<b>Chapter </b>66
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EL 65 vouche
Kevin barely dared to breathe<b>, </b>seeing the <b>icy </b>expression on Charles Yates’s face. Charles handed the phone back. “Get me President Lee at Premier Academy.”
Kevin nodded and quickly made the call.
Back in the office at the school, Tiffany was furious when the call ended abruptly. ‘No one has dared to treat me like this since I came back to the Lawrence family,‘ she fumed silently.
She gritted her teeth. “That guy has no manners.”
Hearing Tiffany insult Charles, Alicia instinctively defended him. “You were the one who was rude first. He was talking to Mr. Sherman, and you just jumped in. If you want to talk about bad manners, you should look in the mirror.”
Tiffany’s face contorted with rage, but she knew she couldn’t lose her temper. She had to y the victim.
She forced tears to well up in her eyes and looked at Alicia, her voice trembling. “Alicia, I… I was just worried you were being tricked. The way you’re defending him… have you already fallen for him? When I asked if he was married, he wouldn’t answer. Doesn’t that mean he is? Alicia, you can’t get mixed up with him. Don’t make things worse for yourself.”
Her words were disguised as concern, but she was clearly implying that Alicia was involved with a married man, telling everyone that she was sleeping around.
Alicia smirked. “Tiffany, he probably didn’t answer you because you were being incredibly nosy. You’re so eager to push that narrative. Don’t tell me you’re the one who made that post online? Did you even check your facts before you posted? Is this what you call ‘caring‘?”
Tiffany’s face paled. “I didn’t. Alicia, why are you using me like this?”
Alicia ignored her and turned to the head of student conduct. “Mr. Sherman, is this enough to clear my
name?<b>” </b>
Bruce hesitated for a moment, ncing at the other faculty members. “Well, I think this matter still requires further investigation…”
“No further investigation is necessary,” amanding voice announced from the doorway.
Everyone turned to <b>see </b>a man with graying hair at his temples walking in.
Bruce and the higher–ups instantly stood up. “President Lee, what brings you here?”
<b>“</b>If I hadn’te, you all would have kept making a mess of things,” Derek Lee said, looking them over.
“President Lee<b>, </b>what… what do you mean?” one of them stammered.
“Instead of shutting down these baseless rumors on the school forum, you’re fanning the mes,” Derek Lee said with a frown. “You should all know better by now.”
<b>19:16 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>1 </b>
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Bruce quickly replied, “President Lee, I believe that at this university, character is just as important <b>as </b>academics. Don’t you agree?”
“Character is important.” Derek retorted, “but this didn’t need to be a public spectacle. The forum is for academic discussion, not for spreading gossip. This trash should have been cleaned up from the start. What did you do? You let it run wild, and now you’re just putting on a show.”
Bruce’s face turned beet red, and he fell silent.
Another administrator quickly stepped in. “President Lee, it was our oversight. I’ll have someone clean up the forum right away.”
Hearing that the forum posts would be deleted, Tiffany’s hands balled into fists. ‘I paid a fortune for trolls to push that story,‘ she thought bitterly. ‘I wanted to humiliate Alicia so she couldn’t show her face at school. Why are they getting rid of it before the ‘truth‘ is out? It’s not fair.‘
But she couldn’t say a word. To these people, she was still the good little sister who cared about Alicia. Any objection would raise suspicion.
‘Damn, I regret not bringing that idiot Nora Judd with me. She’s the perfect mouthpiece; she can say all the things I can’t.’ She bit her lip, suppressing a wave of fury.
Derek nodded. “Since this is already out in the open and students are paying attention, it needs a resolution.”
Tiffany felt a wave of relief. ‘Good, so they are going to investigate,‘ she thought. ‘I don’t believe for a second anyone is actually pursuing Alicia. She’s an orphan with no status or connections. What man would seriously chase a girl who can’t help his career?
‘Unless he’s just looking for a fling. Once the school investigates, they’ll prove Alicia is promiscuous and doesn’t deserve to be a university student.
<b>‘</b><b>If </b>she won’t be my background prop at school, then I’ll do what Dad said and make her my shadow at home.
“President Lee,” Bruce said, “we spoke with the man on the phone earlier. I think it’s best to bring him to the school <i>to </i>get a clear statement in person.”
Derek nced at him. “You don’t need to worry about that, Mr. Sherman. I know the gentleman in question. He is a very distinguished, single man.”
He deliberately emphasized the word “single.”
Bruce understood the president’s meaning and said nothing more.
Derek continued, “I will have my secretary post the results of the investigation on the forum. In the meantime, Mr. Sherman, you should focus on finding the person who posted this. Spreading nderous lies about a fellow student without knowing the facts is a serious offense, and they must be dealt with ordingly.”
A shiver ran down Tiffany’s spine. ‘President Lee said he knows the truth? And that the post was a lie? Does that mean Alicia isn’t a sugar baby? How is that possible? I don’t believe it.‘
“President Lee,” Tiffany asked, unable to stop herself, “do you really know that man? And even if he is
<b>19:16 </b>Wed<b>, </b><b>Oct 1 </b>
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pursuing Alicia, what about the pictures on the forum…”
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Derek looked at Tiffany, then turned to Mr. Sherman. “These matters only require the presence <b>of </b>the involved parties. Why is an unrted person here?<b>” </b>
Bruce cleared his throat. “Tiffany <b>is </b><b>just </b>concerned about Alicia.” <fnfe90> This update is avable on findnovel</fnfe90>
“She can find out what happenedter,” Derek said dismissively. “All uninvolved persons should leave now<b>.</b>”
Tiffany was fuming, but she was escorted out of the office.
After Tiffany left, Derek turned to Alicia. “You must be Alicia Lawrence.”
AD