Chapter 3

3

The crowd was quick to invent a reason for my actions.

"She's just mad because she's losing her stolen goods!"

"Exactly! She's trying to take everyone down with her!"

I scoffed. These people were creative, I'll give them that.

Cassandra, seeing an opportunity, pulled out my evening gown from the closet. It was for the upcoming awards gala.

"You think you're going to walk across that stage looking like a lady? Not a chance."

Beatrice grabbed a pair of large scissors from my desk.

"There isn't even a brand tag on this. It looks like a cheap knock-off from a thrift store."

I warned her, my voice low. "That is a custom haute couture piece. If you can afford the seven-figure replacement cost, go ahead and cut it."

"Couture? Please. No matter how expensive the dress is, you're just going to take it off for a man anyway!"

I watched as Beatrice shredded the gown into rags. I didn't stop her.

She didn't care because the dress wouldn't fit her anyway.

Cassandra, however, looked almost regretful. She knew exactly what that dress was worth.

Within ten minutes, my dorm room was a disaster zone.

It didn't matter. I had every digital receipt saved. People were already live-streaming this to the school forum.

I had all the evidence I needed.

This was far from over.

While they were busy celebrating their destruction, I used my tablet to send a quick message to my father's secretary.

"Tell my dad: I want the husbands of every person in this room―whether they are professors or staff―demoted to security guards today."

"Also, call the police and the best lawyers in the city. They just destroyed millions in antiques, luxury goods, and couture. I'm going to ruin them."

I thought they would stop there, but the men suddenly stepped toward me.

"Since you love showing off for men so much, why don't we see what you're hiding?"

No one expected the 'quiet' Beatrice to go this far.

She lost all rationality and ordered the men to pin my arms and legs down. She pulled out her phone, intending to film them stripping me.

Cassandra pretended to pull them away, but she used the opportunity to unzip the back of my top.

"Stop! What are you doing? Let go!"

Panic flared in my chest. My screams were drowned out by the excited cheers of the mob.

"Let's see the mistress's brand!" they laughed.

In the chaos, Cassandra leaned into my ear. Her voice was dripping with venom.

"Lulu, you already have money. Why couldn't you just stay in your lane? Why did you have to take what's mine?"

What a hateful woman.

Before I arrived, Cassandra was the undisputed queen of the campus.

She had carefully crafted an image of a wealthy, beautiful, and kind socialite. Boys lined up to do her bidding.

Then I showed up, and her facade started to crumble.

Next to my genuine lifestyle, her fake designer gear and borrowed clothes looked pathetic.

She hated me for it.

Then came the National Scholarship. She tried to use her connections to win, but my academic record still crushed hers.

She couldn't stand it. She wanted to destroy me completely.

Piper was actually terrified now. She tried to pull Beatrice back.

"Mrs. Miller, please! Even if she did something wrong, isn't the professor also to blame?"

Beatrice glared at her.

"If this slut didn't seduce him, my husband would never have strayed!"

"You're full of crap! I never touched him!" Tears finally escaped my eyes.

I never thought a plot from a trashy novel would actually happen to me.

Piper didn't give up. "If this goes viral, you'll be arrested for inciting a riot!"

Beatrice finally paused.

"Fine. Since you're just a student, I'll give you one pass today."

The crowd began to mumble.

"That was getting a bit out of hand."

"Well, if she wasn't such a tramp, the wife wouldn't be this angry."

"Honestly, she's got a great body. I can see why the professor wanted her."

Just as Beatrice and her goons were about to leave, the police walked in.

"We received a report of a violent disturbance. What's going on here?"

I broke free and ran toward them. "It was me! They broke in, slandered me, assaulted me, and destroyed my property! Arrest them!"