Chapter 213
Outside the grand hall, a crowd of students had gathered hoping to glimpse the VIPs who would eventually exit through the main doors. When Willow emerged, a ripple of excitement moved through them, quickly turning to whispers when someone recognized her.
"Isn't that your department's famous campus beauty? The one who used Charles Lancaster for everything during school, then dumped him right after graduation?"
"Don't talk nonsense! I saw her with Charles just a few weeks ago!"
"Then why aren't they together tonight? Charles is definitely here!"
Willow felt their malicious stares and hesitated mid-step. Before she could decide what to do, the junior from that afternoon pushed through the crowd, his face flushed with apology.
"I'm so sorry, Willow! I was playing basketball and didn't see the messages until it was too late. I have no idea how those rumors spread, but I swear I never said anything to anyone!"
Willow gave him a resigned smile. "I know you're better than that." The admiration in his eyes was unmistakable—and rushing to her side at this moment was only going to make things worse. She glanced between the crowd and her earnest defender, at a loss for words.
Sure enough, his appearance caused the previously hushed whispers to grow louder.
"Some people really have no shame—flaunting their looks, seducing men of all ages!"
"Isn't her sugar daddy still inside? And here she is making eyes at college boys. The nerve!"
Standing beside Willow, the junior belatedly realized he might have made things worse. He awkwardly positioned himself in front of her like a shield.
"Don't worry, Willow. I believe you're not that kind of person!" Then he added with obvious discomfort, "Your boyfriend might be older, but older guys definitely know how to take care of someone better than guys our age. You must have good reasons for liking him."
Willow had been about to defend herself, but hearing this, she almost laughed despite her anger.
The underclassman turned to face the crowd, indignant. "Stop spreading lies! You all claim to be Majestic City University students, but did the university teach you to slander people without evidence?"
He had some popularity on campus, and seeing him defend Willow, a portion of the crowd quieted down. But others grew more agitated.
"Without evidence? You just said you have nothing to do with her—do you have proof she didn't sleep her way to the top?" A man stepped forward, looking at them with contempt. "Just another fool being used by Willow!"
The underclassman, unused to public confrontation, was left speechless with rage.
"Willow, if you've got any backbone, speak for yourself! Why hide behind your little admirer?" the man continued smugly. "Isn't this your pattern? Back in school, you'd always hide behind Charles whenever there was trouble."
In the dim evening light, with the man standing in shadow, Willow couldn't make out his face clearly, but she recognized his voice instantly.
"Jay Clark?"
Her former classmate—perpetually second in department rankings. Second to Willow, naturally.
During college, Jay had constantly complained about being outperformed by a woman. He'd spread rumors that Willow's success came solely from her connection to Charles, trying to tarnish her reputation.
Willow had been too busy with her studies and part-time jobs to pay him any attention.
Later, when Jay's thesis ran into problems, delaying his graduation, he'd blamed that on Willow too. He'd even tried to confront her several times, but Charles had always been present, forcing him to back down.
She hadn't expected Jay to hold a grudge for so long.
Seeing that Willow recognized him, Jay faltered briefly, but with so many onlookers, he doubled down. "Yes, it's me. Am I wrong? Haven't you always used men to get ahead? You probably got into the Lancaster Group through Charles, then dumped him as soon as you were hired!"
Willow frowned slightly and stepped out from behind her protector, waving off the young man's worried protest. "It's fine."
She suddenly realized that when she'd first emerged from the hall, it had been Jay's voice that had first stirred up the crowd. Across from her, Jay's confidence wavered when she stepped forward, his voice faltering.
Willow noticed his nervousness and narrowed her eyes, the corner of her mouth curving into a slight smile. "I've been graduated for a year now, Jay, yet you're still so obsessed with me, knowing all the details of my past. Don't tell me you've secretly had feelings for me all this time?"
Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
Jay immediately turned pale. "You..."
When Willow had first started college, he had indeed briefly had a crush on her. Once he learned her boyfriend was Charles, realizing he had no chance, Jay had been forced to give up. That's when his admiration had turned to resentment, convincing himself she was nothing but a gold-digger.
Willow took a few steps forward, standing directly under a streetlight, her smile deceptively light. "Or maybe you, a grown man, just naturally enjoy gossiping? Graduation didn't go well, your career isn't going well, so you're taking it out on me?"
All eyes shifted to Jay. Willow's confident demeanor made people second-guess their assumptions. As for Jay—well, a man publicly spreading gossip did seem rather undignified.
Already feeling cornered and sensing the disapproving looks, Jay lost his composure. "I'm telling the truth! You're nothing but a flirt! Using Charles while hooking up with others at the Lancaster Group, being a homewrecker! Someone like you deserves to be torn to pieces!"
"Shut up!" The junior couldn't hold back any longer, but Willow stopped him with a gesture.
She looked directly at Jay, her voice suddenly calm and cutting. "Who told you to say these things?"