Chapter 216

“I swear I didn’t step that hard!” Panic-stricken at the thought of being implicated, Mae looked at Eloise as if she were her only lifeline.

Eloise interrupted, “Mae accidentally stepped on Ms. Dawson’s hand. Whatever the medical bills are, we’ll cover them.”

“Is this about the medical bills?” Ronan’s voice was icy. “I’m going to review the library’s surveillance footage. I’m calling the cops if it shows it was intentional, and the university will decide Mae’s punishment based on their assessment.”

“Professor Beckett! Professor Beckett, I swear it was an accident!” Mae’s face turned ghostly pale. Mae’s parents had spent a fortune and pulled every string they could to get her into Summit University. If Mae got expelled, her parents would be furious!

“Ellie! Please help me! It was an honest mistake!” Mae put all her hopes in Eloise.

Eloise bit her lip, knowing Mae would be in trouble if they checked the surveillance footage.

“Professor Beckett, we’re willing to pay any damages. How about…”

“Summit University isn’t short on wealthy students, Eloise. If you keep this up, you three will be in the same boat.” With that, Ronan took Freya’s hand and started walking out of the library.

Before leaving, Freya turned back and flashed a slight, mocking smile. Eloise could see the challenge in Freya’s eyes, confirming her suspicion that Freya had done it deliberately!

Outside the library, Ronan let go of Freya’s hand. The pain on the back of her hand made Freya involuntarily take in a sharp breath. “Ouch! Can you be a bit gentle, please?”

“Now, you want me to be gentle? What were you doing just now?”

From their first meeting, Ronan had thought Freya was like a prickly hedgehog. He hadn’t seen Freya so subdued before. Yet, just moments ago, Freya had been trampled on and hadn’t uttered a word. Her hand was seriously injured, yet she didn’t even cry out in pain.

Freya said, “I saw you were there. Besides, how else could I teach them a lesson if I didn’t get hurt?”

“To teach them a lesson, you’d go as far as to get hurt? Freya, should I call you smart or foolish?”

“Of course, smart.” Freya raised an eyebrow. “They’re correct. Without my status as Kieran’s fiancée, I’m nothing special at Summit University. Anyone with power could bully me. But I doubt anyone will dare to mess with me after today.”

Ronan quickly caught on that Freya had leveraged his status as CEO of the Beckett Group and a lecturer at Summit University.

“And what if I hadn’t stepped in?”

“Mr. Beckett, you’re a considerate guy. You wouldn’t just stand there and let me get bullied into a disability, would you?”

Freya put on a pitiful face, making Ronan frown. “Cut the crap. Let’s go to the hospital.”

“You’re taking me?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’ve got a class this afternoon. I’ll have my driver take you.”

“Fine then, see you, Mr. Beckett!” Freya gave Ronan a bow and turned to walk toward the campus exit.