Chapter 416
Stupid! So incredibly stupid!
The main administration office was brightly lit.
"How long has the statement been out?"
"Two hours."
"Public reaction?"
"..."
"Speak!"
"Number one trending topic."
The leader nodded, unsurprised.
The reporting incident had caused an uproar.
The university's response was naturally under intense scrutiny.
"And the sentiment?"
"...Not good."
"...Be specific."
"Netizens are all asking if Caleb Watson will be able to graduate successfully."
The leader froze.
...
In an upscale residential villa—
"It's over... it's all over..." Ashley Lowell was deathly pale, her entire body trembling.
She threw her phone aside and rushed into the bedroom.
"Auntie! Wake up! Something terrible has happened!"
Victoria Lowell was sleeping soundly and irritably turned over.
"Auntie! Something really bad has happened!" Ashley pushed her hard.
Victoria's eyes snapped open, and she slapped Ashley's hand away viciously—
"Are you trying to kill me?! What are you shrieking about so early in the morning?!"
Ashley's eyes were red, her hand stung, and her mind was in turmoil.
"It's practically the end of the world and you're still sleeping..." she wailed.
Victoria sat up irritably. "How many times have I told you to stay calm! Look at the state of you! Either crying or spacing out, clinging to your phone all day like a lost soul..."
"Auntie! Caleb Watson reported it again!" Ashley was hopping with anxiety.
Victoria scoffed. "Does he own the campus forum? If he posts, I'll just delete it again! How naive!"
"Not the forum, it's TikTok—"
"Get my slippers," Victoria interrupted, pointing to the foot of the bed.
Ashley stood rigid.
Victoria shot her a cold look.
She flinched and obediently fetched the slippers.
Victoria put them on and walked to the living room.
Ashley followed closely. "Caleb posted the video on TikTok."
Victoria paused while drinking water. "TikTok? Is he that desperate for fame?"
"What are you panicking for? Just report the video. Pick any reason."
"In this attention economy, without promotion, who's going to see it? Go report it now. Stop all this crying..."
Ashley suddenly felt utterly drained.
It was no wonder Caleb could win.
His opponent was too arrogant. Too stupid!
"It's not like that..."
Victoria walked into the kitchen and came out scowling. "Where's breakfast?"
Ashley silently picked up her phone, opened the trending page, and handed it over.
Smack—
Victoria knocked the phone away. "I asked you about breakfast! Are you handing me your phone to order takeout? Have you lost your tongue?"
"Just look at it!" Ashley forced the phone into her hands.
Victoria was furious. "You rebellious little brat!"
She was about to throw the phone when her eyes caught the screen and stopped dead.
She picked up the phone for a closer look.
The color drained from her face instantly. Arrogant composure turned into panic and horror.
"No... impossible... it's only been a day..."
Ashley spoke flatly. "Public opinion changes in a blink. You went to sleep yesterday. Anything could have happened."
"That little beast Caleb! Causing trouble on campus wasn't enough, he dares to take it outside?!"
Ashley's voice was cold. "Why wouldn't he dare? You threatened to prevent his graduation. Of course he'd fight back with everything he has! Maybe he can fight his way out!"
Smack—
Victoria slapped her across the face. "Who are you siding with?! If I go down, do you think you'll be fine?!"
Ashley didn't cry or make a scene. She slowly turned her stinging face back.
One side of her cheek rapidly reddened and swelled.
"What—what are you looking at?!" Victoria shrieked.
Ashley's expression was blank. "I'm looking at you, Auntie! Looking at you panicking. Looking at you reaping what you've sown. Looking at you falling from your high horse!"
"You—" Victoria raised her hand again.
This time, Ashley caught it and shoved her back against the wall.
"I won't let you hit and scold me anymore! I'm a person, not your slave!"
"Rebellion! Ashley, are you rebelling?!"
"Rebellion? Are you heaven? Are you worthy? Auntie, even if you were heaven, it's collapsing now! Hahahaha—shattering into pieces!"
"You—you think this can take me down?" She waved the phone. "I'm a full professor at MIT! I've published so many papers! Won so many awards! Can one student's slander convict me? Even if I'm guilty, the university would lose face too!"
"You think the university will still protect you?" Ashley asked with exaggerated disbelief, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha... So stupid! You always called me stupid, but now you're even stupider! Incredibly stupid! Take a good look!"
"The university has already issued a statement. You're fired! Understand?!"
Victoria's eyes widened. "No... impossible... The university wouldn't dare..."
Ashley swiped open her phone. MIT's official statement was right there.
Data fabrication... Improper attribution... Dereliction of duty... Inappropriate language... Negligent teaching...
Termination of employment... Revocation of qualifications... Retraction of publications...
"No! I'm a core professor! I have academic KPIs! How could the university fire me?! No... I don't believe it..."
Victoria began smashing things frantically.
Ashley watched coldly.
Stripped of her academic halo, this woman was no different from a madwoman.
So ridiculous!
This was the aunt she had idolized since childhood. The person she dreamed of becoming.
Turns out she was just this wretched!
...
That evening at eight, MIT issued a second official statement.
It directly addressed the issues of public concern.
Foremost among them was the matter of Caleb Watson's graduation.