Chapter 9
“D… daughter?”
The words hit the auditorium like a bomb, leaving everyone stunned.
“Hey Dad.”
I spoke into the microphone, my voice soft, tinged with the hurt of a kid who’d been waiting for their parent to step in.
Dad finally walked onto the stage, gently patting my head before his cold gaze swept across the dead-silent crowd, finally landing on Aaron’s horrified face.
“I came here to see what kind of environment my daughter spends her days in. Didn’t expect it to be quite so… entertaining.”
He put extra emphasis on that last word, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The whole auditorium went dead quiet.
Aaron looked absolutely terrified and devastated, his whole body shaking uncontrollably like he might collapse.
Sophia seemed like all the life had been drained out of her, stumbling backward with her face completely drained of color.
President Morrison took a deep breath, his face dark with rage, his voice trembling as he fought to control his fury:
“Aaron Ruthven! Sophia Macoas! What you two have done is absolutely outrageous! Completely unacceptable!”
The president’s roar echoed through the silent auditorium, making everyone flinch.
“Making malicious accusations based on one photo, filing anonymous complaints, and then publicly attacking a student during an official ceremony! What the hell is wrong with you two? This is defamation! Serious misconduct! Do you have any respect for this university’s rules and standards?”
His hands were shaking with anger: “Ms. Leroix’s father is the primary donor for our new library wing! He founded the scholarship program that has supported countless students!”
“Mr. Leroix takes time out of his incredibly busy schedule to support our school and visit his daughter, and you two have the audacity to twist that into something disgusting! You’re not just hurting Rachel – you’re attacking this entire school!”
Each word hit Aaron and Sophia like a slap to the face.
The crowd finally understood what had really happened, and their expressions shifted from sympathy to complete disgust.
“Oh my god… they totally made this whole thing up!”
“How could they be so stupid? Going after a major donor’s daughter?”
“They’re so twisted they see something dirty in a father-daughter relationship? That’s sick!”
“I actually thought Aaron was decent and Sophia was sweet. They should’ve gone to drama school with acting skills like that!”
The comments washed over them like a tidal wave, each one cutting deeper than the last.
Aaron completely lost it- his legs gave out and he crumpled to the floor, looking absolutely destroyed, mumbling incoherently.
“This isn’t happening… can’t be real… how is this…”
My dad’s icy glare swept over him, then softened the moment it returned to me: “Sorry you had to deal with this, sweetheart.”
I shook my head and took the microphone.
“Aaron. Sophia. Did you really think I stayed up three nights straight fighting for train tickets because that was my only option for getting home?”
“Did you think I dress simply because I can’t afford the designer brands you’re obsessed with?”
“Did you think I kept quiet and didn’t fight back because I’m insecure and an easy target?”
My voice got stronger and sharper with each question, each one landing like a bomb.
“Me needing a sugar daddy? That’s honestly the funniest joke I’ve heard all year.”
Aaron kept his head down, staring at the floor, not daring to look at me.
“I wanted those train tickets because I thought it would be special to experience that normal struggle of getting home with someone I cared about.”
I fixed Aaron with a razor-sharp stare.
“Too bad you weren’t worth it.”
