Chapter 231 Chapter 231
Now that Ianca had stopped to think about it, a cold panic began to settle in her stomach.
She really didn't want to offend Caroline. She definitely didn't want to cross paths with the man behind her.
“That's enough, Olivia, the bell is about to ring. We still have class. Let's go.” Ianca pulled Olivia's sleeve hard, her tone suddenly urgent and frightened. If Olivia continued to offend Caroline in public, things would not end well for either of them.
Olivia seemed to read the fear in her friend's eyes. The memory of what had happened to Claire and Kate—who were still rotting in the police station—crossed her mind like a bucket of cold water, softening her aggressive attitude.
She swallowed hard but tried to keep her composure. “Humph. Let's go, then. It's not worth wasting time on trash.”
Then the two of them walked quickly past Caroline and Tania, almost running down the hallway.
Tania was snorting with anger. “Carol, are you just going to let them walk away like that? Without at least slapping them in the face?”
Caroline sighed, letting go of her friend's arm. “What's the alternative, Tania? Roll around on the floor and fight with them right here? The hallway is full of people. If someone films us and reports us to the dean, it would only give more ammunition to whoever posted the video. It wouldn't benefit any of us.”
“But they crossed all boundaries!” said Tania, clenching her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. “How can they say such rotten things? You were roommates, you shared the same roof, and they have the nerve to spit in your face like that. It's sick.”
Despite being the target of all that humiliation, Caroline was surprisingly calm. Her initial fury had given way to cold, calculating reasoning.
“I think they're just riding the wave of the publication to get at me,” Caroline said, adjusting the strap of her backpack on her shoulder. “Whoever wrote that text is the real threat.”
Olivia is poisonous, but her reaction just now only confirmed one thing for me.
“What?”
“We can be almost certain that they didn't create the post. Olivia was very eager to use the rumor against me, but she seemed to be just repeating what she read, not bragging about a masterpiece she wrote herself.”
Tania was still breathing heavily. “Even if they weren't the authors, they went too far. If there weren't so many people with cell phones here, I would have beaten Olivia up. I'm glad we left that toxic dorm. It would be unbearable to sleep in the same room as those snakes.”
Caroline nodded, feeling genuine relief. “Yes. Thank goodness.”
...
Later, after class.
Before even entering her first class of the morning, Caroline had already sent the link to the defamatory forum post to Sara's WhatsApp.
Her schedule for that day was light. After two theory classes, the rest of the day was practically free.
When she left the last classroom and checked her phone, Sara still hadn't replied.
But that was understandable. Sara's high school was elite and had much stricter rules than the university. Students were not allowed to use their phones during class. She was probably still focused on her studies and hadn't had time to open the link, hack into the forum system, and extract the author's IP address.
Caroline was in no rush.
Although the virtual scandal was testing her mood and patience, she wasn't desperate. She had a plan and knew exactly how to solve the problem. As soon as Sara gave her the identity of the person behind the keyboard, she would destroy the rumors with a single blow.
It was just a matter of time. She didn't mind waiting a few more hours.
However, Tania was clearly on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
As soon as class ended, she grabbed Caroline's arm and bombarded her with questions in the hallway. “Has Sara replied yet?! Did she find out who the IP belongs to? Do you already know the bastard's name?”
Caroline shook her head calmly, putting away her notebooks.
“Not yet. She's at school, Tania. I believe she'll only be able to scan the system in the afternoon when she gets back to Wolf Manor. Don't worry, the truth will come out by tomorrow morning at the latest.” “Tomorrow?!” Tania's eyes widened, and she pulled at her hair in frustration.
“Carol, the post is going viral! It's very likely that everyone on campus has already read it. If this abortion lie leaves the forum and leaks to Instagram or gossip blogs, it will destroy your image. You just passed the audition for the series! You haven't even signed the contract with the production company yet! If the studio sees this... they'll cut you!”
Caroline stopped walking and looked at her friend, touched by her genuine concern.
“Tania, I've already weighed the risks. We can't rush Sara right now. And as for leaking it to the media... I'm not a celebrity. I'm just a student. Even if it gets on Instagram, it won't have such a huge impact outside our college bubble.” The media doesn't pay attention to anonymous people.
Tania frowned, shaking her head. “I'm not worried about internet gossipers! I'm worried about the studio producers! They want a clean image for the series!”
Caroline smiled, a slight smile full of a confidence she didn't know she had.
“I don't think it will affect me.” She reflected for a moment, remembering Nicholas' serious and protective face that same morning in the dining room. “I don't think my luck is so bad that I'll lose the role. Besides... didn't you yourself say that my luck has completely changed since Nicholas came into my life?”