Chapter 4

Instantly, everyone in the office looked at me with disgust.

"I've never seen any USB drive!"

I squeezed out my rebuttal through gritted teeth.

I did indeed manage Julian's study, but for nearly a year after Chloe appeared, he had explicitly forbidden me from entering it again.

Only Chloe, however, could come and go freely!

Unwillingly, I continued to defend myself, but with Professor Julian's testimony, everything was quickly decided.

Dean Miller immediately issued a termination letter, and a group of student parents spat at me.

Dejected and downcast, I was just being ushered out of the academy building when an unknown student parent slapped me to the ground with a "smack!"

"You shameless bitch! Stripping naked to seduce my son, how can the Art Academy have a slutty teacher like you! Aren't you afraid of corrupting the students? I'll tear you apart for acting like a slut!"

The woman shrieked, lunging at me, straddling me and furiously beating me.

My face stung with pain, and my vision gradually turned red, but I still saw Julian standing on the steps in front of the building.

He casually glanced at me, then walked away.

Finally, the woman was dragged away by security, but the crowd continued to point and whisper about me.

I had just stood up, trying to ask what was happening, when a trending topic on a phone was shoved in my face.

The headline read: **【TRENDING# An Art Academy Teacher, Skylar, Publicly Posts Nude Photos on School Forum, Intending to Seduce Male University Students】**

Underneath were countless nude photos, all posted on the school forum in my name.

The comments section had millions of shares, cursing me, saying I didn't deserve to be a teacher, and demanding I leave the academy.

From beside me, Chloe's sugary-sweet mockery drifted over:

"Professor Skylar, so you're even trashier than I am?"

I suddenly turned my head and saw her glance at the blood on my face, then her gaze fell on the termination letter, and she exclaimed.

"Oh dear, have you been kicked out of school?"

Wasn't this all her doing? What's with the act?

Stepping back, I scoffed coldly:

"What goes around comes around, Chloe. I just don't have the evidence yet, but you will pay for what you've done!"

Did she think everything would be fine just because Julian helped her commit perjury?

I only hoped she'd still be smiling so smugly when we got to court.

Chloe's face stiffened, a flicker of guilt flashing in her eyes.

But seeing me about to leave, she immediately put on a disdainful, haughty expression and accused me:

"Skylar, you openly accepted bribes, corrupted your teacher's ethics, and ruined the school's reputation! How dare you just walk away?"

"Today, you must get on your knees and apologize to all the teachers, students, and parents! Otherwise, you're not leaving!"

As she shouted, more and more people gathered. I tried to leave, but she held me in a death grip.

"Get off me!"

I frowned deeply, violently shaking her off, but Chloe, using my momentum, suddenly fell to the ground and shrieked.

"Ah—Professor Skylar, don't hit me!"

The next second, someone kicked me away, and I was in such pain my insides felt scrambled.

"Skylar! How dare you bully Chloe again!"

Julian withdrew his foot, carefully helped Chloe up, his features scrunched up, full of heartache.

He was always like this, always blindly taking Chloe's side, never bothering to understand the truth.

The girl nestled in his arms, like a frightened little rabbit, timidly said:

"Professor Julian... I'm fine. Professor Skylar, it was just an accident that..."

As she spoke, the man opposite grew even angrier, glaring at me as if I were a heinous criminal.

"Skylar, are you even human? You openly cheated on me, and you're always bullying Chloe. How exactly did she offend you?"

"Now, apologize to her immediately!"

Meeting his cold, almost cruel gaze, I stood my ground fiercely:

"You want me to apologize? Fine, then tell everyone right now who went into your study and stole the USB drive?"

"You tell me, and I'll apologize to her immediately."

Hearing this, Julian's breath caught. He glanced at my battered state, then leaned closer, his tone softening:

"Alright, I know you didn't do it, but the situation has blown up. What do you expect me to do? Chloe is still a student; I can't ruin her future."

"And what about me! You can just ruin my future!" My eyes narrowed.

In that instant, anger, fury, and even a touch of unbelievable grievance and a coldness in my heart, surged through me.

I loudly questioned him, questioned this man I had shared a bed with for seven years.

Never had my heart felt so utterly cold!

Noticing my voice was too loud, drawing eager, prying looks from those around us, Julian panicked slightly.

He urgently ordered me to lower my voice.

But the next moment, my voice was extremely soft: "Julian, let's get a divorce."

I thought, since I'd brought up divorce, he would surely take it seriously. But I was wrong...

"Alright, don't use divorce to threaten me. Can you really bear to divorce? I didn't cheat, Chloe is just work. Stop while you're ahead, don't make a fuss!"

He wanted to say more, but then Chloe let out a cry of pain. Julian didn't even make me apologize anymore.

He picked her up and ran towards the infirmary, blatantly disregarding the student-teacher boundaries.

It was fine. If they didn't care, then neither did I.

I found a random hotel to stay in, and the next day, I headed straight to the courthouse and picked up my long-awaited divorce decree.

The last step to sever all ties with Julian was to go home, pack my things, sell the house, and then leave for good.

But "Unlock Failed—"

My keypad lock suddenly wouldn't open.