Chapter 22: Accused of Cheating

The following day, during finance class, the classroom, originally filled with noise and chaos, fell silent as Professor Ruth Pierson entered. Ruth wore glasses; her eyes were large, her cheekbones high, her lips thin. Her figure was average, neither remarkable nor unattractive, yet her features projected an intimidating impression. Ruth was known as the strictest professor in the Department of Finance. She typically criticized students severely for poor exam performance.

Madelyn knew her grades were subpar, making her a likely target for criticism. She had mentally prepared herself.

Ruth stepped onto the podium, her gaze sweeping across the room. “Next, I’ll announce your thesis grades.” Following this, outstanding theses were praised, while subpar ones were critiqued. Some students were elated; others were disheartened.

Finally, Ruth pushed up her glasses and said in a mysterious tone, “However, this time, there’s a student in our class whose thesis deserves commendation.” She glanced toward Madelyn. “Madelyn, your paper received an unprecedented high score of ninety-eight, making you top of the class.”

What? Upon hearing the news, Madelyn was astonished and joyful, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. She had never imagined achieving such a high score. Janessa’s expression changed drastically; her eyes widened. Madelyn’s thesis had won first place? How was this possible? The other classmates buzzed, discussing the matter in hushed tones. No one could believe it. Madelyn, the seemingly unlearned and incompetent young lady, had astonishingly topped the class.

Ruth also found it hard to believe. She cast a disdainful glance at Madelyn. “But, Madelyn, this doesn’t seem like your usual academic performance. Can you tell me how you managed to score so high?”

Nearby classmates were puzzled. “That’s right. Madelyn’s grades used to be at the bottom of the class. How did she improve so much this time?” “I can’t believe it. There must be something fishy going on here. Do you think it’s possible she didn’t write this paper herself?” “That’s right. It’s highly likely.”

At that moment, a girl stood up, stirring the crowd. “Professor Pierson, we all agree that there’s something fishy about Madelyn’s paper. She either hired someone online to write it or copied it from the internet. Otherwise, considering Madelyn’s previous grades…”

The girls around chimed in, “Exactly. Madelyn has been at the bottom of the class throughout her four years in university. How could her grades suddenly improve by leaps and bounds?” “That’s right! She must’ve done something shady.”

Madelyn recognized the girl leading the commotion; they were Janessa’s usual companions. The ringleader was Felicity Lowe. Without a doubt, Janessa had instigated this commotion. At that moment, Janessa, nearby, glared at Madelyn, her eyes filled with rage and resentment. She hadn’t expected her thesis to be overshadowed by Jillian, let alone Madelyn.

“This is simply outrageous!” Janessa’s face contorted with jealousy. “Who do they think they are? I am supposed to be the center of attention, the best among them all! Why are they overshadowing me?” Janessa gave Felicity a meaningful glance.

Felicity grasped Janessa’s intention and brazenly lashed out at Madelyn. “Madelyn, I advise you to come clean. Out of a perfect score of one hundred, you got ninety-eight? Ha! Who would believe that?”

Madelyn knew no one believed her, but she simply scoffed, unfazed by their disbelief. “A clean hand wants no washing. This is my thesis. I typed out each word personally. If you don’t believe it, what can I do?”

After speaking, she gratefully turned to Jillian. “But, there is someone I need to thank. Jillian, if it weren’t for you lending me your notes and helping me highlight the key points, I wouldn’t have been able to write such a good paper. Thank you.”

Jillian was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Madelyn’s public thanks, and tears welled up in her eyes. However, Madelyn knew that while Jillian had outlined the key points, it was Sebastian who had explained them. Therefore, the credit should have belonged to Sebastian. However, with rumors swirling around Jillian, Madelyn felt she should offer any help she could.

However, Ruth was notoriously strict. Madelyn had always been quirky, her studies a complete mess; Ruth had always found her exasperating. Yet, Madelyn produced such an excellent thesis. Naturally, Ruth was unconvinced, and she wasn’t fond of Madelyn to begin with.

Therefore, Ruth chided Madelyn, “Madelyn, your behavior is simply unacceptable! Even if you borrowed Jillian’s notes, it’s impossible they could have such a significant impact. Not to mention your paper is even better than Jillian’s. Can you honestly say you didn’t cheat at all?”

Turning back to everyone, Ruth added, “I’ve decided that Madelyn’s score for this paper is invalid. Cheating is disgraceful. Don’t follow her example. Everyone should rely on their true capabilities.”

Everyone felt a sense of relief. How could someone like Madelyn possibly score so high? Madelyn, however, wasn’t one to back down. Even though she had relied on Sebastian (contributing to the suspicion of cheating), she had painstakingly typed every word. “Just because I scored high marks, my thesis is invalid? How absurd!”

Madelyn, irritated, abruptly stood. “Professor Pierson, do you think I cheated? Do you have any evidence?” she demanded. Ruth’s face stiffened. “What more evidence do we need? You used to be at the bottom of the class, but now you’ve suddenly risen to the top. Isn’t it obvious that you’ve cheated?”

Madelyn scoffed, standing her ground. “Yes, my grades used to be poor, but does that mean I can’t study hard? You have no evidence to prove that I cheated, and you certainly don’t have the right to nullify my scores.”

Madelyn unexpectedly left Ruth speechless. She was caught off guard, momentarily at a loss for words. Her face flushed with frustration. After a silence, Ruth could only say, “Fine. If you’re so determined to prove yourself, go ahead and rewrite it. If you can’t produce the same quality as today, you’ll receive a demerit.”

After Ruth finished speaking, she turned and left. A commotion instantly erupted in the classroom. Everyone looked at Madelyn with schadenfreude, thinking there’s no way she can pull this off.

Madelyn plopped down, thinking frustratedly. Fine. I’ll write, and I’ll write an even better thesis. A sudden spark of recollection flashed through Madelyn’s mind. She remembered how, in their past lives, Ruth had always been a thorn in her side. In this life, Ruth remained the same, treating Madelyn as if she were her sworn enemy. However, upon self-reflection, Madelyn realized she had never wronged Ruth. Why is Ruth targeting me like this?