Chapter 68
Chapter 68:
Ivan’s arrival shed some light for most of the onlookers, yet some remained skeptical. Doubts still lingered among the crowd, especially from the girl and her father. With a furrowed brow, the girl’s father challenged, “Mr. Stewart, no disrespect intended, but isn’t Ashton your student? Are you trying to cover up his actions?” This sparked nods and murmurs of agreement from others.
“Exactly! You claim he was with you, but can you prove it?” one voice called out.
“Indeed. Mere words won’t suffice. Even coming from someone as respected as you, Mr. Stewart, we require solid evidence to dismiss the idea that you might be protecting a wrongdoer!” another echoed.
Facing the crowd, Ashton’s gaze sharpened. His eyes quickly singled out a few troublemakers, and a disdainful smirk crossed his face. He had seen this confusion and suspicion play out before, with the same few always adding fuel to the fire. Having recognized their faces, Ashton was now well aware of their motives, whether intentional or not. With their scheme apparent to him, Ashton readied himself to respond.
Turning to the girl and her father, he spoke with measured calm. “Clearing this up will be straightforward. If you insist my mentor lacks proof, I’ll present it myself!” As Ashton’s confidence radiated, unease crept into the expressions of the girl and her father. Their faces blanched slightly, yet the girl’s father defiantly shot back, “Stop bluffing. You’re just clutching at straws! Do you really think you can intimidate us? No p>
Just then, a group of uniformed police officers burst into the president’s office. Ashton allowed a small, knowing smile to play on his lips. The person who had suggested calling the police had indeed made good on their threat.
This turn of events was actually to Ashton’s advantage. With nothing to hide, he welcomed their arrival.
He turned to face the officers, his demeanor composed. “Officers, your timing couldn’t be better. I need to clear my name, and your presence here as witnesses is crucial. However, I’ll have to employ some unconventional methods to swiftly expose the person behind this scheme. I trust you have no objections p>
fuels your imagination
Ivan stepped forward promptly, addressing the police. “Officers, Ashton is one of my students. I stand behind him. Should anything go awry with his approach, I’ll shoulder the responsibility p>
With Ivan, a respected figure, backing Ashton, the police officers exchanged brief looks before giving a nod of consent.
In full view of everyone present, Ashton approached Lloyd’s computer and logged into the campus forum. He quickly navigated to the problematic post that had been causing him trouble over the last few days. The post was anonymous, its IP address meticulously concealed.
Ashton’s eyes narrowed into a smirk. He had suspected as much. Someone was lurking in the shadows, scheming to tarnish his reputation anonymously. Did they really think they could remain hidden forever?
Ashton’s fingers danced across the keyboard, and an unfamiliar interface flickered to life on the screen. As this new interface emerged, it revealed hidden details about the anonymous poster. The IP address was pinpointed swiftly, along with more intricate details about the poster’s identity.
Ashton wasn’t surprised to discover the culprit was Tristan. But he didn’t stop there. Delving deeper, Ashton unearthed chat logs and transaction records between Tristan and the girl, revealing a clear exchange of benefits.
The room fell into stunned silence as the evidence mounted against them. Now, with the undeniable proof displayed for all to see, the light from the screen cast a ghostly pallor on the girl’s face. All signs pointed to Tristan, who had bribed her into defaming Ashton, promising her a hefty reward in return.
As accusatory glances flew, the girl and her father were seized by panic.