With an obedient nod, the administrative officer turned and left the hall, headed towards Professor Gerald’s office. Before he walked out of the door, he cast a skeptical look between Clara and Darren. Once he was gone, Clara disrespectfully approached his seat and without permission sat on it. She crossed her leg and relaxed her back comfortably like she was in her father’s living room. Tossing a strand of hair behind her ear, she said in a casual tone, her voice filled with contemptuous disrespect. “Professor Gerald is a very corrupt lecturer. Men like him doesn’t deserve to be teaching in this prestigious university. Getting him fired is good riddance!”Everyone looked at her with bewilderment. Her audacity scared them. The board members frowned but didn’t say anything.After a few minutes, the Vice Chancellor shot her a warning glare and said in a raspy tone, “What you are accusing Professor Gerald and Darren of better be true. If not…” he stopped and bit his lower lip.Shift

“Apologize on our knees?” Clara was stunned, a small but stubborn frown appearing on her face. She shook her head defiantly. “We can apologize to Professor Gerald, but not to this pauper… no way!”The Vice Chancellor’s expression darkened instantly, his patience snapping. “You should have thought about the consequences before falsely accusing him,” he thundered. “Now do exactly as I instructed, or I will take strict disciplinary action against you immediately.”Clara hesitated, her lips trembling slightly. But before she could react, her supporters had already stepped forward and dropped to their knees in front of Professor Gerald.“We are sorry, sir,” James said, bowing his head deeply as he spoke on behalf of the group. “We shouldn’t have listened to Clara or allowed ourselves to be used to ruin your good name. Please forgive us.”Standing alone, abandoned by the very students who once echoed her accusations, Clara felt her confidence drain away completely. The boldness she had clun

The security man swallowed hard. Out of nowhere, cold sweat broke out across his temples, sliding down the sides of his face.He was the one who had carried the box inside, completely unaware of what it contained. Now that it had turned out to be something so horrifying, he knew he was standing on dangerous ground—especially with Jeff watching him so intently.“We—I checked the CCTV just like you instructed,” he stuttered, his voice trembling.“And?” Jeff pressed, one eyebrow arching sharply.The guard gulped again before forcing himself to continue. “While reviewing the footage, we discovered that all the cameras in the mansion suddenly went blank for exactly two minutes. When they came back online… the package was already there.” He hesitated, then lowered his head. “We checked thoroughly. There was no record of anyone entering or leaving the premises.”He swallowed once more before adding in a strained voice, “Whoever brought the package in is likely… a ghost.”Jeff and Derek excha

Derek closed his eyes. His jaw tightened. Somehow, something in him already knew this was going to be bad news.“What is it now?” he asked, his voice low and strained.There was a brief pause on the other end, as though she was choosing her words with extreme caution.“Sir… it concerns Hilton Dynamics,” she said in a small tone. “All the major investors and stakeholders are withdrawing their investments.”Derek’s eyes snapped open. “Withdrawing?” he repeated sharply. “How many?”She lingered for a second as if she was checking the number in her head, then said, “Almost all of them, sir. Some of them are here in person at the company as we speak while others have sent their assistants and lawyers.”Derek paled. The room seemed to constrict around him.“How is that possible?” He stuttered. “Only a few weeks back, the company posted its strongest quarterly performance in years. There’s no legal issue, no scandal, no losses. It was all profit. On what grounds are they pulling out?”The se

Darren didn’t even remember how he got home.All he knew was that his legs felt lighter than air, his heart wouldn’t calm down, and his lips were stuck in a stupid grin that refused to leave his face.“She said yes…” he muttered for the tenth time, pacing around his extravagant room. With how happy he looked, one would think Alicia agreed to be his girlfriend while the reality is that she agreed to go eat with him at a restaurant.Darren threw himself on the bed, stared at the ceiling, then stood up again and continued pacing the room. This went on for hours.Later in the evening, the maids brought him dinner but he refused to eat. His joy had eaten up his appetite. Throughout the night, Darren couldn't even blink. He just laid on the bed thinking about Alicia and tomorrow. Before he knew it, tomorrow turned today.In the morning, there was a light knock on his door.“Yes, come in!” Darren said expectantly as he sat on the edge of his bed. There was a pile of cheap clothes scattered