Chapter 178

Although Merry was anxious to rush upstairs to see what was going on, hearing Cordelia’s words,she obediently followed behind her, The two made their way around the school building, and then Cordelia paused, extending her handand tracing shapes in the air.

“What are you doing?” Merry asked, watching Cordelia’s odd gestures with confusion.

“Sketching out the building’s layout,” Cordelia replied, her gaze fixed on the empty space beforeher. With her photographic memory, she had already memorized the locations of all the securitycameras during their walk.

The cameras inside were of little use since they only covered the corridors. Whatever hadtranspired between Leila and Latham in his office wouldn’t be captured, so Cordelia’s attention wason the external cameras.

After some deduction, she fixed her gaze on a particular camera mounted on a pole behind theschool building. This camera, meant to prevent incidents behind the building, had just the rightangle to capture Latham’s office window.

Now, all they had to do was check if his office window was open, and they could have their answer.

With this thought, Cordelia and Merry climbed the stairs, but instead of entering the office, they justpeered inside to see that Latham’s curtains were undrawn.

Perfect–the camera would have a clear view.

“Did you find evidence?” Merry asked urgently.

“I did,” Cordelia replied coolly.

“Then let’s show it to clear Mr. Latham’s name!” Merry insisted.

“Not yet,” Cordelia murmured, leaning in to whisper a plan into Merry’s ear.

Despite her confusion, Merry nodded and dashed off toward the senior class.

In the office, the tension was escalating.

Paulina and Cain were grilling Latham, who vehemently denied the allegations, and with no onebelieving him, the situation was worsening.

Cordelia sent a text to Skyler, asking if he could come over. She trusted him, especially since hehad been recommended by the enigmatic Mr. All–Round during the last National League event.

Skyler’s response was swift, “I’m in Lakeshore City, but I’ll be there in an hour!”

Cordelia was puzzled–Lakeshore City was a good four or five hours away by coach. How could hemake it in one hour? She put her phone away, decided to wait for him.

Back in the office, the atmosphere was charged.

Leila persisted that Latham had molested her, which he staunchly denied. The principal and thehead of the academic department were at their wits end until they asked Leila for specifics–whenand where the first incident occurred Leila had been preparing her story since the day of the incident, ensuring she had a plausibleexcuse for her actions Her account was damaging to Latham–during that time, he was either alone in his office or out, withno alibi.

Cordelia frowned at this Half an hour later, a woman arrived at the school on a well used bicycle and stormed upstairsPrincipal, Latham would never do such a thing! she announced.

This was Latham’s wife, a plain looking woman with skin as tanned as her husband’s and a fierydemeanor that explained how she kept Latham in check.

As soon as she entered, she addressed Lella in a loud voice, “You kids are out of line, throwingaround accusations without any proof! Do you have any evidence?”

Leila’s tears intensified.

Suddenly, a school security guard burst in, “There’s trouble, Principal–the press has arrived!”

The principal was baffled, “How did reporters get here without a resolution Cain spoke up for the first time, “I called them.”

Stepping forward, he shielded Leila and Paulina with his body and declared firmly, “If you’reprotecting this bastard, I need the press here to oversee justice. Principal, let them in, or I’ll suspecta cover–up.”

With no other choice, the principal allowed the reporters in, and as the situation unfolded, it becameclass that the police would have to be involved.

Reporters bombarded the principal with questions, “Is it true that a teacher at your school molesteda student?”

“Was it just one student who was victimized, or are there others?”

“Are you a psychopath? What drove you to commit such an act?”

Cain stared at the principal, his voice strong, “We demand an explanation today!”

The principal replied, “Of course, we will provide answers and ensure nothing like this happens atour school. But currently, the evidence is insufficient…”

“How can you say it’s insufficient?” Paulina interrupted, “So many people saw my daughter beingmolested in the office! Isn’t that enough?”

“She took off her own clothes! It has nothing to do with me!” Latham protested.

His wife, her eyes fiery with anger and ready to fight, exclaimed, “My Latham is an honest man whoworks tirelessly. He barely has time for a drink of water when he gets home because he’s sofocused on his students! He even used his own savings to pay for Merry’s hair dye! How could youslander such a man? Everyone has a heart, young lady. How can you be so cruel? Tell the truth,please!”

Latham turned to face Leila, his voice tinged with desperation. “Leila, for heaven’s sake, tell thetruth! Do you realize what you’re doing? You could ruin me! Ruin my kids! Destroy my home! I’venever wronged you–why would you set me up like this?”

As he spoke, Latham collapsed into a crouch, the kind of man who didn’t know how to handleconfrontation and simply covered his head in turmoil.

Leila’s crying intensified, her voice choked with sobs as she pleaded, “Latham, please let me be,just leave me alone!

Her pitiful state stirred fury in Paulina, who glared at the principal and demanded, “At the very least,your school should administer some kind of punishment right now!”

The principal, cornered and helpless, turned to Latham “Latham, given where things stand, perhapsit’s best you take a leave of absence until the investigation is over. Once the truth comes out, justice will beserved in your favor With no evidence, it all came down to Leila’s word against his. And yet, in the world of education, forsomeone like Latham, that was enough to be a death sentence.

Latham’s mouth opened, then shut without a word, as if he didn’t know how to defend himself.

He seemed to age a decade in that moment, his spirit visibly broken.

Cordelia furrowed her brow, constantly glancing behind her. Suddenly, her eyes lit up- Merry andDaniel were running toward them.

Cordelia hurried into the office, calling out, “Wait a minute!”