelia below the stage and the deep furrow between her brows. At last, something he had held inside for five long years finally broke free.She could never have guessed the truth. Back then, she had destroyed all the evidence he had worked so hard to gather.