Chapter 7

Things suddenly escalated like that.

In the school's largest conference room, a crowd of people stood silently.

The principal, vice principal, dean of students, and homeroom teacher.

Reporters from various news agencies.

Both the Sterling and Finch parents were present. Mr. and Mrs. Finch stood in a corner of the conference room, protecting a tear-streaked Seraphina, their faces filled with grievance and indignation.

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling had initially received the call and heard it was about me, and they hadn't wanted to come.

It wasn't until they heard that even the newly appointed Director of the Education Board had arrived that they rushed over.

The city's top high school was a prime example for the Education Board.

Mr. Sterling and the Director of the Education Board clearly had a past acquaintance. As soon as he entered, Mr. Sterling went to the Director's side and smoothly began:

"Such a small matter, it even disturbed Director Miller."

"Actually, it's just children having a spat…"

But Director Miller was very principled and completely unmoved:

"Mr. Sterling, bullying is never a small matter."

"I know Anya Sterling is your daughter, but to me, all children are students, they are saplings. I cannot stand by and watch them grow crooked."

With words spoken to that extent, Mr. Sterling could say no more, only offering a smile: "Yes, yes, we are also unclear what happened. Please investigate thoroughly."

Returning to Mrs. Sterling's side, the two exchanged a silent glance.

I understood.

If my bullying was truly confirmed, the Sterling family would immediately abandon me, their adopted daughter for whom they felt no affection, and completely cut ties with me.

If Mr. and Mrs. Sterling's attitude was already like this, what about Julian…

He stood beside the constantly sobbing Seraphina, softly comforting her, occasionally raising his dark eyes to give me a cold glance.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, the principal spoke, asking Seraphina:

"Seraphina, please tell us what happened."

Seraphina raised her red, tear-filled eyes and quietly repeated what she had told Julian.

The reporters were already indignant.

One person quickly said: "Our preliminary investigation shows that Anya Sterling and Seraphina Finch were once friends from the same orphanage, even calling each other sisters."

"Later, Anya Sterling was adopted by the Sterling Group, while Seraphina Finch's adoptive parents were just ordinary school employees."

"Anya Sterling, just because you entered a wealthy family, does that mean you can bully your former friend and steal opportunities that originally belonged to her?"

A heavy silence fell.

All the reporters' eyes were on me, and the red lights of the cameras flickered incessantly.

No one wanted to miss out on a sensational scoop.

After all, this was a very sensitive social issue – in an era where social strata were gradually solidifying, if children from wealthy families continued to steal educational resources that originally belonged to impoverished children, blocking their path upwards, it could provoke considerable public outrage.

Not to mention the protagonists of the news story were me and Seraphina, a dramatic contrast.

In the pin-drop silent office, I suddenly let out a small laugh, the sound surprisingly abrupt.

All the reporters exchanged confused glances.

"Esteemed reporter, I read in a book that news professionals need to cross-verify and fact-check all information they receive."

"Why? Are you now skipping work steps just to rush out a sensational news story?"

Immediately, the reporter's face turned beet red.

I stood up and pointed coldly at Seraphina:

"Right now, she is the only source of information. Everything is just her side of the story."

I looked at Seraphina, whose face was pale from crying.

I did once consider you my sister.

But in the past life, you killed me out of jealousy.

In this life, you climb by framing me.

So if I destroy you, it's your own doing.

"Since the esteemed reporter is asking me now, I'll tell you what I know."

"Seraphina is jealous of me. She feels that even though we both started the same, and she's even prettier and smarter than me, why do I now live a better life than her?"

"Out of jealousy and hatred, she fabricated this story to frame me."

At these words, Julian immediately retorted:

"But…"

He wanted to say that Seraphina had actively chosen the poor Finch family.

Therefore, she couldn't be someone who only cared about wealth, and my explanation was clearly twisting the facts.

But before he could finish, the principal's office door was suddenly flung open.

Standing outside was a thin figure, with short hair, silent, like an inconspicuous weed.

Our homeroom teacher recognized her: "Hazel? What are you doing here?"

In the previous life, Hazel had already taken her own life by this time.

But in this life, she was alive.

Step by step, Hazel walked in and stood beside me.

She said softly, "I'm here to testify."