Chapter 276

[ 1,470 words ]

As soon as Ryan finished speaking, Samantha finally regained a sliver of composure after being completely overwhelmed. Panicked and helpless, she reached out and clutched the sleeve of Ryan’s shirt as though he were the only safe haven that could still offer her a sense of security.

This turn of events had caught her completely off guard.

Her mind went blank.

If she had known that device had a recording function, she never would have chosen that moment to act.

On top of that, the device had only recently been installed. She had still been learning its functions and figuring out how to use it.

How could this have happened…?

Ryan lowered his gaze and looked at Samantha’s hand, which trembled slightly as it gripped his sleeve.

Her instinctive panic was obvious to everyone.

The outcome was already beyond dispute.

He didn’t brush her hand away. Instead, he slowly turned his attention to the university officials.

“Has the university already reached a decision?”

As soon as Ryan spoke, the university president answered solemnly.

“This behavior is utterly unacceptable. A student deliberately fabricated evidence to falsely accuse and frame one of our professors. The severity of this misconduct cannot be overstated. I can issue the disciplinary decision immediately: expulsion, revocation of degree eligibility, a university-wide disciplinary notice, and a permanent record in her academic file.”

Samantha’s eyes widened.

If she were really expelled…

Wouldn’t that mean everything she had worked toward would collapse just as she stood on the threshold of joining the National Center for Biomedical Innovation?

Ryan remained silent.

He clearly understood that any defense at this point would be meaningless.

The all-in-one workstation had recorded everything. Every operation performed during that period could be traced.

The evidence was conclusive.

“Ryan…” Samantha’s breathing became uneven as she looked at him with tearful eyes. “It’s not like that. I can’t be expelled. I still have so much I want to accomplish.”

She wanted Ryan to speak on her behalf.

She wanted him to plead for leniency.

Rose stood quietly, watching Samantha clutch Ryan’s expensive shirt sleeve so tightly that the fabric wrinkled.

Yet Ryan showed no sign of impatience.

He didn’t respond to Samantha.

Instead, he slowly rose to his feet.

“Then let’s proceed according to the university’s regulations.”

Samantha froze.

Her heart plummeted.

Rose, however, silently understood what he was doing.

The next second, Trevor lightly tapped the table.

“Mr. Knight, you’re certainly decisive,” he said. “If you object to the university’s disciplinary action, then in the worst-case scenario—given the false accusations and fabricated evidence—Miss Hill could end up facing criminal charges.”

So Ryan had accepted the expulsion and public disciplinary action without hesitation.

Although it would destroy Samantha’s reputation, it would at least prevent the matter from escalating into something even worse.

Trevor’s words immediately confirmed Rose’s suspicion.

She had wondered why Ryan would so readily accept Samantha’s punishment.

Now she understood.

He was simply choosing the lesser of two evils.

The moment Samantha heard Trevor’s explanation, the panic on her face melted into relief.

Her reddened eyes filled with emotion as she looked at Ryan.

She had misunderstood him.

For a moment, she had truly believed he was abandoning her.

Ryan merely cast Trevor a cold glance.

“I’m simply respecting the university’s decision.”

Trevor neither agreed nor argued.

After all, everyone understood what was really happening.

Rose, however, looked directly at Samantha.

“Fabricating evidence and making false accusations is one matter. But I’m not letting the plagiarism of my work go.”

She stood up. “As for the infringement of my copyrighted research as a professor, I will be filing a lawsuit.”

Samantha’s face darkened.

Unable to restrain herself any longer, she snapped, “Rose, don’t push your luck!”

If Rose actually followed through…

How could she ever hold her head up again?

Rose merely glanced at her calmly. “That’s right. I’m exactly the kind of person who refuses to let the guilty walk free. Since you made your choices, you’ll have to face the consequences.”

“You…”

Samantha stared at her in disbelief, her chest rising and falling with anger.

Ryan looked over as well.

His dark eyes were as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.

But he said nothing.

He simply turned and walked out.

