Chapter 37 Chapter thirty seven
DEV
I woke up at dawn to find Aanya already awake, sitting on the edge of the sofa bed, scrolling through her phone.
"How bad is it?" I asked.
"Every major outlet has picked it up. The Mail is running with 'Manipulated Princess: How Love Clouded Royal Judgment.' The Telegraph has 'Questions of Credibility in Crown Estate Defamation Case.' Even the Guardian is questioning whether my statements should be taken seriously given my 'lack of professional expertise and personal involvement with the researcher.'"
She handed me her phone. I read through several articles, each one worse than the last.
My phone started ringing. Williams.
"Marchetti, we need to talk. My office. Nine AM."
"What about?"
"The university is receiving pressure. Questions about your research integrity. Concerns about whether you used your position to manipulate a former royal family member. The Vice-Chancellor wants answers."
"My research has been peer-reviewed and published. The methodology is sound. Crown Estate's lawyers are engaging in character assassination because they cannot challenge the actual evidence."
"Then you need to prove that. This morning. Nine AM. Bring all your documentation. Every piece of evidence. Every peer review. Everything. We need to demonstrate that this research stands up to scrutiny regardless of your personal relationship with Ms. Windsor."
He hung up.
Aanya was watching me. "The university is questioning you now?"
"They are covering themselves. If Crown Estate successfully argues that my research is biased revenge seeking, King's does not want to be associated with it."
"This is my fault. If I had not validated your research publicly..."
"Stop. This is not your fault. This is Crown Estate using every tool they have to avoid accountability. And we knew this was coming. We just need to prove them wrong."
"How?"
"By doing exactly what Sarah said. Providing evidence. Expert witnesses. Documentation. Making them defend their actual practices instead of just attacking us."
Giulia appeared from the bedroom, looking between us with raised eyebrows.
"Did you two sleep here last night?"
"Yes," I said.
"On the sofa bed."
"Yes."
"Together."
"Yes, Giulia. We slept together. On the sofa bed. Is there a point to this interrogation?"
"Just confirming. Because Mum is going to ask and I want to have accurate information." She looked at Aanya. "You all right? You look stressed."
"I am stressed. Crown Estate filed their response to the lawsuit yesterday. It is all over the news this morning. They are saying I validated Dev's research because I was romantically interested in him, not because it was accurate."
"Well that is stupid. Obviously you validated his research because it was accurate. The romantic interest was just a bonus."
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
"I need to go," I said. "Meeting with Williams at nine. I need to defend my research integrity."
"I should go too," Aanya said. "I have a full day of intake meetings. Families who need help that I am barely qualified to provide."
"You are more qualified than you think."
"I have been doing this job for two weeks, Dev. I am learning as I go. And now Crown Estate is telling the world I have no professional expertise in anything."
"They are trying to undermine you. Do not let them."
We got dressed, both of us moving mechanically through the morning routine. The intimacy of the night before felt very far away now, replaced by the grinding reality of what we were facing.
At the door, I kissed her. Long enough to remind us both why we were fighting.
"Tonight?" I asked.
"Tonight. Wherever you want. I will be there."
"My flat. Seven o'clock. We will make dinner and pretend the world is not trying to destroy us."
"I will bring wine."
"You do not have money for wine."
"Then I will bring my charming personality and we will drink water."
I watched her leave, then turned to find Giulia studying me.
"You love her," she said. Not a question.
"Yes."
"And she loves you."
"Yes."
"Good. Because you are going to need that to survive what is coming. The university is going to pressure you. The media is going to be brutal. Crown Estate is going to make this as painful as possible. And you are going to need someone who actually believes in you to get through it."
"I know."
"Then hold onto her. And do not let them make you doubt what you have. Because that is what they want. They want you isolated and uncertain and willing to settle just to make it stop. Do not give them that."
"I will not."
"Good. Now go defend your research to people who should already know it is solid. And try not to punch anyone when they question your integrity. Mum cannot afford to bail you out of jail right now."
The meeting with Williams and the Vice-Chancellor was exactly as brutal as I expected.
They questioned my methodology. They asked about my relationship with Aanya. They wanted to know when we started dating, whether I had influenced her statements, whether my research had been designed to support predetermined conclusions.
I answered every question with documentation. Peer reviews. Published articles. Independent verification of my data. Timeline evidence showing Aanya and I did not start dating until after the forum.
Three hours later, the Vice-Chancellor finally nodded.
"Your research appears sound. The relationship timeline supports your claim that Ms. Windsor was not romantically involved with you when she made her statements. However, the optics remain concerning. The media coverage is affecting the university's reputation. We need to consider whether it is appropriate for you to continue teaching while this lawsuit is ongoing."
"You are suspending me?"
"We are suggesting you take a temporary leave. Voluntary. Until the legal situation resolves."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we may be forced to make it involuntary."
Williams looked uncomfortable. "Dev, they are trying to help. The pressure from Crown Estate..."
"Is exactly what we expected. And if I take a voluntary leave, it looks like I am admitting there is validity to their claims. It undermines everything."
"Or it protects your career long-term," the Vice-Chancellor said. "If you refuse and we are forced to suspend you, that becomes part of your permanent record. If you take voluntary leave, you can return when this is over with your reputation intact."
I wanted to refuse. Wanted to fight. But I could see the political reality.
"How long?"
"Until the lawsuit concludes or settles. Hopefully no more than a few months."
A few months without teaching. Without the small income it provided. Without the structure it gave my days.
"Fine. Voluntary leave. Starting when?"
"Immediately."
I left the Vice-Chancellor's office feeling like I had lost something essential.
Williams walked me out.
"I am sorry, Dev. I tried to argue against this. But the pressure from above..."
"I know. You did what you could."
"The LSE position. It is still available. But they are waiting to see how this resolves. If Crown Estate succeeds in characterizing your research as biased, it could affect their offer."
"So my entire career hinges on winning a lawsuit against an institution with unlimited resources and highly skilled lawyers."
"Yes."
"Brilliant."
I walked out of King's College wondering if I would ever walk back in as a PhD student or if Crown Estate was going to succeed in destroying everything I had worked for.
My phone buzzed. Text from Aanya: How did the meeting go?
Me: Voluntary leave. Effective immediately. No teaching until the lawsuit concludes.
Aanya: I am so sorry. This is because of me.
Me: This is because of Crown Estate. Not you. Never you.
Aanya: Still feels like my fault.
Me: It is not. See you tonight?
Aanya: Seven o'clock. I will be there.
I spent the rest of the day trying to make progress on my dissertation, but my mind kept circling back to the meeting, the leaked filing, the media coverage.
Crown Estate was winning. They were successfully undermining both of us. And I had no idea how to fight back against institutional power that large.