Chapter 37: Unable to Obtain Love, Resorting to Prostitution?
"With Mr. Owens' backing, I feel a lot better. Someone posted some nasty stuff about me on the school forum. Even though it was anonymous, I tracked the IP address. Based on the timing and the details, I figured out who did it."
Emily handed her phone to Bobby, showing him the post.
Kurt, looking worried, leaned in to see.
"This is insane! Who would do something like this? Slandering a girl could really mess up her life!" Kurt said, realizing the post was about Emily.
He couldn’t stand the idea of such a smart and talented student being brought down by baseless rumors. If Emily got really upset or stressed out by this, it would be a big loss for the scientific community.
"This is the proof to clear my name."
Emily pulled out some photos and videos of the people she confronted, showing their confessions. She loaded them onto the computer for Bobby and Kurt to see.
"How can this be?"
Ronnie, the main culprit, went pale when Emily mentioned the post. He thought Bianca would never lie to him, which gave him some comfort. He continued to watch Emily with suspicion.
Then he saw the video and immediately doubted its authenticity.
"You must have forced them to make false confessions!" Ronnie insisted, convinced he was a righteous whistleblower.
Emily smirked, "Quick to point fingers again, huh? Feeling guilty? Because you know you posted it."
Everyone turned to Ronnie. This time, their looks were suspicious, surprised, and even pitying, but no longer admiring.
Bianca clenched her fists. She glanced at Emily, wondering how she had managed to uncover this information and get those people to record the videos. Did Emily have some unknown support?
Ronnie instinctively wanted to deny it, "Of course not! Stop accusing me falsely!"
Bianca had a hunch it was Ronnie. She had confided in him tearfully at the time.
"Emily, even if you had a disagreement with Ronnie, it's not fair to falsely accuse him like this. It’s bad for class unity," Bianca quickly interjected.
Turning to Bobby, she added respectfully, "Mr. Owens, Emily was just upset with Ronnie, which led to her impulsive accusation. I apologize for her rashness. The post has greatly affected her, pushing her to find the culprit hastily."
"As her sister, I want justice for her. I hope the school administration can quickly remove the post to minimize its impact on her and the school's reputation."
"I think we should hold a seminar at school to discuss these kinds of issues."
Bianca aimed to divert attention and showcase her leadership skills to Bobby.
Lavinia nodded in approval, "Mr. Owens, Bianca's suggestion is good. She has always been a thoughtful and capable student. I think she should handle this matter."
Bianca felt a rush of excitement but kept her cool, "Ms. Chambers, can I really do this? It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea, and it needs proper planning."
Ronnie jumped in, "You're so capable, I believe you can pull it off."
Even though he felt uneasy about Bobby knowing about the post, he thought it was worth it to let Bianca shine in front of him. But he noticed that Lily, usually Bianca's sidekick, had been unusually quiet.
"Public awareness is important, but you’re missing the main point. Emily is the victim here. Any awareness campaign should come after resolving her issue. Ronnie, did you post it or not? Own up to it," Kurt insisted, sticking to logic and standing up for Emily.
Bianca and Ronnie's faces darkened. Many students, curious about the commotion, gathered outside the office, listening in.
Ronnie wanted to deny it, but Kurt continued, "In front of Mr. Owens, you better be honest. Otherwise, he’ll investigate the IP address. There are plenty of skilled alumni who can help."
Kurt's words were clearly a threat. Ronnie's face turned even grimmer as he met Bobby's intense gaze. He clenched his teeth and finally admitted, "Yeah, I posted it. But she bullied Bianca, thinking the Johnson family owed her for rescuing her."
So, he admitted his fault but insisted Emily had wronged Bianca first.
Emily cut in before Kurt could speak, "You say I bullied her. Name the incidents and provide evidence. Don't make baseless claims. Or should I claim you were soliciting outside school?"
"You're lying! Do you have proof? Mr. Owens, I didn't!" Ronnie quickly defended himself.
"See? You know you can't make baseless claims without evidence. Do you have any proof?" Emily retorted with a smirk.
Ronnie opened his mouth but couldn't say he had evidence. He couldn't bring himself to say the accusations had come from Bianca.
In reality, Bianca had never explicitly said Emily bullied her; Ronnie had inferred it from her words.
"No, I don't have evidence." Ronnie admitted with a lowered gaze, apologizing, "I'm sorry. It was my fault."
The surrounding students were shocked by Ronnie's admission. Some whispered among themselves.
"Why would Ronnie do this? Accusing Emily without evidence could destroy her. What grudge does he have?"
"Better steer clear of people like him. You never know when he might turn on you."
"So, Emily was innocent?"
"Seems so. She showed some evidence earlier," one student who had seen Emily's photos and videos explained.
Those who had previously criticized Emily felt ashamed and lowered their heads.
Bobby remained stern, "Emily, now that the truth is out, what outcome do you want?"
Ronnie clenched his fists, his face tense as he awaited Emily's decision.
Lavinia, noticing Bobby's involvement, dared not interrupt but shot Emily several warning glances, signaling her to be careful with her words.