Chapter 535
Aria’s departing figure fell into the eyes of several people behind him.
Richard held himself with a haughty air and said disapprovingly, “As expected from someone young and impulsive. She can’t even handle the slightest bit of criticism.”
Laird immediately echoed, “Exactly. Even the professor doesn’t throw such tantrums, and she’s just a junior lecturer acting all high and mighty.”
He sneered. “Does she really think resigning will threaten the school? I don’t even know where she gets the confidence.”
A girl walking at the back hesitated and glanced in Arthur’s direction, then softly tried to defend, “I heard the school holds Ms. Saxon in very high regard…”
“Just rumors. You believe that?” Laird dismissed her without a second thought.
The girl pursed her lips and said nothing more.
Derek looked at the departing group, then turned to Arthur. “They’re gone.”
“Yeah,” Arthur replied calmly.
Derek frowned. “The semester just started. Maybe you should apply for a new advisor?”
Arthur shook his head. “It’s three years. I can endure it.”
Derek grew anxious. “But you still have to go to Kanit City with him. This isn’t just a three-year issue.”
Arthur said, “Don’t worry. Once I graduate, I’ll find a way to get out.”
Derek didn’t know what agreement Arthur had with Richard, so he sighed. “Alright. Let me know if you need anything.”
Arthur nodded. “Yeah.”
The two of them walked side by side down the tree-lined path. Derek, thinking about what had happened earlier, turned to ask, “Have you met Aria before?”
“Never.” Arthur looked away, face calm, not a hint of guilt.
“Yeah, right!” Derek squinted suspiciously, increasingly unconvinced. “Every time I try to introduce you two, you find an excuse to bail. If I hadn’t tricked you this time, you’d have run again.”
He scrutinized Arthur. “Don’t tell me… you
have a crush on her?”
Arthur choked hard. “What nonsense! She’s a teacher!”
Derek asked, “Then why do you keep avoiding her?”
Arthur struggled to explain, resorting to a vague excuse. “I saw her at a restaurant once. Didn’t say hi. I was afraid she’d hold a grudge.”
He obviously couldn’t say he used to work at a nightclub, and she picked him once. He even tried to seduce her.
Derek rolled his eyes. “Do I look like an idiot?”
Arthur nodded. “You do.”
Chapter 535
Derek smacked him on the shoulder. “I’m brilliant, okay? But fine, as long as you don’t like Aria. She’s probably getting a boyfriend soon.”
Arthur remembered the man who’d tipped him that night. His expression changed subtly. “Owen?”
Derek was shocked. “How do you know?”
Arthur said, “I’ve heard of him.”
He recalled Derek saying Aria was getting a boyfriend soon. He thought Owen had succeeded already.
In the afternoon, Aria assigned lab work. Helen and the others each focused on their own experiment.
Fred couldn’t reach Aria and, sensing something serious, immediately pulled the dining hall surveillance footage.
The video recorded Laird slandering Aria. Both his expression and tone left no trace of respect.
Fred’s face darkened.
He himself treated Aria with considerable respect, and yet this student had the audacity to act so arrogantly.
Moreover, Richard tolerated such behavior from his student.
Fred summoned everyone involved to his office, including witnesses Derek and Arthur.
“Laird! How could you slander Ms. Saxon like that?” Fred slammed the desk, the teacups rattling loudly.
Laird stiffened his neck. “I was just joking. How was I supposed to know she’d take it so seriously?”
He even dared to say that in front of Fred, who knew what he said behind her back.
Fred said, “Call your department head here. If we don’t get a proper explanation, no one’s getting off easy!”
Seeing the situation getting worse, Richard tried to mediate. “Mr. Gardner, Laird is young and immature. It’s my fault for not guiding him well. I’ll make sure he apologizes to Ms. Saxon…”
“Young?” Derek drawled lazily, cutting him off. “Aria is twenty-three. Laird is twenty-four. He’s a year older than her. Are you saying he’s a man-sized toddler?”
Richard’s expression shifted slightly, his gaze moving past Derek and landing on Arthur. “Arthur, what do you think?”
Arthur ignored the hint in his advisor’s eyes and calmly said, “If slander isn’t dealt with seriously, it’ll dishearten Ms. Saxon. If that happens…”
He paused meaningfully. “Even if she returns, anyone could say whatever they want. And if it affects her mood, it’ll affect the research project too.”
So, the university probably wouldn’t have any major breakthroughs in research.
Fred caught the implication and erupted. “Punish him per university regulations! Bring your department head here, or
you’re out!”
Richard glared at Arthur with a venomous look.
Laird panicked. “Mr. Gardner, I was wrong. I’ll apologize…”
Fred snapped, “Get your department head here!”
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Chapter 533
Laird cried and begged. In the end, Fred ordered that if Aria didn’t accept his apology, Laird would be expelled immediately. The news spread like wildfire.
Within a single day, the entire university was talking about Richard’s student publicly humiliating Aria.
Whenever Richard walked on campus, he’d hear whispers and gossip behind him.
“I heard Mr. Lloyd was there too, and he didn’t stop it. The student even made dirty jokes about Ms. Saxon.”
“He dared to say something so vulgar in front of a teacher? Mr. Lloyd really didn’t do anything?”
“Not only did he not stop it, he said Ms. Saxon was petty, arguing with a kid.”
“A 24-year-old kid? My fists are itching…”
Students no longer greeted Richard. They waited until he passed before whispering behind his back.
“No wonder someone like Laird came from his lab. I never realized how fake Mr. Lloyd was.”
Richard clearly heard their whispers. When he turned around to confront them, they’d already run off.
He returned to his office and called in Arthur.
He asked, “You and Aria… Are you two close?”
Arthur replied, “We’ve met twice.”
Richard frowned. “You’d speak for her after only two meetings?”
Arthur said, “Mr. Lloyd, I only told the truth.”
Richard wanted to explode, but held back. Laird was already a lost cause. He didn’t need to make an enemy out of Arthur
too.
He said, “Get that journal paper finished.”
Arthur replied indifferently, “It’s the start of the semester. I have other projects.”
“Don’t forget what you agreed to.” Richard stared at him intently.
Arthur paused, then said, “Understood. I’ll get it done soon.”
Meanwhile, Aria was on the phone with Helen.
“The school said it will strictly punish Laird. They’re holding an assembly tomorrow,” Helen said, gloating a little. “Are you coming back after the holiday?”
Aria chuckled. “If you girls plan to stay at school over the break, ask Mr. Schmidt for the lab key.”
Helen replied, “Got it!”
Just after Aria hung up, the doorbell rang.
Aria opened it to find Tilda nervously standing outside, with an elegantly dressed woman beside her.
