The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 197

Chapter 197

Emma’s POV:

The call came at exactly five o’clock.

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I was in the apartment, curled up on the couch with my laptop balanced on my knees, refreshing the BU forum obsessively.

My phone buzzed. Unknown number. I almost didn’t answer.

‘Ms. Johnson? This is Diana Grey from Boston University Student Affairs.”

I sat up straighter, my spine suddenly rigid. “Yes, this is Emma.”

“I’m calling regarding the defamatory posts,” she said. “I want you to know that I’ve seen your statement, and the university stands firmly behind you and Professor Prescott.”

Her voice was professional, measured, but there was an undertone of warmth that made my shoulders relax fractionally.

My throat tightened. “Thank you,”

“I spoke personally with Dean Morrison at Harvard Medical School this afternoon,” she continued. “We’ve confirmed that your marriage relationship falls completely within the ethical boundaries of both institutions.

I closed my eyes, feeling something loosen in my chest.

“BU has a zero-tolerance policy for cyberbullying and defamation,” Ms. Grey went on, her tone sharpening slightly. “Malicious dissemination of false information constitutes a serious violation. We take this very seriously, Ms. Johnson.”

“I appreciate that,” I managed.

“We’ve set a deadline for tomorrow, at 5 PM,” Ms. Grey said crisply. “By then, our IT Security Department will have completed the IP trace and account verification. You’ll receive a formal email with the results and our proposed disciplinary action.”

After we hung up, I sat there for a long moment, staring at the darkening skyline. This wasn’t just me anymore. They were standing with us.

Whoever it was, they were about to face consequences.

When I woke up the next morning, pale winter sunlight was streaming through the bedroom windows.

I was in Daniel’s apartment, sprawled across his king-sized bed in one of his old t-shirts.

He’d left early for an emergency consult. There was a note on his pillow: Didn’t want to wake you. Bagels and cream cheese in the kitchen. Should be home by noon. –D

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Chapter 197

I smiled, pressing the note to my chest for a moment before reaching for my phone on the nightstand.

9:47 AM. And seventeen new emails.

My stomach dropped.

The subject line of the first one made my breath catch: Confidential Investigation Report: Case #BU-2024-SC-1847

I sat up so fast the room spun slightly. My fingers trembled as I opened the PDF attachment.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Office of Student Conduct & IT Security Department

Joint Investigation Report

CONFIDENTIAL

I scrolled past the official letterhead, the case number, and the procedural language. And then I saw it.

IP Address Trace Results:

All anonymous defamatory posts originated from the BU campus network. Location: West Campus Residence. Further verification cross-referenced with system login credentials identifies registered user:

Madison, Lily

Major: Communications

I stared at the name.

Lily.

Lily Madison. That friendly underclassman who’d treated me to coffee. Who’d borrowed my notes with that grateful smile. Who’d invited me to lunch during our internship, chattering about her career dreams and asking for advice.\

How could it be her?

I kept reading, my eyes blurring over the technical details.

Timeline of Posting Activity:

The report listed everything. Everything.

Twitter posts from @BU_truth_teller observing my “designer accessories” and “luxury car pickups.”

The Christmas market photos from Paris, submitted to @BU_tea_spill on Instagram.

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Chapter 197

And then the recent escalation-after Daniel’s lecture. Four different accounts, all traced back to Lily, posting increasingly aggressive comments. Building a narrative. Planting seeds.

Technical Analysis: Subject employed VPN services and private browsing mode. However, campus network authentication system maintained digital footprint through automatic login credentials. All posts originated from devices registered to Madison, Lily.

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The Forbidden Throb