As soon as Lemira mentioned it, Evelina’s face visibly crumbled into panic.
Evelina whimpered in grievance, “Even Judy admitted it. Nothing would change even if she were here in person.”
It was because Judy didn’t want to take the blame, so she went out of her way to bribe Judy’s parents to come and testify on her behalf.
Judy’s parents nodded in agreement, “That’s right, this whole mess was our daughter’s doing. We’re willing to accept the blame and the punishment, just please leave Ms. Sterling out of it.”
Why bother with college for a girl like that when the Langston family’s money could easily cover her brother’s tuition?
The teacher found himself in a bind, “No, we still need Judy to come to school herself.”
Evelina’s face tensed noticeably, cursing under her breath that everything was supposed to be perfectly arranged until Lemira spoke up.
Asher, hearing this, turned to the teacher, “Could I have a word with the principal alone?”
The teacher nodded, and Asher turned to reassure Evelina, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen. I believe you’re innocent.”
“Thanks for believing in me, Asher.”
Evelina offered a disarming smile as she watched Asher and the teacher leave.
Lemira scoffed, “Whether Judy admits it or not, it won’t change the fact that you cheated.”
Evelina would still be punished, her grades invalidated!
Furious, Evelina clenched her teeth, “Doesn’t matter. As long as Asher believes I’m innocent. The family’s loaded; I can still go to college!” Lemira didn’t bother with more words, just turned and left.
Evelina felt uneasy as she turned to the middle-aged couple, “So, Judy really agreed to take the blame?”
“That brat won’t accept it. After we gave her a piece of our mind, she ran off As long as we, her parents, admit to it, it’s fine. Just don’t forget the money you promised us, Ms. Sterling.”
“Don’t worry, as long as you keep Judy from spilling the beans, you’ll get your money.”
Evelina was still not at ease. If Judy talked, how could she face the Langstons?
Her phone chimed with a message from an unknown number. [Found Judy. I’ll keep her quiet. No one will stand in your way, sweetheart.]
Reading this, Evelina paled and
quickly dialed back, but it was a disconnected number. She pondered over it, thinking if Judy could indeed be silenced, that would be for the best!
Days later, after Lemira submitted her college applications, feeling a weight finally lift, she got a shocking message from Jessica. [Goddess, did you hear Judy’s dead?] Dead?
Lemira clicked on the news link,
which reported a hiker finding a young woman who had hung herself in the mountains, identified as a high school student suspected of
eligh
cheating and she committed suicide for being unable to bear the shame.
Lemira felt a heaviness settle in her heart once reading the news.
Was it really suicide? Judy always seemed too thick-skinned for such an act, even if she faced expulsion.
Jessica added. [Evelina was involved too, but with Judy’s suicide, the school concerns the influences and might lighten her punishment to avoid another tragedy.]
[If someone wants to kill themselves, it definitely won’t be that fake angel.]
Lemira knew Evelina too well. But the situation was utterly complicated. The idea that Judy would die was unfathomable.
How was that possible? Could Evelina have silenced her permanently? Or was it the Langstons?
The truth was murky to Lemira, but she was sure that Judy’s suicide wouldn’t be that easy. However, the police seemed convinced it was a suicide.
That was when Lemira got a call from Orion, “Hey, you free tonight?”
“Yeah.”