Chapter 803

chapter803

From where Sybil stood, she could see the color drain from Edna's face in an instant. In a split second, her commanding, smug composure crumbled into panic and disbelief.

"No... that's impossible... It's only been one day, how could "

Sybil cut her off. "Public opinion turns on a dime. You came home yesterday, crashed into bed, and slept like the dead. Anything could've happened while you

were out."

"Carlson that little rat! Causing trouble on the campus forum wasn't enough for him? He he actually dared to take it public?!"

"Why wouldn't he?" Sybil retorted. "You threatened to ruin his future, to stop him from graduating. What's worse than that? When you back someone into a corner, sometimes they leap. He'd rather take his chances than sit here and wait for you to destroy him!"

Crack-

Edna slapped her hard across the face.

"Whose side are you on, huh? If I go down, you think you'll be any better off?!"

But this time, Sybil didn't cry out or fight back. She just slowly turned her head, the side of her face already swelling where she'd been hit. The force of it spoke for itself.

"What-what are you staring at me for?!" Edna shrieked.

Sybil's expression was icy. "I'm looking at you, Aunt Edna. Watching you flail, terrified, like a bird with a broken wing. Watching you wrap yourself up in your own web, so sure of yourself, only to come crashing down. Watching you get exactly what you deserve, and realizing you're finished."

"You-!" Edna raised her hand again.

But this time, Sybil caught her wrist, yanked it aside, and shoved her hard against the wall.

"I'm done letting you hit me! I'm a person, not your slave, and not your punching bag-"

"You've gone mad! Sybil, are you trying to turn this house upside down?!"

"Turn it upside down?" Sybil scoffed. "You think you're the queen of this place? Please. Even if you were, your reign is over. Face it, Aunt Edna-whatever power you had, it's collapsing fast. Faster than you can imagine!"

She laughed a raw, triumphant sound.

Edna's hands shook as she waved her phone in Sybil's face, sneering. "You really think this-this little scandal can bring me down? I'm a tenured professor at Kingswell University! I've published dozens of papers, won awards, brought so m ch recognition to the department. You think one student's lies can destroy me? If I'm guilty, the whole school's guilty!"

"You honestly think the university will protect you?" Sybil shot back her voice mocking, laughter bubbling up again. "That's rich! You always called me stupid, but look at you! Take a good look!"

"Kingswell just released an official statement. You've been fired! Do you even understand what that means?"

Edna's eyes went wide. "No... that can't be... The university wouldn't dare..."

Sybil strode over, swiped at her phone, and held up the university's announcement:

Falsified and tampered with research data... Misappropriated authorship... Negligence and misconduct... Inappropriate language... Dereliction of teaching duties...

Termination of contract... Revocation of teaching credentials... Papers withdrawn, grants forfeited...

"No! No! I'm a leading professor! I'm the backbone of the department! My performance reviews are spotless! There's no way they'd fire me! No... I don't believe it..."

Edna's composure shattered. She began tearing through the living room, knocking things to the floor, glass shattering in her wake.

Sybil just stood there, watching her coldly.

Stripped of the academic aura, without the protection of her reputation, Edna looked like nothing more than a raving lunatic.

How pathetic.

This was the woman Sybil had idolized all her life, the one she'd dreamed of becoming.

And now, she was nothing but a wretched, pitiful mess.

...

That evening, at eight o'clock, Kingswell University released a second public

statement, directly addressing several burning questions.

At the top of the list was Carlson's graduation status.