She hadn't expected the incident's ripple effect to last so long, or to attract so much online attention. She'd initially thought it would merely plant a seed of doubt in Wilson's and her seniors' minds, to be gradually unravelled in the future, revealing Mu's true colours. However, there seemed no need to wait. The unfolding events were already enough to seriously shake Mia's standing. Luna was curious to see how Mia would attempt to regain everyone's trust.

Meanwhile, in Wilson's office, Wilson sat grim-faced, staring at the online uproar. "What do you think about this?"

"I still don't believe Mia plagiarized," Wyatt replied. "It's probably just a coincidence. Though Luna's thesis is more thorough and well-articulated." He hesitated. "Professor, Luna won't be returning to the team. Mia is the one staying. How this gets handled is up to you."

Wilson had never felt so publicly pressured. What infuriated him most was that everyone demanded Mia release her original draft and even apologize to Luna. He prided himself on his authority and reputation. This situation felt like a direct challenge to both. His anger toward Luna deepened.

"Do apologize to Luna on behalf of the team," he said coldly. "Tell her the door is always open if she's willing to return." Wilson believed that rejoining the team was her ultimate goal. And once she did…

Wyatt caught the look in his eyes. "Understood, Professor Hanley. And what about Mia?"

"Tell her to revise her draft. I want a more detailed and polished version on my desk by tomorrow. I'll ensure it gets published in the country's top medical journal." Once published, her reputation would naturally rise above Luna's, and those demanding to see her draft would quiet down.

Meanwhile, Mia felt a wave of dread as she read the scathing comments online. No one was naive enough to believe the "coincidence" excuse fully. The public doubted her, the team members doubted her, and even Wilson had likely harbored doubts himself.

Had she actually bought Luna's thesis from a hacker? Even though she'd revised it, she could barely remember the content after a few weeks. Something not written by herself would never truly feel like hers. Now that Luna had released her original draft, it was a direct challenge—a head-on confrontation! What a ruthless move!

Mia knew she couldn't win against Luna. After thinking it over, she came up with an idea and went to Trevor with her thesis. Trevor quickly closed the forum he was browsing and looked at her with a calm, unreadable expression.

"Just say what you need. There's no need to plead."

He couldn't help but suspect the plagiarism was real. After all, he was the one who had helped set up the firewall on Luna's computer. There was no reason it should've been breached. And the fact that only the thesis went missing? It was far too coincidental. It had to be someone from within the team. Besides, he knew how capable Luna was. Apart from him and Russell, no one in the team matched her dedication. She could easily have written that thesis. But Mia…

"I'd like you to take a look at my draft," Mia said, ignoring his probing gaze as she handed it over. "Everyone online is demanding I upload it, but I wrote this before I joined the team. It's… cough… and I'm not happy with it."

"Now that I'm part of the team, posting a half-baked draft online would only embarrass Professor Hanley—especially right now. I don't want to be overshadowed by Luna. I hope you understand."

Trevor smirked inwardly but couldn't deny she had a point. Wilson cared about dignity. It would damage his reputation if Mia's thesis was publicly compared and found lacking. And more than that, questions about his judgment would be the real danger. Besides, Trevor owed Mia a large sum of money. Whether he wanted to or not, he was stuck helping her.