I had just arrived at the school when I spotted Heather standing alone on the podium, enduring the ridicule and scorn of the entire class and her teachers.

I noticed her homeroom teacher, Cameron Hall, jabbing her finger into Heather's head, spitting as she yelled, "I've never encountered a student as brazen as you—to openly cheat during a school-wide examination simply for the sake of attention is utterly disgraceful!"

I then saw her grade dean, Jeremiah Smith, declaring with a grim expression, "I get that you wanted to participate in the math competition, but using such disgraceful methods is unacceptable. I hereby announce that you're officially banned from every school competition from this point forward."

Upon hearing that, Heather's previously expressionless face finally registered some response. "I-I didn't—"

Heather's voice was rapidly lost amid the shouts and condemnation from everyone around her, though.

I couldn't take it anymore. I pushed the door open and pulled Heather into my arms.

"What right do you have to say she cheated in the exam? Where's your proof? How can you condemn a student and use such cruel language before the facts are clear, especially given how you're both teachers? If she were to do something drastic because of this, could you live with the consequences?"

Cameron and Jeremiah were stunned. Their protests were stifled, leaving them completely speechless.

Just as the confrontation stalled, Sylvia came forward alongside Christian. "You see, we found this note in her desk, Kayla, filled with answers. Their teacher had the desks cleared before the exam, and the surveillance footage confirms that no one went near Heather once the exam started.

"It is difficult for a young woman to excel in the sciences, and a lapse in judgment is understandable. If Heather just apologizes and learns her lesson, all will be forgiven, Kayla."

Christian feigned concern while comforting Heather. "You can rest assured that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks; as long as you have me, that's all that matters, Heather."

It was then that the comment section appeared before my eyes again. "I'm totally shipping them! I mean, the male lead's sense of possession over the female lead is absolutely intense!"

"It seems like the male lead's mother had already prepared everything perfectly, leaving no trace. It won't be long before the female lead loses hope in life and obediently submits to the male lead's imprisonment."

I glanced at them coldly—just as I thought, they were behind it again.

Heather choked back her tears and insisted, "I really didn't do it, Mom. I've never seen that note before."

I gently wiped away her tears, my heart aching. "You have nothing to be afraid of, Heather—I believe in you."

I looked straight at Sylvia and stated firmly, "That isn't Heather's handwriting. Your son is the one who benefits most if Heather's out of the running. Did you plant this to frame her, Sylvia?"

In that instant, a collective gasp filled the room as a wave of questioning looks fell on Sylvia.

Sylvia's face turned deathly pale for a moment before she quickly put on a pitiful expression. "I was just speaking up for the teachers, Kayla. Is there really any need to attack me in this way?"

I had had enough of her act, so I took out Heather's first-place national certificate from my handbag and slammed it onto the table. "I have Heather's national award right here. If you're accusing her of cheating, then you're insulting the validity of the entire national examination board itself.

"If you're still not convinced, then let's escalate it—we can bring in the authorities to run a professional handwriting analysis on those notes!"

In that instant, a deathly silence fell over the entire room.

It was clear how valuable this national competition certificate was; only about ten people across the country could earn it. If they were to question it, then it meant they were challenging the national exam authorities. They didn't dare risk the consequences if things got out of hand.

In the end, the teachers' expressions shifted through a range of emotions before they were forced to concede. They admitted the school had handled the situation poorly and acknowledged they had wrongly accused Heather.

Sylvia and Christian looked as though they had swallowed something bitter. Sylvia forced an awkward smile to defuse the tension, saying, "I knew all along that Heather wasn't capable of such a thing. It seems we've all just had a bit of a misunderstanding, haven't we?"

Christian furrowed his brow and moved closer, reaching out to hold Heather's hand.

Heather threw off his hand without a second thought, refusing to even look at him.

In the meantime, the boisterous comment section appeared again.

"What's going on here? How come the plot is going off-track? Why are the male and female leads at odds?"

"You guys shouldn't get so worked up yet—the best part is yet to come. You can rest assured that the female lead has no chance of escaping the grasp of this insidious mother-son duo."

I was just waiting to discover the nature of the upcoming "best part" when the comment section vanished again. I had a bad feeling about this, so I grabbed Heather's hand and led her away, certain that heading home was the best course of action at that moment.

I was just about to leave the classroom when Sylvia and Christian blocked our path. "Why are you in such a hurry, Kayla? It's almost time for the class meeting, and with Heather's grades being so impressive, she ought to share her learning experience with her peers."

