Chapter 7 - THE DEAN'S WARNING
Dean Harrison ran a hand through his thinning gray hair, looking genuinely troubled as he glanced between the two students.
"I'm so sorry you had to experience that on what was supposed to be your proudest day, Chloe," the Dean said sincerely.
"Are you here to expel us, Dean Harrison? Because Richard Vance has enough donors on the board to make that happen," Chloe asked bitterly.
"No, absolutely not," the Dean replied quickly, holding up his hands in a defensive gesture of reassurance.
"In fact, the academic committee reviewed your senior thesis integrity logs twenty minutes ago in response to your father's claims."
Ethan stood up slowly, dusting off his suit knees. "And? What did the audit show?"
"It showed that Chloe’s research methodology was not only flawless, but it actually uncovered a significant corporate oversight," the Dean revealed.
Chloe blinked in surprise, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "An oversight in what?"
"In Vance Global Logistics' environmental compliance filings," Dean Harrison explained quietly, lowering his voice.
Ethan's eyes widened slightly as the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked together in his mind.
"That's why her father was so desperate to discredit her thesis before it was published," Ethan realized out loud.
"Precisely," Dean Harrison confirmed with a grave nod. "Your father's company is facing a federal EPA investigation."
May you like
Chloe stared at the concrete floor in stunned silence, realizing her academic work had accidentally exposed her family's corruption.
"He didn't slap me because I lied... he slapped me because I told the truth," Chloe whispered, horror dawning on her face.
