Chapter 177

At this hour, the building was filled with teachers, along with a few students who had come to dropoff their assignments.

The door to the room was ajar, and both teachers and students stood at the threshold, staring inshock and confusion Leila lay crumpled on the floor, her clothes in disarray, a shoulder exposed, as she cried out, “I’msorry, Mr. Latham, please let me go! I can’t stand being the talk of the school anymore…”

Latham was frantic, waving his hands in denial, “Leila, what are you talking about?”

After his plea, he turned to the other teachers and students in a panic, insisting, “I didn’t do anythingto her! You’ve got it all wrong!”

Leila’s sobs were breathless and desperate.

The building was the teachers‘ office block, and Latham sometimes napped in this office, which iswhy there were no security cameras installed.

Considering Leila’s current state, there’s no way Latham could talk his way out of this situation, nomatter how eloquently he spoke!

One of the teachers quickly spoke up, “I’m going to call the principall”

The principal and the head of academic affairs arrived promptly. They hurriedly reached out toLeila’s parents and then the principal took Latham aside, asking in a low voice, “What happenedhere?”

Latham’s face flushed with embarrassment. He was a simple man who biked to work on an oldbicycle, his face deeply lined and tanned from the sun, and now he stammered, “This student isframing me–I’ve been cautious, but I never expected her to set such a trap!”

Leila’s cries grew louder and more pitiful, “Latham, you, you…” Her outburst brought tears to hereyes.

A while later, Cain and Paulina arrived, both already at their wits‘ end. Having had their share oftroubles with their kids recently, the call from the head of academic affairs had left them panic–stricken.

Upon hearing of another issue with Leila, Paulina entered, demanding, “What has Leila done now?”

She thought Leila might have hurt Merry again.

But instead, she found Leila disheveled in a chair, her clothing creased and wrinkled. Shocked, asany mother would be for her beloved daughter, Paulina shrieked, “What happened here?”

“Mom!” Leila burst into tears, clinging to Paulina’s waist, “Mom, I was too scared to say anything,but you and Dad have been misunderstanding me. You’ve been ignoring me lately, and I’m so afraidof losing you…”

Recollecting the day of the incident, when Leila had remained silent and obedient, and now seeingher current state, Paulina suddenly realized, “You framed Merry because of him?”

Leila cried out loud, “Mom, that’s my sister, how could I frame her for no reason!” She cleaned hertears, continuing “Latham made me take that naked photo!” Paulina was stunned, “What? Latham?

Leila nodded, “Yes, Latham has always been mean to me, often calling me to the office andharassing me. Last time, he even forced me to take photos. He said he couldn’t appreciate themalone and wanted to share them. I begged him not to, and then when Merry’s incident came out, hesaid there were indeed photos of Merry at that school, and he wanted to pass my picture off asMerry’s, claiming that appreciating them alone was too lonely!”

The villainous act of showcasing misdeeds seemed to prove Leila’s story more believable.

Such an unimaginable act left everyone present shivering.

It took a while before Paulina turned to Latham, rushing at him with a fury, “What kind of teacher areyou? A role model for students, yet you’re nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing!”

Merry’s ordeal at Elite Future Academy had turned into a nightmare. This caused Paulina’s trust inteachers to plummet, and in such cases, any parent would believe their child over others–after all,which girl would tarnish her own reputation to slander someone else?

Just like with Leila’s situation, if she hadn’t made a scene, the online fiasco would’ve died down in afew days. Everyone knew the photo was faked and never would’ve suspected that it was actuallyLeila!

Now, she was exposing this secret, how could she face anyone again?

Leila hung her head, trembling with fear.

The principal and the head of academic affairs immediately stood in front of Paulina, while Lathamstraightened his posture, protesting, “I didn’t do it! It wasn’t me!”

Paulina exploded, “If it wasn’t you, then who was it? Who’s been taking pictures of my little girl?How can anyone be that low! I’m gonna sue the school, you better believe I’ll sue the heck out ofit!”

With that, she reached for her phone to call the police.

The principal and the head of academic affairs quickly intervened, “Leila, we understand how youfeel, but the truth of the matter is not yet clear. We will thoroughly investigate and not wronganyone. If it truly was Latham, such an act against a minor is punishable with jail time! Our schoolwill not condone such behavior. But for now, we can’t take Leila’s word alone…”

Paulina retorted, “Would my daughter jeopardize her own reputation just to frame someone?!”

Leila’s eyes flickered at the side. If possible, she would never have chosen this path!

But the photo was real, her parents knew it, and she had to invent a story for it. Besides… thewords she saw in that letter were right. Victims always garner more attention.

Wasn’t the reason her parents were so concerned about Merry because she was a victim? So, whatif she, Leila, was also a victim? And what if her suffering was even worse? Then her parents‘attention would return to her!

She would no longer be isolated by her classmates! She would remain the innocent, unblemishedfigure, unaffected by a mere photo since she never cared for others‘ opinions.

The commotion in the office block couldn’t be kept secret for long.

Many students had come to submit their homework and had witnessed everything.

In senior class one, as Daniel relayed the news, Cordelia was taking advantage of the break tostudy chemistry.

At Daniel’s words, Merry jumped to her feet, her heart pounding with sudden rage. She spun aroundand declared, “Lia, it’s gotta be mel I’ve dragged Latham into this mess! That bitch Leila! I need togo see for myself!”

Cordelia’s eyes, misty as a foggy morning, lifted slightly from the book she was holding. After amoment’s hesitation, she rose to her feet and said resolutely, “Alright, I’m coming with you.”

They made their way to the academic building, but instead of heading straight to the office, Cordeliabegan to meander around the exterior, her gaze sharp as she scanned the school’s security cameras.

Merry, puzzled, asked, “Lia, what are you looking for?”

Cordelia replied simply, “Evidence.