Chapter 4

Mr. Carter bowing hit harder than the legal team showing up.

Even the cops looked stunned.

Small-time officers don't usually see university presidents groveling to students.

Madeline and Lily looked like ghosts.

If they'd had any hope this was fake, that hope was dead now.

No university president would play along with some viral prank, especially not in a way that stripped him of all dignity.

Mr. Carter wiped his forehead. His hands were shaking. "Miss Lane, I promise you, we will handle this. We'll take care of everything."

He had good reason to be scared.

Earlier, he'd gotten a call from the mayor's office. Just one sentence. "The heiress of Lane Enterprises is at your university. Something happened. Fix it."

Lane Enterprises. One of the biggest companies in the country. They could build a new building on campus with pocket change.

And their heiress was at his university, being bullied by her roommates?

He'd nearly fallen out of his chair.

Then he remembered. Last year, when the university was building the new library, an anonymous donor gave 100 million dollars.

That was my father.

Offend someone like me? He could kiss his career goodbye.

I watched him trembling before me, expressionless. "Mr. Carter, this has nothing to do with you."

My voice was flat. "This is personal, between them and me."

If anything, that made him more nervous.

"Personal" meant he couldn't mediate.

He knew I was going all the way.

Richard spoke up, his voice cold and professional. "Mr. Carter, per my client's wishes, we will not accept any form of mediation.

"We demand full legal prosecution of Madeline Carter and Lily Baker for their crimes. No leniency.

He paused, glancing at the two terrified girls. "Additionally, we'll file civil suits for defamation, demanding public apologies and compensation for emotional distress.

"As for the streaming platform, for allowing cyberbullying and failing to moderate, damaging our client's reputation, they'll receive legal notice as well."

Every word Richard spoke was another nail in Madeline and Lily's coffins.

This wasn't about apologies or paying for damages anymore.

This was about destroying them completely.

Madeline lost it entirely. "No. You can't do this to me!"

She struggled against the bodyguards, screaming at me. "Charlotte, why are you doing this? If you're so rich, why come to this university? Why pretend to be poor?

"You did this on purpose. You wanted to humiliate us. You manipulative witch!"

Her accusations were sharp and poisonous.

The livestream was off, but her words made everyone in the room pause.

Yeah. Why?

Why would a real billionaire heiress live in a cramped dorm, eat in the cafeteria, and go to classes like a normal student?

It didn't make sense.

I looked at her face—twisted with jealousy and hate—and for the first time, I chose to explain. "I came here because I wanted a normal life. Peaceful. Unbothered.

"I wanted to make friends who liked me for me. Not for my family."

My gaze flickered briefly to Emily, still silent in her corner.

She flinched and looked down even further.

At the start of the semester, Emily had helped me move in and shown me around campus.

We'd gone to the library together and eaten at cheap restaurants together. I'd thought, maybe this was it. Real friendship.

Then Madeline started targeting me and mocking me. Emily pulled back.

When my "fakes" were destroyed, she stayed silent.

Disappointment washed over me, bitter and cold.

I continued. "All my clothes, my bags, I chose the simplest styles. No logos. I never showed off. Never mentioned my family.

"I just wanted to finish these four years quietly.

"But you." I looked directly at Madeline. "You couldn't even let me have that.

"You were jealous of my face. Jealous that people liked me. So you targeted me.

"You wanted views. Wanted attention. So you whipped up a mob and destroyed my things.

"And now you're asking why?"

I smiled slightly, but there was no warmth in it. "Madeline, you wanted to see me cry?

"Well, sorry to disappoint. Those things you destroyed? To me, they're no different from the cheap stuff you buy online.

"They're just things. Broken? Buy new ones.

"So no. I won't cry for someone like you.

"You're not worth it."

My words cut deeper than any knife.

Madeline's eyes rolled back. She fainted on the spot.