Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 27

The professor glared at Alicia, his voice sharp with anger. "Alicia! Do you have any idea that recording without my permission is illegal?"

Alicia pointed toward the office around them. "This is a shared faculty office, a public space. My recording is perfectly legal."

The professor's face went pale with rage. "Let me make something clear: that scholarship spot was yours. But you—an orphan—really think you can take on the university? Naive!"

He turned to the reporters crowding the hallway, jabbing a finger in their direction. "All of you, get out—now! Who let you in here? Where are the security guards? Do you even know this is a university? You're all fired if you don't leave this instant!"

Then he turned back to Alicia, his finger trembling with fury. "And as for you, if you make a scene out of this, you can kiss your diploma goodbye!"

Alicia had expected this—he always used the threat of withholding graduation as a weapon. "You've pulled this stunt on so many students. Remember Wendy? She had to drop out sophomore year with depression because you saw she came from a poor background and thought she'd be easy to push around. You took her competition spot and handed it to Chloe, then threatened her degree until she finally quit. How many students' lives have you destroyed as a teacher?"

Alicia had endured in silence until now, always avoiding direct confrontation. She knew her words carried little weight and that she couldn't afford to anger those in power.

But this time, there was nowhere left to retreat. If she didn't fight for herself now, no one ever would.

…

The story exploded online within hours.

The university's shady dealings sparked outrage. Alicia released the audio recordings and evidence, and students everywhere resonated with her story. Even Wendy, who had dropped out, went live on social media to denounce both the professor and Chloe for their cruelty and corruption.

Suddenly, the whole university was under the microscope.

The school's PR team issued a statement, dripping with passive aggression, hinting that top grades or artistic style weren't always the deciding factor for scholarships—trying to muddy the waters and deflect blame.

At that point, the administration still hadn't grasped the gravity of the situation.

Alicia upped the ante and posted her work online. Within minutes, internet sleuths dug up Chloe's portfolio—and discovered she'd hired a ghostwriter to complete her submission. The pieces she'd entered were bought and paid for.