"Good."
Lillian finally let out a sigh of relief.
Claire turned her attention back to Levi.
"You'll need to bring your own megaphone this evening."
"I assume you can borrow the one from the Student Council?"
"If not, you'd better go buy one this afternoon."
"It won't cost much. Just consider it a small price to pay to clear your conscience."
"Especially since you've clearly lacked any moral decency until now."
Levi's hands were balled into fists so tight that the veins bulged against his skin.
This girl certainly knew how to make enemies.
"Fine," he hissed, the word grinding through his teeth.
Claire emerged from the battle entirely victorious.
She practically glowed with triumph as she walked out the door.
Meanwhile, Levi slouched in absolute defeat, with Sloane lingering nearby to offer soft words of comfort.
Lillian watched the students file out of the office.
She strongly suspected Sloane was the mastermind behind the rumors, but since Levi had volunteered to take the fall, there was no point in exposing the truth.
All she wanted was for these kids to stop making her life miserable.
Claire had no idea what Ms. Vance was thinking, nor did she care to dig any deeper.
Ultimately, while Sloane was manipulative, someone like Levi was far more repulsive.
His self-righteousness was suffocating.
It wasn't enough for him to put Sloane on a pedestal; he demanded that everyone else worship his precious goddess, too.
The moment he encountered someone like Claire—who utterly refused to play along
it struck a fatal blow to his fragile ego.
He acted like a member of a deranged cult.
Anyone who refused to bow to his deity was instantly branded a heretic to be destroyed.
Claire refused to indulge their delusions, which was exactly why Levi was now paying the price.
He had taken a plate of food to the face and still had to choke down a public apology.
He was likely seething with rage, completely powerless to stop her.
He had simply picked the wrong target.
As a brilliant prodigy, Claire naturally commanded more attention and respect from the faculty.
Even if she were to go head-to-head with Sloane, the administration wouldn't necessarily side against her.
So what chance did a fool like Levi stand?
He was a young man with a bright future, yet he completely lacked a moral compass.
Why throw himself so fiercely into a battle that gained him absolutely nothing?
"Thank you for speaking up for me, Professor," Claire said, flashing a smile at Norris.
He fought back the urge to affectionately ruffle her hair. "Don't mention it, Claire."
"I just hate seeing upperclassmen bully the freshmen."
"The mathematics department is well aware of your talents. If you're ever unhappy here at the medical
school, you could always...content
Before Norris could finish his pitch, a medical school administrator
cut him off. "We are well awarde
her brilliance to
of
"Why wouldn't she be happy with us?"
"Norris, stealing students really isn't a good look for you."
"You're a handsome young man-don't you have better things to do with your time?"
"Now run along. You're trespassing on medical territory!"
The poor professor was practically shoved out the door by the administrator.
It was the first time he had ever been subjected to such blatant hostility.
Claire chuckled softly. "He made a fair point. Maybe I should consider it."
The administrator's eyes widened in sheer
absoic. "Claire, there's
absolutely nothing to consider. You love medicine which makes our department your rightful home.
"You wouldn't have chosen us in the first place if you didn't belong here, right?"
Claire wanted to point out that loving medicine didn't permanently chain her to their specific faculty.
"You make a good point," she conceded mildly.
She didn't feel like wasting the energy to argue.
The administrator wasn't entirely convinced that she wouldn't jump ship, mentally
cursing Levi to hell and back.
This was all that idiot's fault. Of all the stupid things to do, why start rumors?
Now they were on the verge of losing their star student.