Chapter 35

Cassandra's face drained of color the moment Sebastian spoke. I could see the panic flashing in her eyes as she scrambled to come up with an excuse—anything to justify what she’d done. I knew Cassandra was many things—ambitious, ruthless, even manipulative—but a cheater? She had always been fiercely proud of her academic achievements, working harder than anyone else to stay at the top. Despite our strained relationship since middle school, I had secretly admired her relentless drive.

But now?

Now, I saw her in a completely different light.

She had cheated. Paid someone to take her exams for her.

Why?

That was the question burning in my mind. Cassandra was brilliant—more than capable of acing those tests on her own. And yet, she had still passed with flying colors. So why resort to fraud?

"I... I don’t understand," the dean said, his sharp gaze narrowing at Cassandra. "Is this true?"

"N-no," she stammered, her voice trembling. "It’s not true, I swear!"

Before she could spin another lie, the door opened, and a familiar figure stepped inside. Marcus Grayson—Sebastian’s Beta. I had only met him briefly before, but he carried himself with quiet authority.

"I have the reports you requested," he said, handing Sebastian a single sheet of paper.

Sebastian scanned the document, his expression unreadable. His jaw tightened, lips pressed into a thin line. Then, without a word, he passed the paper to the dean.

"This is proof that Cassandra has been cheating," he stated coolly. "How exactly did she score top marks on this exam when she wasn’t even present in class to take it? Unless she’s mastered the art of being in two places at once." His tone was dry, laced with disdain. "There’s also a record of transactions—payments made to the students who took the tests for her."

The dean’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"It’s not what it looks like!" Cassandra blurted, her voice cracking.

Sebastian ignored her. "You’re welcome to investigate further, but this is what my Beta uncovered in a short amount of time."

The dean’s expression darkened. "We have zero tolerance for academic dishonesty."

Then Sebastian turned his attention to Professor Sinclair. "One of her classes happens to be yours. Are you telling me you never noticed her absence? Yet you still passed her."

The professor paled, his eyes darting between Cassandra and the dean.

That’s when it clicked.

They were in this together.

My stomach twisted. I stared at the floor, unsure of what to say or do. The tension in the room was suffocating. I just wanted to disappear.

"Miss Lillian," the dean said, his voice cutting through the silence, "why don’t you head to the feast? My assistant has already directed everyone there to begin the celebration." His gaze remained locked on Cassandra, flickering between her and the professor.

I wasn’t sure my legs would cooperate, but when I glanced at Sebastian, he gave me a firm nod.

Something inside me loosened. I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding my breath.

Exhaling slowly, I turned and walked out, leaving the storm behind me.

"Thank you," I murmured, barely above a whisper, before turning on my heel and striding out of the office. I didn’t bother glancing back—not at Donovan, not at Evelyn, not even at the silent, watchful gaze of Sebastian Blackwood.

The moment I stepped into the dining hall, the air thickened with tension. A sea of curious eyes locked onto me, whispers slithering through the crowd like snakes. Were they speculating about my punishment? Wondering if my reward had been stripped away?

Then, cutting through the murmurs like a blade, Beatrice’s voice rang out. "Hope you all enjoyed the show," she declared, standing boldly in the center of the room, arms crossed. "Now, how about you find something else to gossip about?"

The crowd hesitated, exchanging glances, but the whispers didn’t stop. If anything, they grew louder, more insistent.

I clenched my fists.

This wasn’t over.