Chapter 8
Everyone froze – including Aaron and Sophia, who’d been in the middle of their Oscar-worthy performance.
They’d pictured me panicked, pale, completely falling apart with no way to defend myself.
Not standing here calm as could be, like I was watching some ridiculous show that had nothing to do with me.
Aaron’s face twitched, clearly thrown off by my reaction.
But he quickly pulled himself together, his voice getting shrill with desperation: “Rachel! The evidence is right there! What could you possibly say? Are you gonna claim that’s not you in the photo?”
“It is me. Not gonna deny it.’
I spoke into the microphone, my voice almost casual.
“And this guy absolutely did hook me up with private jets, gives me tons of cash, and yeah – we definitely have a very… close relationship.”
The auditorium exploded with shocked chatter.
“Holy shit, she’s actually admitting it?”
“That’s so gross!! Actually bragging about this stuff?”
“Damn, you really can’t judge people by their looks.”
Aaron and Sophia’s faces lit up with this joy – they clearly hadn’t expected me to just confess like that.
“President Morrison! Administration! You heard her! She just admitted everything!”
Aaron was practically bouncing, his pointing finger shaking with excitement.
“This kind of morally corrupt, shameless student needs to have her award revoked immediately! The university must take serious disciplinary action to uphold our values!”
Sophia dropped her tissue act and piled on with fake concern: “Rachel, how… how could you actually… We might not have much money, but we should still have our dignity… How can you face Aaron after doing this…”
The administration panel was frowning deeply, exchanging worried looks- things seemed to be going very badly for me.
Just as the whole room was about to turn into an angry mob
“Excuse me? Since when is giving my daughter an allowance and picking her up from school considered morally bankrupt behavior?”
A deep, authoritative voice suddenly rang out from the side entrance, instantly cutting through all the noise.
Everyone’s heads snapped around toward the sound.
The side door of the auditorium had opened, and our university president – who rarely made public appearances – was speed walking in alongside a middle-aged man.
The man was tall and impeccably dressed in a tailored dark suit, radiating the kind of presence that comes from wielding serious power.
His razor-sharp eyes swept coldly over Aaron, who was frozen by the AV station, and Sophia, whose face had gone ghost-white.
That man was my father.
And President Morrison was trailing behind him, looking pissed and embarrassed.
Before Dad could speak again, President Morrison grabbed a microphone, his voice tight with suppressed fury:
“Mr. David Leroix, Chairman of Leroix Industries, learned about today’s ceremony and graciously made time to attend, showing his support for our university’s educational mission.”
His tone turned ice-cold as his glare fixed on Aaron and Sophia: “But now? A carefully orchestrated character assassination targeting Mr. Leroix and his daughter!”
