<b>Chapter </b><b>292 </b>


    Liam immediately noticed something was off about Hannah. “What’s wrong?”


    Hannah clutched Liam’s hand desperately, her nails digging into his palm. Her voice trembled with panic as she pleaded, “Liam, make them stop! Stop it now!”


    So that was why those students never came to bother her before, and Aria had been lying low all this time. They’did this trap from the very beginning, just waiting for the perfect moment.


    Reporters and media crews swarmed the scene, livestreaming everything.


    ‘They want to see me ruined and disgraced! I can’t let that happen!‘ Hannah thought, panic rising in her chest.


    Seeing the panic on her face, Liam grabbed her hand, suddenly understanding. “Hannah,” he pressed, “tell me the truth–was the research proposal you submitted actually the work of the Mandino University students?”


    Hannah desperately tried to reassure herself. ‘There’s no way the security cameras were running 24/7. I checked that ce specifically–there definitely weren’t any cameras there! No falling apart now. Stay calm!‘


    Hannah opened her mouth to defend herself. “I…”


    An exmation interrupted her. “Wait, isn’t that Dr. Gibson? What’s she doing in someone else’sb?”


    ‘Breaking news! We’ve got a bombshell!‘ With that in mind, reporters instantly raised their cameras, shes popping like fireworks.


    The big screen showed Hannah’s figure in full view.


    The footage showed Hannah ncing around nervously, making sure no one was watching. Then, moving with exaggerated caution, she tiptoed over to the server and quietly inserted her sh drive.


    About ten minutester, she yanked out the sh drive and scurried away, furtive and anxious.


    The crowd stood frozen in shock.


    The livestream chat erupted instantly, withments flooding the screen at breakneck speed.


    Many viewersmented: [Wait, what? Is this theft happening live? So Hannh Gibson stole someone else’s research?]


    Winston was the first toe to his senses. He lunged forward, desperately trying to cover the big screen with both hands, and bellowed, “What the hell is this? Who yed this surveince footage?”


    Winston’s frantic attempts were in vain—he couldn’t even cover a corner of the screen. Instead, his actions only fueled the fire, drawing everyone’s attention to the damning footage.


    Hannah’s face instantly went deathly pale. With a venomous re at the media crew she’d paid off, she shrieked, “Turn it off! Kill the livestream now!”


    The media crew had indeede for Hannah’s money, but with such a bombshell unfolding before their eyes, shutting down the livestream was never an option.


    Not only did they refuse to stop the livestream, but they zoomed right in on Hannah’s face.


    Viewer A: [That guilty face–case closed!]


    Viewer B: [Bonus fact: she stole from her own juniors!]


    Viewer C: I thought she actually did the research herself–turns out she just stole it!]


    <b>13:14 </b>Fri, <b>13 </b><b>Jun </b>G


    <b>301</b>%0


    <b>20 </b>


    Viewer D: [Experts did develop inhibitor drugs too–but the integrated traditional–modern medicine approach had fewer side effects and worked faster, <b>so </b>they went with Hannah Gibson’s research.]


    Viewer E: [Aria Saxon’s good at traditional medicine, and most of those students are into modern medicine–no wonder they came up with abo


    treatment.]


    Viewer F: [Herees Hannah Gibson’s excuses!]


    “Hannah Gibson! Give us back our research!” an icy, furious female voice rang out.


    Twenty–some students stormed over, their faces contorted with rage.


    One of them shouted, “Three years ago, you stole Professor Colton’s notes, and now you’ve taken everything we’ve worked so hard for! How shameless can you be?”


    G


    Hannah clenched her jaw, fingers digging into the fabric of her clothes at her side. “Stop spouting nonsense! I didn’t steal anything!” she shot back. “That footage only proves I was in yourb and touched the server–it doesn’t prove at all that my submission used your research!”


    A traditional medicine student snapped back, “Still lying through your teeth even when you’re caught, you petty thief? Then name the herbal ingredients we used in our form!”


    The day after Hannah giarized their research, the students submitted their application. Yet she had already filed hers half a day earlier with just one


    night to prepare.