Cameron also stepped forward with a sycophantic expression. "It truly would benefit Heather to participate as well, so please stay for the meeting, Mrs. Miller."

Heather and I hesitated for a moment, thinking that there was no harm in staying since it was merely a class meeting.

Upon hearing our agreement, Sylvia and Cameron ushered Heather onto the podium. They called the class to order, directing everyone's attention toward the front to await Heather's address.

Heather calmly picked up the microphone and said, "You see, my approach to studying is—"

In the following instant, the presentation on the digital screen behind her shifted to a series of scandalous photographs.

In the images, Heather was clad in lingerie that was way too mature for her, lying in the arms of a middle-aged man with a portly belly. She looked really suggestive in the images, her poses highly provocative.

In that instant, chaos broke out as the crowd widened their eyes in disbelief.

"Isn't that man the proprietor of the hotel near the school? He's a married man! Heather isn't just hooking up with an older man—she's a homewrecker!"

Heather turned to look at the screen, her complexion instantly paling as she stood there, paralyzed by shock and fear.

In the meantime, the audience whispered among themselves, their gazes toward her filled with contempt, judgment, mockery, and curiosity. They didn't even take the time to look at the photos on the screen, though, which clearly showed signs of being AI-generated.

I hadn't even started to defend Heather when Sylvia suddenly stepped onto the stage and pointed her finger at me. "Have you lost your mind, Kayla? Heather is only 16 years old! How could you let her go after an old, married man like that?

"You should have just asked us if you're desperate for money! You didn't have to sell her out! If this gets out, it's not just Heather's life that's over—the school's reputation is thrashed, too! How could any parent feel safe sending their children to this school?"

Sylvia appeared to be defending Heather, but she was actually placing the blame on us without considering the facts and making the situation more serious.

Upon hearing that, Cameron and Jeremiah's expressions hardened. "You ought to know that our school has a reputation to uphold, Mrs. Miller. Heather's excellent grades do not justify her scandalous behavior; thus, we won't tolerate having such a brazen student in our school.

"Heather is thereby expelled this instant. I'll also ensure the exact cause of her dismissal is documented in her files so that no other institution takes her in."

Heather broke down in tears.

She had always dreamed of attending grad school, earning her PhD, and working in a lab doing research that would yield genuine benefits for mankind. She had applied herself diligently ever since she started school, working through every winter and summer to keep her spot at the top of the class.

She had just turned 16 years old, and her entire future was now on the verge of being extinguished by a single scandal.

Sylvia, believing that she had won, cast a provocative smile toward me and gestured with her eyes for me to look at my phone.

I took out my phone and saw that Heather's "photos" had already gone viral online, with some eye-catching headlines. "Heartless Mother Permits 16-Year-Old Daughter to Date an Older Married Man; Was It On Purpose?"

There were tens of thousands of abusive comments aimed at Heather and me, full of crude language, with some even asking how much Heather's "service" cost for a night.

I was trembling so much that I almost dropped my phone. I was still thinking about Heather's ruined prospects when I received a message from my superior that pushed me over the edge into total despair.

"We've seen the rumors about you online, and the company has no place for someone like you. You're officially dismissed, Kayla Knight."

I felt completely numb as everything came crashing down at once, but I couldn't afford to break down, as Heather still needed me.

I tried to step forward and speak up, but Heather held me back, her tone hollow and completely devoid of life while saying, "You can stop now, Mom. I've resigned myself to this. I don't want you to suffer more on my account, especially since we can't win against them, Mom."

Heather's remarks cut through me like a knife.

Those annoying comments in the comment section flashed before my eyes again.

"It's such a clever move from the male lead's mother! It seems like the female lead will finally surrender and accept the male lead's affection, behaving like a compliant little pet!"

"In the end, the female lead's annoying mother's ultimate fate is to suffer a mental collapse from the trauma and eventually perish in a psychiatric ward within a few short years."

I couldn't possibly be forced to submit to the ending they had planned for us. I absolutely wouldn't allow that to happen.

I racked my brain, replaying everything that had happened lately, when it finally clicked; a detail I had previously overlooked finally came to light.

I knew that this single piece of evidence was sufficient to dismantle the rumors surrounding Heather and me, forcing Sylvia and Heather to suffer the consequences and pay dearly for their deeds.

It was time for this ridiculous farce to reach its conclusion.