Chapter 169
“Being first to publish doesn’t make you right. Professor Harrison, I have all the evidence and drafts, including chat records with every expert who scored. If you keep denying it, I’ll have to take legal action. Then it won’t just be these administrators who know
I’ll pursue legal charges and make it public.”
Dean Larson and the other administrators understood the situation clearly. They weren’t fools; they’d all written papers themselves..
Dean Larson gave Grace a cold look. “Professor Harrison stole someone else’s paper. The university will contact the journal for a
retraction.”
“Dean! The paper’s already published. How can you do this? This will damage the university’s reputation!”
Professor Wells spoke up first, “Grace Harrison! Do you really think the Dean would act unethically just to protect the university’s reputation?”
He glanced at Dean Larson, speaking preemptively. He wasn’t worried, but he was cautious. To the Dean, perhaps truth wasn’t the highest priority.
The Dean had sent Lucy to jail to protect the university’s reputation, even if it meant standing against with the Chancers.
But now, Sarah had no such backing.
Sarah understood Professor Wells’s concerns. She spoke up firmly, “Our university’s reputation isn’t built on academic honors. alone, but on our courage to challenge authority and face mistakes head–on, not avoid them.”
Dean Larson’s gaze sharpened. “Grace, published papers can be retracted – there’s precedent. As for you, you’re suspended pending investigation.”
Grace collapsed into a chair, glaring at Sarah enviously. “Don’t think you’ve won!”
After the administrators left, Grace remained seated, defeated.
Knowing Sarah hadn’t left, she gave a bitter smile. “I’ve been here ten years, teaching diligently, publishing many papers. I was about to be promoted. Why did you have to speak up? If you were wronged, why not just accept it quietly?”
Sarah sat beside her, showing no sympathy. “How did you get the paper?”
Grace looked at her scornfully. “Why should I tell you?”
“So you admit stealing my paper?”
Grace froze, then snapped angrily, “You! I’ll never admit anything! I won’t let you get away with this, Sarah! You’ve ruined me!”
Only now did Sarah feel some pity. “Grace, shouldn’t you blame whoever gave you my paper? If you hadn’t stolen it, you’d still be teaching.”
“Stop trying to make me reveal who it was. I won’t tell!” Grace stared at Sarah with jealousy.
+15
Bonus
Of course she was jealous. Seeing that paper had filled her with envy – why couldn’t she have written something like that?
If she had, she wouldn’t have been stuck in the same position for so long.
“Suit yourself.” Sarah walked away without looking back
After classes, Zachary came to pick up Mia but didn’t see Sarah.
“Where’s Sarah?” Mia pointed to the gate. “I went to find her after class, waited ages, but she never showed up. She didn’t answer her phone either. Though I think it’s probably about the paper situation”
Zachary asked worriedly, “What paper?”
Mia showed him the university website. “Someone accused Sarah of stealing another professor’s
paper.”
