Chapter 546: Who Else Was Involved
Hayley’s POV:
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.
“Then come back to campus,” Professor Cain asked, his voice calm but firm. “Do you know where my office is?”
“I remember,” I replied, though confused.
“Come right now. We’ll be waiting for you.”
With that, Professor Cain’s tone became more commanding, and he hung up. His detached and serious manner made me uneasy. Professor Cain had always been kind and polite to me—gentle, even—so this sudden change in his behavior was unsettling. What was going on today? And when he mentioned “we,” I couldn’t help but wonder who else was involved. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach.
Benjamin approached, his familiar scent offering me a bit of comfort. Noticing the change in my mood, he asked with concern, “Are you okay? Who was that on the phone?”
I didn’t want to worry him, so I quickly shook my head and replied, “It’s nothing. Just the school—they need me to come back for something.”
“Alright, let’s go. I’ll drive you.”
Given the urgency in Professor Cain’s voice, I didn’t hesitate to agree. On the way, I got a message from Loretta: “Hayley, check the school forum right now!”
“What forum?” I replied, feeling confused.
Loretta sent me a link almost immediately. Apart from the school logo and some symbols, all that was there was a URL. Curious, I clicked the link and saw that the main topic on the front page was #MathCompetitionPlagiarism#. The post had only been up for a day, but it already had thousands of people talking, including students, alumni, and even faculty members’ families—all of them caught up in the drama.
The original post was from someone named “The Vigilante.” In it, they accused me of “plagiarizing” a well-known mathematician’s solution and using it to claim prize money. The post demanded that the school take action against my supposed plagiarism. The message was direct and clear, and it was clearly targeted at me. They wanted to ruin my reputation. My anger flared, and I clenched my fists. Perfect timing—trouble all at once.
Well, I was more than ready to take on a few obstacles. I would deal with this all in one go. I was determined to find out who this “Vigilante” really was.
Benjamin must have sensed the rising anger in me. He asked, “Do you want me to help?”
I turned off my phone, my gaze fixed ahead, and replied firmly, “No, I’ll handle it myself.”
Even though I knew Benjamin was my destined mate, chosen by the Moon Goddess, and I trusted him completely, I had always handled things on my own since taking on the role of Alpha. Benjamin respected my wishes, and though he didn’t argue, I could tell he was worried.
Benjamin’s POV:
Hayley was fiercely independent, and I could tell something was bothering her. Even though she didn’t want my help, I still needed to figure out what was going on and step in if necessary. It looked like it was time to check in with the bodyguard I had arranged for her. I dropped Hayley off at the building and immediately made a call. Before long, Mira showed up, her hair a mess, but she was still standing tall and respectful as she murmured, “Alpha.”
I nodded and got straight to the point. “Hayley’s at Professor Cain’s office. Go change, and find out what’s going on.”
Hayley’s POV:
I knocked on the door to Professor Cain’s office.
Knock, knock.
“Professor Cain, it’s me, Hayley.”
“Come in,” came his calm reply.
I opened the door and immediately saw several important figures inside. The principal and the head of the department were present, along with two other professors from the math department—ones I recognized but didn’t know very well. I gave a polite nod to acknowledge them, then turned to Professor Cain and asked, “Professor Cain, what’s going on?”