Samantha suppressed all her emotions, shot Rose one last dark glare, and hurried after him.

Things had gone far more smoothly than Rose had expected.

At that moment, she couldn’t help but think that Ryan’s decision to donate those workstations to help Samantha establish herself at NYU had once seemed like a thoughtful gift.

Now…

What had once been honey had become arsenic.

Samantha would have a difficult road ahead.

Leo was in an unusually good mood as well.

Finally resolving this matter gave him a measure of satisfaction.

Rose exchanged a few polite words with Leo and the other administrators.

Then she left the building with Trevor.

“If you need a lawyer, I can arrange one,” Trevor said.

Rose considered it for a moment.

“We’ll see.”

She looked up at him. “Why did you come back so suddenly? Did everything overseas get resolved?”

He hadn’t mentioned a single word beforehand.

Trevor pressed the unlock button on his car keys. “I heard about what happened to you immediately. I booked the earliest connecting flight I could find and came back, but the situation overseas was complicated. I ended up being delayed for a day during the layover.”

When he first received the news, Rose had already been accused of plagiarism, he immediately rushed back.

If things had spiraled out of control, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Rose hadn’t realized it had taken him that much effort to return.

She murmured softly, “Thank you… but…”

“Did you finish the paperwork?”

She was referring to the documents needed for their marriage certificate.

Trevor narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling the situation in the U.K., before finally replying, “We’ll need to wait a few more days. There’s been a minor issue, but it can be resolved.”

He lowered his gaze again. “For now, just focus on getting ready. Whether it’s the wedding or anything else, everything will go smoothly.”

Rose didn’t ask what the problem was.

After all, theirs was a marriage of convenience, arranged primarily to facilitate Ariel’s legal guardianship transfer.

She had no intention of overstepping.

“Ryan has started suspecting Ariel’s background,” she said after some thought. “I think we should take some precautions.”

Trevor didn’t seem particularly surprised.

“Dealing with someone like Mr. Knight does require extra caution.”

Rose said nothing.

After all, she knew better than anyone how shaken she had been when Ryan suddenly asked that question.

Halfway through their conversation, Trevor received an urgent phone call.

He needed to return to Ocean Star immediately.

Rose waved her hand. “Go ahead. We can talk later.”

But Trevor immediately opened the passenger-side door. “I’ll take you home first.”

“There’s no need. I can easily call a ride.”

“Get in.”

Trevor looked directly at her.

His normally calm, composed face carried an unusual firmness.

“I still have enough time.”

Rose met his gaze.

In the end, she quietly got into the car.

*****

NYU released its official announcement with remarkable speed.

It was Caleb who called to tell Rose.

“Insider news. Hill Group seems to have some questionable business dealings. They’re under investigation now—and they’ve basically shot themselves in the foot.”

Rose looked at the university’s announcement.

It made no mention whatsoever of her identity as Aster, effectively protecting her private life.

As for Samantha…

Rose opened Samantha’s social media account.

As expected, the comments section had descended into chaos.

People had already learned that Samantha had framed a professor, committed academic misconduct, and engaged in plagiarism.

Rose knew this was only the beginning.

****

When Samantha saw NYU’s official disciplinary announcement, she nearly broke down.

She had spent so long plotting everything.

She had been only one step away from success.

Yet now she had practically become an outcast in the medical academic community.

Even the carefully crafted public image she had built over the years had collapsed.

Fans who had once admired and supported her were now turning against her.

Every comment felt like another knife.

To make matters worse, an official investigation into the Hill family was about to begin.

When Logan returned from work, he was livid.

“You’ve dragged the entire company down with you. Was one Rose really enough to make you fall this hard?”

Mike hadn’t gone to school that day.

The moment he heard Logan raising his voice, he immediately ran over and stood protectively in front of Samantha.

“Dad, why are you being so mean to my sister?”

Logan looked at Mike.

Unable to vent all the anger boiling inside him, he finally hurled his briefcase onto the floor and snapped, “You’ll never grow up.”

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