Chapter 5

It goes with the saying that history repeats itself. I can still vividly remember the incident that cost me my scholarship in college, and it felt like it happened just recently. The grim stares of my colleagues were identical to those of my classmates back at Davenford University two years ago.

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[Flashback]

"I saw her, Mr. Hudson! It was Iliana," Hannah, a third-year student from the same department, said, pointing her finger at me. Her lips were secretly curled up behind our dean's eyes.

I couldn't deny that it was me in the photo, and no one around me could testify that everything in the image was just a misunderstanding. Davenford University is a prestigious and conservative institute at the heart of Manhattan.

Most students come from prominent families such as the Thorntons and the mysterious sole heir of the Ainsley. Though I've never bumped into them except for seeing Zosia Thornton, the youngest and only granddaughter of the Thorntons, at a distance.

She's well-known as the pride of the Thorntons, being the genius heiress of their family. She attended the university two years earlier than her peers, receiving the respect of students and faculty members.

On the contrary, I was able to attend Davenford University after receiving a scholarship offer from Mr. Hudson, the department dean, and one of our matron's good old friends, who happily offered me a scholarship after seeing my painting during his visit to the orphanage a few years ago.

The once brilliant smile transformed into a grim expression as he gazed at me, disbelief etched across his face. His brows, which had once arched like a rainbow after a storm, were now furrowed, obscured by the mist clinging to his thick glasses. The twinkling in his eyes faded, lost in the fog that seemed to seep through the very walls. In the chill silence, I caught a glimpse of a small figure giggling.

She can't be the one who did this, can't she? Zosia, who is above all of us in this prestigious school. The once angelic and innocent smile I see at a distance turned to a malicious grin, snickering at the slightly opened door of the department.

Despite thinking hard about anything I did to earn her disdain, I'm sure that I've never done anything that could catch her attention. I am a scholar of this school and an orphan, an eyesore to my classmates due to my status. I did my best to keep a low profile to survive in this school filled with affluent progeny, but I guess I still failed.

I stammered, my voice trembling. "I-it was all a misunderstanding—"

"Her behavior is inexplicitly inappropriate, Professor," another classmate interjected.

"Ms. Davis, this is a serious matter. Who is the man in the photo?" Mr. Hudson said, his tone was stern and terrifying.

My chest clenched, making me falter due to the heavy tone of his voice. Tears are playing in the corner of my eyes as I tremble and struggle for words. I couldn't tell who the man was because he had a mask. It was an accident that we bumped into one another at the back of the building as I was about to escape from my classmates, who attempted to drag me to the pool after, not letting them see the painting I was working on.

He managed to regain his balance after our bodies collided. But I accidentally grabbed him as I fell on the ground, causing him to fall flat above me, our faces separated by just the thin fabric mask he was wearing. I couldn't even remember what had happened after that because I fell unconscious and was only able to wake up alone in the infirmary roughly an hour after the incident.

"I... I don't know who he is, sir," I replied, bracing myself, attempting to calm my shivering body.

His expression worsened as his voice raised. "Are you telling me that you're kissing a random guy inside the university premises?"

"No, sir... I-it... It's not—"

"Come on, Iliana! Just tell the dean who the man is," Hannah scoffed, smirking as another of our classmates whispered to her. "I bet he's your sugar daddy," she added.

"Your scholarship is at stake here, Ms. Davis. Are you still not going to tell us who he is? Is he a student here?" Mr. Hudson asked, grabbing the photo and staring at it, attempting to identify who the man was.

"I really have no idea who he is, sir. Please, believe me, this is all a misundersta—"

"My gosh! She's so dirty. How could she do this on the school premises?" Hannah intercepted, her face filled with grimace. "Disgusting!"

"Are you saying you're making out with a stranger at the isolated area of the building?" Mr. Hudson screamed, his eyes widened as he slammed the photo on the table before him. "Have you gone mad?"

"Sir, no. I—"

"Oh, come on, Ily. I don't believe this picture is just a coincidence," Hannah intercepted again.

"But it is really just a coincidence. It was an accide—"

"An ACCIDENT, I see," another male classmate snickered before laughing out loud.

"Wha—"

"I don't want to listen to this any longer. I'm so disappointed with you, Iliana," Mr. Hudson muttered, his jaws clenching as he looked away while massaging his temple. "Everyone except Iliana, please return to your respective classes."

"Yes, sir!" they all replied obediently.

However, before leaving, Hannah whispered to my ears, "You're still as filthy as when we were young."

A heavy weight suddenly fell on my head, though I hardly remember everything. I could clearly remember the first person who called me filthy the soonest we met, my supposed sister. The biological daughter of my former foster father, who had an affair and brought his daughter inside the house without the knowledge of my former foster mother. The reason I was sent back to the orphanage for the first time.

Tears began to stream down my face while my classmates were quietly sneering on the side as they went out of the room one after another. The other faculty members present were looking at me with grim expressions, shaking their heads before returning to their work.

Mr. Hudson closed the blinds of the glass windows, separating his office from the other faculty staff and closing the door tightly. Then, he sat back down on his swivel chair with a heavier darkness on his face as he fixed his glasses before opening his mouth.

"I gave you an opportunity after seeing your talent and your potential. However, our university cannot tolerate such action," he began, his tone was sharp and heavy. "Your scholarship will be cut off, and you will be fined for breaching a clause to the agreement on your scholarship contract."

I felt like thousands of needles were stabbing my chest one after another at his every word. My mind kept drifting in the space in disbelief, making me want to bend down. Tears kept streaming down my already swollen eyes.

I was kicked out of the institute with enormous debt in my hands, not knowing what to do and how to pay them. I have no one to rely on. I don't have relatives whom I can ask for help. I have no one who would defend me against all these accusations.

'Mom, I need you now more than ever. Why did you leave me alone in this dreadful world?' my mind screamed as I stepped out of the university, clenching my mother's locket between my hands, trying to keep it dry from the heavy rain and tears from my eyes.

"Ily? What happened? You're drenched!" Grace screamed as she opened the door for me. "Why are you crying?"

"Why do they hate me?" my voice trembling as I began to fall on my knees in front of the only family I have.

"Hush... I'm here, Ily. Please, tell me what happened," she whispered in the warmest tone as she tried to wipe my drenched cheeks due to rain and tears. The floor was flooding with the rainwater dripping from my dress.

I began to whale like a child who had lost her parent once again. My cries echoed across the room.

[End of Flashback]

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"Listen, everyone!" our manager asserted. "There was an announcement from the executive office. Please check your emails for details. Everyone should take their time to understand the memo. Anyone who fails to follow the memo will result in corresponsive sanctions stated."

"Lastly, Ms. Hark, please report to the executive office," he added.

"Really? My cousin called for me?" Ms. Hark asked, her tone hyped and higher with her eyes gleaming.

"Cousin?" The manager sneered as he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. If you say so... like the cousin of your cousin's cousin's cousin."

Ms. Hark didn't mind the manager's harsh scoffing and urgently fled out of the room. He then turned to me briefly, frowning while sighing and shaking his head lightly before walking away.

My lips felt dry and cold, and my whole body shook as I embraced myself before opening the email the manager mentioned. I could hear the murmurs of my colleagues, though I couldn't grasp what they were saying to one another. My eyes widened, and my brows furrowed upon opening the email memo from HR.