Chapter 188
Chapter 188
Professor Clark roared.
Juliette was so scared that she started to tremble and quickly hid the note, which was in her elbow, behind her back immediately. She looked up at Professor Clark with a pale face and answered as her eyes darted around, “N-Nothing…”
The students, who were busy answering the exam questions, raised their heads and looked at Juliette and Professor Clark.
He was furious as he repeated his words. “I saw everything. What is in your hand? Take it out!” Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Professor Clark was usually very gentle, so it was the first time that the students saw him in such fury. What does Juliette have in her hand? Everybody looked at the hand which was behind her back.
Juliette continued to shake her head. “Nothing. There is honestly nothing.” Her entire body trembled in fear when she answered. She gritted her teeth while tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sophia turned to glance at them, but she seemed indifferent. Then, she returned to her questions.
Professor Clark suddenly charged at Juliette and grabbed a piece of paper from her hand—it was the corner of a piece of rough paper. Scrawled across the piece of paper were the answers to a few major questions, multiple-choice questions, and objective questions. She’s cheating!
He stared at the piece of paper in disbelief and crushed it on the spot while questioning her, “Juliette Sanders, do you know that this is considered cheating? Who gave you this piece of paper?”
Everybody realized with a start, I can’t believe someone is cheating! Isn’t she aware of the consequences of cheating in Bayside University? She will receive zero marks for all her subjects! She would also be suspended for one semester and repeat the year! Even if she receives her graduation
certificate four years later, she won’t receive the degree certificate! More importantly, she wouldn’t be allowed to sit for the postgraduate entrance exam!
Everybody wanted to know which two unlucky b*stards had the guts to cheat in Bayside University’s final exam.
Juliette shook her head as tears continued to stream uncontrollably. However, she stuck to her story. “I wrote this and I didn’t cheat!”
Professor Clark compared the handwriting on the slip of paper to the notes in Juliette’s notebook. Who will deliberately tear a corner off a piece of draft paper for the answer before copying it slowly onto the exam paper? Besides, the handwriting is different!
Juliette’s handwriting was elegant and cursive whereas the one on the answer sheet was narrow and beautiful. He flipped through Juliette’s notebook, but he couldn’t find one with a torn corner. Someone had obviously passed her the slip of paper! “I am asking you for the last time. Who handed you this piece of paper?”
Juliette lowered her head in silence for a while as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Suddenly, she pointed at Sophia, who was sitting in front of her, and answered softly, “I-It’s… Sophia!”
There was an uproar and everybody looked at Sophia, who was seated in front of her. Professor Clark marched toward Sophia. Then, he picked up her notebook to check—true enough, her handwriting was narrow and beautiful. Furthermore, there was a missing corner in one of her notebook pages. He flattened the piece of paper, which was cramped with answers, against the torn page in Sophia’s notebook. Upon comparing them, they matched like a jigsaw puzzle. This is from Sophia’s notebook!
Sophia was still engrossed in checking her formula when she was accused of something that she did not do. Therefore, she turned to glance at Juliette while maintaining a blank expression.
Juliette lowered her head since she did not have the courage to meet Sophia’s gaze. Professor Clark regarded Juliette before glancing at Sophia, quivering with fury. “You two, come to my office now!”
Sophia did not utter a word as she stood up while placing her draft paper, which showed her working, and test paper separately on the table, according to the requirements of handing in the examination paper. After that she packed her admission ID, ID card, and everything else before walking out. Juliette followed her closely from behind.
Professor Clark furiously collected their exam papers. Then, he called for an inspection teacher to enter and invigilate the exam before entering his office with a stern face.
Sophia and Juliette did not speak to each other in the office. One of them was guilty and kept her head bowed whereas the other had an open expression, as if she had nothing to hide. Professor Clark glared at both of them with gleaming eyes once he entered his office. He slammed his palm on his office desk while thundering, “You two better give me an explanation. What is going on? Don’t you both usually perform quite well? What made you do such a thing?”
Juliette burst into tears and explained while shaking uncontrollably, “It’s my entire fault. I did not study well. Miss Edwards is kind enough to help me. Since it is my fault, please punish me if you have to!” Nevertheless, once someone was caught cheating, it did not matter who was actually cheating because the person who aided them would have their grades nullified for that semester and also wouldn’t receive their degree certificate.
Sophia answered openly and truthfully, “I don’t know what happened. I did not pass the exam answers to anyone. My conscience is clear.” She seemed relaxed with her hands in the pockets of her down jacket, looking as if she wouldn’t accept defeat until the end.
Professor Clark glared at them and he lost his patience. “You two, wait for me here. I will head to the surveillance room now to check on the surveillance tape. I’ll see how you plan to get out of this!”
Juliette lowered her head as her gaze followed him. She knew that it was useless even if he checked the surveillance tape because she had prepared beforehand by practicing Sophia’s narrow and beautiful handwriting and tearing a piece of her draft paper.
The surveillance camera was behind them in the exam venue. As Juliette sat behind Sophia, it would not be able to capture all of her movements. As long as she was adamant with her answers while maintaining reticence, Sophia would not be able to escape from being charged with assisting to cheat.
Professor Clark left his office and the door closed with a loud bang, leaving them as the only ones in the office. After a long pause, Sophia finally broke the silence. “Spill, what happened? There are no surveillance cameras in the office.”
Juliette remained silent; she did not have the courage to answer Sophia.
Seeing this, Sophia threatened her, “Why don’t I expose the incident of you placing a nail in my shoe during our military training?”
There was a loud thud before Juliette kneeled down in front of Sophia and kowtowed twice at her. “Sophia, I know that I have wronged you. I will drop out of Bayside University! I am sorry. I am so sorry!”
She regarded Juliette, who was kneeling on the ground, but there was no pity in her gaze. “What is it this time? Is your mom sick again?”
Juliette remained silent for a long time before speaking again, “Previously, my mom had her surgery after receiving a sum of money from the Harpers and it was successful. However, someone from their unit had framed my dad for an embezzlement case. My dad will be released as long as the Harpers say the word…”
“Haha.” Sophia burst out laughing. “Are you saying that the Harper Family came looking for you again to frame me?”
Juliette did not dare to answer, but continued to kowtow to Sophia. “Sophia, I am sorry to have wronged you. You have such good results, so I am sure you will be able to graduate. I am so sorry. I am truly sorry!”
After a pause, Sophia suddenly took her phone out of her pocket. She pressed a button before Juliette’s voice rang from her phone. “However, someone from their unit had framed my dad for an embezzlement case. My dad will be released as long as the Harpers say the word.”
Juliette stared in disbelief at the phone in her hand. No wonder she has kept her hands in her pockets all this while. It turns out that she has been recording our conversation with her phone.
Sophia stared at her with a blank expression. “Stop pretending. I have recorded everything.”
After the initial shock, Juliette was emboldened and smiled sadly. “That is right, Sophia. The Harper Family has threatened me. However, didn’t we agree that you’ll give me the answers since I didn’t study well? You willingly did this.
No matter what happens, you can’t escape from being charged with assisting to cheat during an exam. Sophia, I have wronged you. I shouldn’t have allowed you to pass me those answers. I have dragged you into receiving this punishment. I am sorry. I am so sorry.”