Chapter 5

The afternoon town hall meeting was held in the department’s main lecture hall.

It was officially labeled as a "Campus Safety and Health Seminar."

But everyone knew exactly what it was about.

The moment I walked in, the buzzing room fell dead silent.

A single seat in the very front row was left empty.

A piece of paper was taped to the desk:

[Chloe]

They were putting me on display under the spotlight.

I sat down.

Whispers erupted behind me immediately.

"I can't believe she actually showed up."

"She’s got thick skin, I'll give her that."

"If I were her, I would have dropped out by now."

I didn't look back.

Mindy sat in the middle of the third row.

Hailey and Jessica sat on either side of her, holding her hands.

Mindy wore a mask, her eyes red and puffy, looking as though she might faint at any second.

Dean Vance walked up to the podium and turned on the microphone.

"We are holding this meeting today because of a recent incident that has severely impacted student well-being and campus order."

He didn't say my name.

But his eyes were locked onto me.

And following his gaze, the entire room turned to look at me.

"Based on our preliminary inquiry, a student has engaged in unsafe personal conduct and concealed health risks, causing physical harm to a peer and sparking widespread panic."

"The department is proposing disciplinary probation for Chloe, along with the immediate suspension of her scholarships, research privileges, and honors consideration. Depending on the investigation's outcome, we will recommend suspension or forced withdrawal."

A collective gasp echoed through the lecture hall.

Someone muttered, "That’s actually too soft on her."

"Mindy is the one who got ruined."

"She should be expelled."

Right then, Mindy stood up.

Tears streamed down her face.

"Dean Vance, may I say a few words?"

Dean Vance nodded.

She walked to the front of the room, her body trembling slightly.

"I know everyone has been worried about me these past few days."

"Thank you."

She sniffled.

"Actually, I don't want to hold a grudge against Chloe. I know she’s been under a lot of pressure with her studies, and our scholarship competition has been intense. Since we share a suite, maybe there was just some... misunderstanding."

She turned her tearful eyes to me.

"If she didn't do it on purpose, I am willing to forgive her."

What a beautiful act of forgiveness.

Before I was even proven guilty, she had already climbed onto the judge's seat to grant me mercy.

Some girls in the crowd started tearing up.

Hailey was outright crying.

Jessica held Mindy’s shoulders, raising her voice so everyone could hear:

"Mindy, you are way too sweet!"

A few people started clapping.

Soon, the applause spread across the entire room.

Sitting in the front row, I watched them all get deeply moved by her "grace."

Mindy finished her speech and walked toward me.

She stopped right in front of my desk, her voice soft like a sigh.

"Chloe, I just really hope you won't hurt anyone else in the future."

I looked up at her.

And suddenly, I laughed.

Mindy’s expression froze for a fraction of a second.

She couldn't understand.

Why would someone who was about to be suspended, disgraced, and stripped of her scholarship still be laughing?

Dean Vance frowned.

"Chloe, if you have any objections to the disciplinary action, you can file an appeal privately after the meeting. Do not disrupt the assembly."

I stood up.

"No need to wait."

"Since you’ve announced your decision in public, I will respond in public."

Dean Vance’s face shifted.

"Sit down!"

I didn't budge.

"Sir, every single sentence you just spoke constitutes a public accusation against my character and reputation."

"If the department insists on handling it this way, I will call the police immediately, and file a formal complaint with the Title IX office and the board of education."

The room went dead silent.

Dean Vance glared at me.

"Are you threatening the administration?"

"I am protecting my legal rights."

I looked up at the projector screen.

"Give me three minutes. After three minutes, you can decide whether you still want to suspend me."

Dean Vance’s face was grim.

"No."

I pulled out my phone and unlocked the screen.

"Fine. I’ll dial 911 right now. Let’s let the police figure out who is slandering whom, and who is helping them cover it up."

Another professor stood up, walked over to Dean Vance, and whispered in his ear.

Dean Vance’s expression was incredibly ugly.

After a few tense seconds, he spat out through his teeth:

"Three minutes."

I plugged my phone into the projector system.

Mindy stared at me, a flicker of genuine terror finally appearing in the depths of her eyes.

I tapped on the first file.

The moment the screen lit up, the entire room gasped in unison.