Chapter 16
The police station lights were harsh and glaring. Jordan’s parents sat on a bench, faces ashen as an officer pushed a report toward them. “Our investigation confirms that Vanessa Hayes’ college acceptance letter was forged. The university detected the forgery when she attempted to enroll and expelled her. She has since been attending a so-called ‘school’ that admits anyone who pays.”
“That’s nonsense!” Her mother jumped up, her fingernail nearly jabbing the officer’s face. “My daughter got into college! Jordan must have manipulated this somehow!”
The officer frowned and stepped back. “We have concrete evidence. You can see for yourself if you don’t believe me.”
Her father collapsed back into his chair as if struck by lightning. “Impossible… we had everything arranged… How could this happen? Vanessa is so talented…”
Meanwhile, this news spread like wildfire throughout the city. Neighbors who had once envied Vanessa for “getting into college” now whispered behind their hands, while Ashland University students and faculty were outraged-these people had dared to treat their brilliant classmate this way!
In his military office, Maxwell stared at the investigation report on his desk, his fingers unconsciously tapping the surface. The document clearly recorded how Vanessa had been exposed for academic fraud but continued pretending to attend a fake
school.
“Colonel Stone, this shit has blown up into a total clusterfuck,” the Political Affairs Officer sighed. “Since she’s your fiancée’s sister, it’s making us look like complete assholes to the brass…”
Maxwell abruptly stood up. “I’ll sort this mess out myself.”
In the hospital room, Vanessa was lounging against the headboard. Seeing Maxwell enter, she immediately switched to her poor-little-me face. “Max…”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me you got kicked out?” Maxwell demanded point-blank, his voice ice-cold.
Vanessa’s fingers grabbed the sheet, tears instantly on tap. “It… it was all Jordan’s fault! She totally screwed me over with that fake letter, then went behind my back and changed her application to Ashland…”
“I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to lie. I was just terrified of Jordan…”
“After she burned my arm, I started having nightmares… Then she hired those men to… I was just so scared! I was afraid if I exposed this, she would retaliate. I… I didn’t dare say anything…”
essa suddenly threw herself into his arms, trembling violently, tears streaming down her face.
“I was afraid if I said anything bad about Jordan, you’d think I was trying to cause trouble… You’ve been so distant lately, and I’m terrified… Max, please believe me, I’m so scared…”
Maxwell looked at the sobbing young woman in his arms, his doubts gradually giving way to familiar compassion.
Vanessa was so innocent-how could she deliberately deceive anyone? There must be some misunderstanding…
He gently patted her back. “Don’t cry. I’ll handle this.”
My Womb? Not My Pen is My Weapon Now!
60.0%
Vanessa whore Maxwell couldn’t see, allowed a satisfied smile to cross her lips as her arms tightened around him. “Max, Y the be”
teading the clinic. Maxwell stood at a newsstand, once again seeing the paper featuring Jordan’s article.
bie stamped at the calm, confident photo of Jordan, with the caption beside it: “Jordan Hayes, outstanding student at Ashland Unkersity School of Literature, columnist for The New American Literary Review.””
Bir snbärnly remembered long ago, when that girl who always followed him would timidly look up and ask, “Max, is my essay Et[»
Sam had he responded then?
“It’s okay, I guess,” he had said without even looking up. “Stop wasting time on these useless things. Learn from your sister istrod
Maxwell clenched his fist, crumpling the newspaper.
For the first time, he realized he might never have truly known Jordan Hayes-the girl he had dismissed as only good for NOUS Work Apparently possessed such brilliant talent.
And more, that brilliance was being treasured by another man.
