Chapter 329
A cold smirk curled at the corner of Blake Cunningham's lips.
"Do you think this can be easily brushed aside?"
He grabbed the documents from his desk and flung them at her.
The papers grazed Victoria Lowell's cheek.
She bent down to pick them up.
Her fingers trembled violently the moment they touched the pages.
A disciplinary reprimand…
A fifty percent cut in research funding…
Disqualification from applying for national-level projects next year…
Each line hit her heart like a sledgehammer.
Victoria nearly had to lean against the wall to steady herself as she left the Dean's office.
Blake wasn't faring any better.
Even though he had pinned all the blame on Victoria.
The university still gave him a formal warning for managerial negligence.
It was valid for six months.
The faculty leadership spoke to him immediately.
On the surface, they suggested he take a leave for rest and recuperation.
In reality, it was a temporary suspension of his administrative power.
In six months, everything would have changed.
Blake slammed his fist on the desk.
He never would have worked with her if he'd known Victoria was this foolish.
Now it was all ruined.
...
"Auntie! What did Dean Cunningham say? We won't be implicated, right?"
Ashley Lowell had been waiting anxiously outside the office and rushed up to her.
Slap—
A sharp crack echoed through the hallway.
Ashley covered her cheek, stunned.
"A-Auntie?"
"Were those media outlets yesterday called by you?"
Ashley's eyes darted nervously as she swallowed.
"Dean Cunningham said making a big scene was better… I only contacted two outlets…"
"Two?" Victoria's eyes narrowed sharply. "Are you sure?"
"I swear! It was only two! I don't know why over a dozen showed up…"
"We've been played."
"You mean Sophia Sullivan…"
"Who else? She staged this entire show herself!"
Ashley hastily raised her hand to swear. "I really only contacted two!"
Victoria let out a cold laugh.
The hunter finally hunted by the goose.
Well played, Sophia Sullivan!
Well played, Eleanor Watson!
"Auntie…" Ashley ventured cautiously, "Will the university punish us?"
Victoria gave her a cold glance. "You're expelled."
Ashley's face instantly lost all color.
She swayed, nearly collapsing.
Seeing her thoroughly frightened, Victoria felt a sliver of satisfaction. "I was joking."
Ashley stared, bewildered.
"See for yourself." Victoria tossed the document to her.
Ashley quickly scanned it and found her name wasn't listed.
She immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't celebrate too soon." Victoria sneered. "If I go down, you're coming with me!"
"Auntie, how could I think that! We're on the same side!"
"You'd better remember that!"
Ashley's phone suddenly rang.
She answered it.
Her face grew paler and paler.
"A surprise inspection?! Okay… I'll be right there!"
Hanging up, she looked at Victoria, trembling.
"Auntie… something's happened…"
When they arrived at the lab, the fire safety inspectors were just leaving.
Shane Holloway ran over in a panic.
"Professor… both labs were issued rectification orders…"
It was the same scene all over again.
Only this time, they were the main characters.
Victoria couldn't believe her eyes.
But the black-and-white rectification orders were right in front of her.
"Why another inspection? And why only our labs?"
She stopped the head inspector.
"First, we have the right to conduct random spot checks."
"Second, we received a report at nine this morning that your labs failed to meet fire safety standards."
"Our inspection did indeed find problems."
"Last time the facilities were complete. This time they're severely lacking?"
The inspector's few words left Victoria speechless.
But she seized on a key piece of information.
"A report? Who reported it?"
"No comment."
The fire safety team quickly departed.
Victoria stood rooted to the spot, her face livid.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Eleanor Watson's number.
"You coward! Was it you who reported us?!"
Eleanor was momentarily taken aback when she answered.
Then she let out a light laugh. "Your lab was reported?"
"Stop playing dumb! It was you!"
"Interesting? You started it. I'm just finishing it."
"You—"
Eleanor's voice turned icy. "Victoria Lowell, harm set, harm get."
The call ended abruptly.
Victoria was shaking with rage.
Her nails dug deep into her palms.
Eleanor immediately dialed Sophia Sullivan.
"Hello, Professor?"
"Was it you who reported Victoria Lowell's lab?"
Sophia was recording experimental data.
Her fingers paused slightly at the question.
"The district fire department moved that fast? You already know."
Eleanor was silent for a moment.