Chapter 3

Looking at his handsome face, twisted with rage and defensiveness, I felt utterly disgusted. He looked like a complete stranger.

"Julian," my voice sounded eerily quiet, "you make me sick."

He pointed to the door. "Clara, get out! Now! Don't disrupt our work!"

Our work.

Fine.

I turned around slowly, without giving him or the weeping girl another glance.

I walked into the living room, my cold fingers dialing the Chancellor's personal number.

The call connected almost instantly.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Hello, Chancellor Andrews. This is Clara Sterling, Professor Julian Vance’s wife."

My voice was steady, polite to a chilling degree.

"I am calling to formally report Professor Julian Vance for severe academic misconduct, trading grades for sexual favors, and maintaining an ongoing inappropriate relationship with his graduate student."

There was a stunned silence on the other end. "What? Report Professor Vance? Mrs. Vance... are you sure? Do you have proof?"

Proof?

I looked back at the bedroom doorway.

Julian was peering out anxiously, with Chloe hiding behind his shoulder.

I spoke clearly into the receiver:

"Proof?"

"He's currently in my bedroom, on my bed, giving a live demonstration with his student, Chloe Miller."

"Would you like me to start a FaceTime stream for you?"

The phone went dead silent for a few agonizing seconds. I could only hear the Chancellor's heavy, stunned breathing.

"Mrs... Mrs. Sterling..."

Chancellor Andrews finally found his voice. "Is... is what you're saying absolutely true? This is not a joking matter!"

"Every word is true."

My voice remained ice-cold. "Both the witnesses and physical evidence are right here. If the university needs it, I can send over photos of Professor Vance and his student hooking up backstage at the conference, alongside a live description of their current state in my bedroom."

"No! Stop!"

Julian finally snapped out of his shock. He charged at me like a madman, trying to claw the phone out of my hands.

"Clara! You're insane! Hang up! Do you have any idea what this will do to me? It'll ruin everything!"

I stared at him coldly. "Are you scared now, Professor? When you brought your student to our wedding bed, did you not think about the consequences?"

On the other end of the line, the Chancellor clearly heard Julian’s hysterical shouting. "Mrs. Sterling, please stay calm! I am contacting the Title IX office, the Ethics Committee, and campus security immediately! Please preserve all evidence! We are sending a team to your apartment right now!"

"Thank you, Chancellor. I'll be waiting."

I hung up.

The living room fell silent, save for Julian's ragged breathing and Chloe’s muffled, desperate sobbing.

Julian collapsed onto the floor like a pile of wet garbage, his hands buried in his hair. "It's over... it's all over... Clara... how could you be so ruthless?"

"Ruthless?" I looked down at him.

It was like looking at a cockroach. "Julian, compared to what you did to me, compared to what you did to our seven-year marriage, this isn't even the interest on the debt you owe me."

I walked over to the sofa, sat down, and poured myself a glass of ice water. I drank it slowly, waiting.

Every passing second was agonizing torture for Julian and Chloe.

Chloe began to babble, begging me through her tears. "Mrs. Vance... I'm sorry... I really am... it was Professor Vance... he forced me... he said he wouldn't let me graduate if I didn't sleep with him... please let me go... I'm still so young..."

Julian whipped his head around, glaring at her with venom. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Watching them turn on each other was truly a beautiful sight.

About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang sharply.

I stood up and opened the door.

Standing outside was Chancellor Andrews, his face dark with rage, alongside the head of the Title IX office, university legal counsel, and two campus security officers.

"Mrs. Sterling..." the Chancellor spoke, his voice heavy.

I stepped aside to let them in. "Please, come in. They're in the bedroom."