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Married Before Midnight - Married Before Midnight by Sienna Quinn - Chapter 41
Author: Novels Audio
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Married Before Midnight
Chapter 41: The Truth Unveiled
Hannah’s fingers trembled slightly as she clutched the USB drive in her palm, the weight of the evidence pressing against her skin like a brand. Beside her, Isobel exhaled sharply, her usual sarcasm replaced by grim determination. “You’re sure about this?” Isobel asked, her voice low. Hannah nodded, her jaw set. “They tampered with my grades. They threatened me. If we don’t stop them now, they’ll keep doing it to others.”
The hallway outside Dr. Lyman’s office was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made every footstep echo like a warning. Hannah glanced at her watch—nineteen minutes left before Isobel would send everything to the student newspaper. She knocked. The door swung open, revealing Dr. Lyman, a wiry man in his late fifties with sharp eyes that missed nothing. “Miss Carter,” he said, surprise flickering across his face. “I wasn’t expecting you.” “I need your help,” Hannah said, stepping inside before her courage could waver.
The office smelled of old books and strong coffee. Dr. Lyman gestured for her to sit, his expression unreadable as she laid out the printed logs and the USB between them. “What’s this?” he asked, though his tone suggested he already suspected. “Proof,” Hannah said, her voice steady despite the storm inside her. “Proof that Professor Dawson and Caleb Whitmore conspired to alter my grades—and likely others’. They’ve been using administrative privileges to sabotage students who challenge them.” Dr. Lyman’s fingers hovered over the documents before he finally picked them up, scanning the data with a deepening frown. “These are serious accusations.” “They’re not accusations.
They’re facts,” Hannah countered. “The timestamps match private sessions between Caleb and Dawson. The VPN traces lead back to Dawson’s office. And this—” She tapped the USB. “—is a cloned log of the system access. They took the bait we planted.” For a long moment, Dr. Lyman was silent. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose. “Why come to me?” “Because you’ve spoken out against academic corruption before,” Hannah said. “And because if I went through official channels, Dawson would bury it before it ever saw daylight.” A flicker of something—respect?—passed through Dr. Lyman’s eyes. “You’re not wrong.” He steepled his fingers. “But exposing this won’t be clean. Dawson has allies. The backlash could follow you.” Hannah didn’t flinch. “I’m not walking away.”
Twenty-three minutes later, the door opened. Isobel, who had been pacing outside, nearly collided with Hannah as she stepped out. “Well?” Isobel demanded. Hannah’s lips curved into the first real smile she’d felt in days. “He’s taking it to the disciplinary board. With his backing, they can’t ignore it.” Isobel let out a breathless laugh. “Holy hell. We actually did it.” But Hannah’s relief was short-lived. As they turned the corner, Caleb stood waiting, his expression a mask of cold fury. “You just had to push, didn’t you?” he said, stepping into their path. Hannah met his gaze without flinching. “You made your choices, Caleb. Now you get to face them.” His laugh was sharp, humorless. “You think this ends with me? Dawson won’t let his reputation burn without dragging you down with it.” “Let him try,” Hannah shot back. For a heartbeat, Caleb looked like he wanted to say more—then he turned on his heel and stalked away. --- That evening, Hannah sat at the kitchen table in Sweet Beginnings, the familiar scent of cinnamon and sugar wrapping around her like a shield. Olivia slid a plate of warm cookies in front of her, studying her sister’s exhausted face. “You’ve been quiet all night,” Olivia murmured. “Everything okay?”
Hannah hesitated. She’d kept her family in the dark to protect them, but the weight of it was crushing her. “I might have just started a war with the most powerful professor in my department,” she admitted quietly. Olivia’s eyes widened, but before she could respond, Eleanor set a steaming mug of tea in front of Hannah. “Then we’ll fight it together,” she said simply. Hannah’s throat tightened. She wasn’t alone. And that made all the difference.