Chapter 221
Mr. Hammond’s face was impassive. His features were set in an expression that conveyed no sympathy for Madeline’s pleas. “Everyone has to pay for their mistakes,” he intoned. His voice was devoid of warmth. “You should have thought about the consequences when you decided to act.”
Madeline’s face was ashen, and she dissolved into tears once more..
Anthony, standing to the side, could only shake his head in a mix of frustration and resignation. “Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. You’d best head back to class. As for your punishment, we’ll discuss it thoroughly before making a decision.”
Before long. Madeline shuffled out of the office. Her figure was a portrait of dejection.
Watching her retreating back, Anthony sighed, “If only she’d put as much effort into her studies as she did into causing trouble and smearing her classmate.”
Mr. Hammond remained sileht. His demeanor was unreadable.
It wasn’t long before Summer arrived at the office.
On her way there, her mind had raced through various excuses, and despite her inner turmoil, it was the message from Colton that finally steadied her nerves. So when she stepped into the office, her face was composed, and she nodded politely at Mr. Hammond and the other teachers, as if she wasn’t at the heart of the storm.
Mr. Hammond caught one glimpse of Summer and immediately noticed the depth of her composure; in such a situation, her calm was indeed remarkable.
“Why did you incite Madeline to target Mirabella online?” This time, it was Mr. Hammond who broke the silence, not Morgan.
Summer faced Mr. Hammond. His authoritative presence commanded her respect. She clenched her hands at her sides before responding coolly, “I must admit, I’m at fault here. Mirabella is a foster child of the Gilbert family. She asked my dad to pull some strings at the education association to get her hands on some review material, which he then sent to her.”
“I simply didn’t agree with this unfair advantage over other students and mentioned it to Madeline in passing. I had no idea she would take it upon herself to defend my honor and post it on the forum.” A wistful smile touched Summer’s lips as she bowed deeply to Mr. Hammond and the other teachers. “I’m sorry. Please be lenient with Madeline. This whole issue started because of me, and I’m willing to take full responsibility for my indiscretion.”
Her apology seemed incredibly sincere.
Those who made it into the Prodigy Class were undeniably brilliant, and Summer’s rapid academic improvement over the past six months had not gone unnoticed by Morgan. Seeing her take responsibility touched him somewhat. Thus, Morgan looked to Mr. Hammond, and despite the blow to his own pride, he spoke up for Summer.
Chapter 221
“Though Summer may have erred, the blame cannot wholly rest on her shoulders. She did mention that Mirabella was once a foster child of the Gilberts. Although the competition material was voluntarily turned in by Mirabella, that doesn’t prove anything. Moreover…”
Morgan paused, turning back to Summer. “You said it was Mirabella who asked your father to obtain the competition material, correct?”
Summer met his gaze steadily, without hesitation, and nodded. “To clarify everything, I called my father. He should be arriving at the school soon. He can explain everything.”
Morgan had been left in an embarrassing position the previous day because of the competition material Mr. Hammond had presented. Now, hearing Summer’s words, a flicker of hope sparked within him. That burning desire to know that he hadn’t wrongfully accused a student surged within him.
