Chapter 307 Treating Me Like an Outsider

Chapter 307 Treating Me Like an Outsider

Emily was completely stunned.

This wasn't going the way she'd imagined at all.

"What are you all talking about? Did I say something wrong? The Windsor family has so much money—of course they just bought her a degree to cover up—"

Emily had zero worldly knowledge. She'd never even heard of Starlight University.

She had no idea that Starlight University was the world's top-ranked institution, or that Professor Morwen, whom she'd mocked as an "actor," was a legend people looked up to.

"Would you just shut up!"

Someone couldn't take it anymore and cut her off sharply.

"If you're this ignorant, go read a book. This is The Lucent University, not your livestream comment section. You don't even know what Starlight University is, and you still have the nerve to embarrass yourself in public."

Emily and her reporter were currently livestreaming.

By riding Victoria's coattails, they'd attracted tens of millions of viewers.

A huge chunk of those viewers knew exactly how prestigious Starlight University was.

At first, they'd supported Emily, filling the chat with her name. Now the comments had turned to pure mockery.

[OMG I'm dying. Someone in this day and age doesn't know what Starlight University is? Who's the illiterate one here?]

[Host, stop embarrassing yourself. Starlight University isn't a place money can buy you into.]

[My family's loaded, and I spent half a year prepping my application to Starlight University. Still got rejected.]

[Let me put it this way: Starlight University doesn't accept deadweight.]

[The host is genuinely, desperately illiterate.]

[How did she slip through the cracks when they were handing out basic education?]

Watching the livestream comments flip completely, Emily panicked.

What was going on?

She looked to the reporter for help. He rolled his eyes at her.

He'd never seen anyone this stupid.

Willingly exposing her own ignorance like this.

Even though Emily had never heard of Starlight University, she could tell from everyone's reactions that something was very wrong.

With no time to think, she scrambled to recover.

"Even if you went to college, that doesn't change the fact that you plagiarized…"

"Victoria, you're my sister, but plagiarism is wrong. I've already sent proof of your plagiarism to that mysterious author Neo. I'm doing this for your own good—I hope you'll admit your mistake and stop plagiarizing."

Emily put on her "I'm doing this for you" act, looking at Victoria with fake concern.

Hmph! So what if she went to college?

She still plagiarized.

Once that top-tier genius author Neo overseas gets the report, she'll definitely hold Victoria accountable for plagiarism.

That'll be a show worth watching!

Emily gloated internally, missing the cryptic look in Victoria's eyes.

Sent proof to her?

She hadn't received anything.

"Is that so?" Victoria raised an eyebrow casually. "You're sure you sent it to Neo?"

Victoria's calm, composed demeanor made Emily doubt herself for a split second, but she quickly decided Victoria was just bluffing.

Huh?

Why doesn't Victoria look guilty at all?

Does she think I'm lying?

Emily lifted her chin, confident and certain. "Of course I did. I know you're upset, but plagiarism is despicable. I reported you for your own good, so you won't keep making this mistake."

Victoria had long known Emily was a manipulative fake, but she was still shocked by her sheer audacity.

Steve frowned, his voice cold and cutting as ice:

"Plagiarism isn't for you to decide. If you have evidence, take it to court—not here, where you're just making a spectacle."

"Making a spectacle" perfectly summed up what Emily was doing.

Professor Morwen nodded with satisfaction. Finally, someone had voiced what he'd been thinking.

Though he didn't know the full story, Morwen believed his student unconditionally.

Katerina was also Morwen's student. At first, Katerina had seen Victoria as a rival, always trying to outdo her. Later, when Katerina hit rock bottom, it was Victoria who helped her get back on her feet.

Someone willing to help the very person who saw her as competition—that person's character was beyond reproach.

That was why Morwen held Victoria in such high regard.

Powerful, yet not arrogant.

"Exactly. The classroom is for imparting knowledge. If you want to pass judgment, go to court."

Morwen sternly dismissed them.

She'd already wasted enough of his time.

His time was extremely valuable.

They'd finally managed to book Professor Morwen for a lecture, only to have it wasted by some influencer. The Lucent University students were furious.

Under a barrage of condemning stares, Emily and the reporter slunk away in disgrace.

After the lecture ended, Morwen had dinner with Victoria and Steve.

Morwen wanted to ask if she needed his help—he'd be more than happy to vouch for her.

Victoria smiled and shook her head.

"Morwen, you've already helped me."

Emily had been foolish enough to bring a reporter and livestream the whole confrontation, publicly questioning her credentials in front of millions.

She'd actually saved Victoria a lot of trouble.

Professor Morwen's words carried more weight than any explanation ever could. She didn't need to defend herself anymore.

After parting with Professor Morwen, Victoria and Steve headed home.

Steve, who'd been quiet the whole drive, kept his gaze on Victoria.

He was genuinely surprised that Victoria had graduated from Starlight University with a doctorate—and as an honorary graduate, no less.

Steve worked in research and frequently traveled abroad for academic exchanges. He knew exactly how extraordinary being a Starlight University honorary graduate was.

It was the highest honor Starlight University bestowed on its students.

Not something just anyone could achieve.

His sister was incredible.

Sensing his gaze, Victoria looked up. "Steve, what's wrong?"

Do I have something on my face?

Steve looked away.

"You don't have to handle everything yourself. You could let the family deal with it, like Mike does."

This recent wave of public opinion had caused a citywide uproar.

After The Windsor Group issued a lawyer's letter, all the reporters and gossip accounts that had been slandering Mike shut up immediately.

But Victoria hadn't done that.

From start to finish, she'd never thought to rely on anyone.

Steve wasn't criticizing her. His tone was calm, with a barely perceptible gentleness and concern.

Victoria had always handled things this way. She'd never thought there was anything wrong with it.

The Windsors respected her wishes, too.

Even John and Mike, after she'd said she could handle it herself, had left it entirely to her.

Instead, it was the quiet Steve who told her she could let the family handle things like Mike did…

Victoria paused, reflecting. Had she really been too distant? Was that why it hadn't occurred to her to ask for family help?

After a long moment, she nodded. "I understand."

Steve hummed in acknowledgment and handed her a bottle of water.

Victoria had just been thinking how thirsty she was. Professor Morwen had been so enthusiastic that Victoria had talked quite a bit, leaving her throat dry.

She hadn't expected Steve to notice—or to have bought her water at some point.

"Thank you."

When they got back to the villa, Victoria received a call from director Maddox.

The moment she picked up, his dramatic voice exploded through the speaker.

"Darling, someone plagiarized you!"

Maddox sounded furious. "Someone reported an author named Marcyen for plagiarizing your novel. You're so mysterious that they couldn't find you, so they sent the complaint to me instead. I'm absolutely livid! How dare someone be so blind as to plagiarize your work!"

Victoria held the phone away from her ear.

"Calm down. That 'blind' Marcyen is also me."

"What! Darling, you're Marcyen? You have two pen names? So there's no plagiarism at all—this is a massive misunderstanding."

Maddox hadn't expected Neo to be Marcyen.

Neo was already incredibly talented, and now it turned out she had another identity. Based on the report, Marcyen was also an extremely accomplished author.

Maddox couldn't help but marvel.

"What door did God close on you? You're an absolute genius!"

Victoria: "Maddox, you're exaggerating."

Maddox didn't think he was exaggerating at all.

"By the way, Neo, why did you leave the gala so suddenly last time? I didn't even get to say goodbye. How on earth did you get on Mark's radar? Darling, that man is dangerous—I was scared to death!"