Chapter 390
The evidence was laid bare, and Principal Martin, glimpsing the stern expression of the Department of Education representative, knew he could no longer shield Eloise. To continue doing so would mean risking his own neck.
In a burst of anger, Principal Martin exclaimed, “Eloise! To think our faculty placed such trust in her! To commit such an act—it’s despicable, outrageous! I will immediately apply the school’s disciplinary measures to those involved in the cheating scandal and restore Ms. Dawson’s rightful grades!” He strode to his desk and called the vice principal, demanding, “Expel Eloise immediately! She must be made to leave the school!”
Observing Principal Martin’s reaction, the Department of Education official noted something down before saying, “Principal Martin, now that Eloise’s case is resolved, perhaps it’s time we discuss your role in this affair.”
“What? My involvement?” Principal Martin was taken aback. How was this tied to him? Why would the Department of Education probe his actions without cause?
“According to our records, a post appeared on the school’s official website the day before yesterday, directly accusing Eloise of cheating. However, the school seems to have ignored it, even suppressing and blocking all related discussions, effectively burying the issue. Is there any truth to this?”
Hearing the Department of Education’s words made Principal Martin uneasy. Could it be they suspected him of accepting a bribe from Eloise, thus turning a blind eye to her cheating?
Internally, Principal Martin felt wronged; he hadn’t taken a dime! It was Eloise who had pressured him through Kieran.
“Sir, there was such an incident. At the time, I consulted Ms. Harwood in detail about this matter. Ms. Harwood adamantly denied any cheating, and there was no solid evidence online to prove her guilt. Ms. Harwood demanded a satisfactory response from the school. To protect the school’s reputation and ensure students could focus on their graduation exams, we decided to temporarily suppress the matter.”
Principal Martin emphasized the word “temporarily.” But the Department of Education representative was not swayed by his eloquence. Those in their positions often had to be diplomatic, turning a blind eye on occasion, but with the scandal now exposed and causing a stir, Principal Martin was expected to take responsibility.
“Mr. Martin, we are aware of the specifics. Please wait here for further instructions.”
With a few cold words, the Department of Education official left the office. Once the Department of Education representative had departed, Principal Martin collapsed onto the sofa, feeling a storm brewing.
“Principal Martin, I’m sure you have plenty more to sort out, so I’ll leave you to it,” said Freya, turning to leave.
In desperation, Principal Martin blurted out, “Ms. Dawson, I’ve done nothing to wrong you, how could you do this to me?” The questions from the Department of Education were already causing him trouble. This could spell the end of his tenure at Summit University, or even harm his future career prospects! He would have preferred being transferred to another school; that would have been the best outcome. But from the looks of it, things weren’t going to be that simple.
“Principal, how can you say you’ve done nothing wrong? I received a zero, remember? If Eloise hadn’t taken things to the extreme, I might not have reported her. You can blame Eloise if you must, but I will reclaim what is rightfully mine.”
As Freya finished speaking and turned to leave, she heard Kieran’s voice at the door, “So, this is about reclaiming what’s yours, huh?” Kieran looked serious as he walked up to Freya, saying, “I underestimated you. Freya, did you really need to push it this far?”