Chapter 308
His heart hammered violently against his ribs as he spoke, palm sweating where it gripped the phone. The assistant didn’t respond immediately – instead, a faint woman’s voice murmured indistinctly in the background.
The assistant finally spoke: “Please hold while we consult Mr. Argent.”
He stammered hastily: “Of course, take your time.”
A minute later, the voice returned.
The assistant declared: “Mr. Argent’s position is clear: handle this according to school regulations. He won’t interfere.”
Relief flooded through him.
His earlier concern for Roschelle wasn’t genuine compassion – he’d sought only to probe Kieran’s stance. The assistant’s phrasing proved revealing: Mr. Argent was “comforting Ms. Whitaker.” This confirmed Kieran had unequivocally taken Roschelle’s side.
“Won’t interfere” meant the school held absolute authority. No leniency need be shown to Alarieka for Kieran’s sake. More crucially – it signaled Kieran’s own displeasure toward his adopted daughter.
The implication was crystalline: however the school disciplined Alarieka, Kieran wouldn’t intervene, retaliate, or demand accountability. They might even interpret Mr. Argent’s displeasure as license to impose harsher penalties.
The heaviness lifted from his chest, and a relieved laugh escaped him.
“Understood. Please convey our gratitude to Mr. Argent. Assure him the school will follow protocol to the letter.”
Because of that phone call, since Kieran wouldn’t protect Alarieka anymore, the school saw no reason to go easy on her either.
While Alarieka truly had the potential to top the provincial exams, that couldn’t outweigh the damage she’d caused to the school’s reputation. Top scorers would come again, but if they didn’t deal with Alarieka now, the school’s name would be mud.
Serious consequences were inevitable.
The Dean pressed his lips into a thin line, hands clasped behind his back, scrutinizing her with narrow, almost cruel eyes.
“The school requires you to disclose your social media accounts and publicly apologize to Rose across multiple platforms. In your apology, you must clarify that the school bears no responsibility – state that this was entirely your own decision, that you alone shoulder all consequences. This has nothing to do with the school or anyone here.”
Even without his demand, Alarieka would have distanced herself from the school.
But apologizing to Rose…
Alarieka listened quietly, her expression unnervingly calm, as if she were merely an observer. Her voice remained steady: “Anything else?”
Suddenly, a flicker of pity crossed the Dean’s eyes.
Truthfully, everyone could see Rose wasn’t innocent in this feud. To be blunt, Rose was the sole instigator – she’d manipulated public opinion to whitewash herself.
When Rose’s plagiarism came to light, she’d swiftly diverted attention by “voluntarily” forfeiting her McIntosh Piano Competition trophy, pushing media outlets to amplify the story until the trophy overshadowed the plagiarism.
Then Rose revealed her depression diagnosis. Combining trophy forfeiture with mental health struggles erased the plagiarism scandal entirely, painting her as a figure deserving sympathy.
And throughout it all, how utterly blameless Alarieka was.
She was perhaps the most innocent party.
Yet this innocent person endured wave after wave of online slander orchestrated by Rose.
Now, the victim was being forced to apologize to the perpetrator.
The whole affair laid bare Rose’s venomous cunning.
Anyone with a shred of discernment could trace this web of manipulation. Unfortunately, online discourse wasn’t controlled by those who sought truth, but by Rose – by Rose shielded behind Kieran’s power.
Kieran’s influence could reshape public opinion for Rose.
Alarieka stood like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, utterly powerless.
Her fatal flaw? Lacking a protector like Kieran.
So she lost. Completely.
At this thought, a sliver of pity stirred in the Dean’s heart: “Alarieka, we’ve drafted the statement for you. Comply with our demands, and the school may consider only giving you major demerits – not expulsion. You could continue studying here, preparing for the National College Entrance Examination.”