With the information she had gathered in mind, she spoke up with confidence. “Professor Hewitt, you’ve been fooled by Khloe. She’s not some brilliant student everyone thinks she is, and she hasn’t done anything noteworthy in biomedicine or medicine. Sure, she was once the youngest professor at the prestigious Plince University, but she was caught in a massive scandal-academic fraud, plagiarizing others’ work-and ended up expelled. Not only that, she was banned from universities worldwide! She’s nothing but a fraud, plain and simple.”
Casey’s agitation intensified, her eyes gleaming with scorn. “How dare this shameless person stand here? She’s deceived everyone and is a disgrace to the academic community. She should be publicly exposed and expelled. She has no place at Zhecrora University.” Her voice was biting, sharp like an arrow aimed straight at Khloe.
As she saw the crowd aligning with her, Casey’s smugness only grew. She pulled a thick stack of documents from her bag, holding them high with pride. “Look, everyone, this is the proof I uncovered. It clearly outlines Khloe’s academic dishonesty, with even a formal announcement from Plince University at the time. This is undeniable evidence; she’s nothing but a fraud.”
Casey passed the documents to someone nearby, letting them be passed around the crowd.
At first, some were hesitant or uncertain due to Daryl’s defense, but after seeing the documents, they quickly bought into it.
The crowd wore expressions of disbelief and disdain.
“I knew it. This woman, always craving attention, is nothing but trash.”
“I almost thought she had something to offer, but she’s just a fraud. Even Professor Hewitt fell for it. With her talents, Khloe should be running a scam, not playing a celebrity.”
“Professor Hewitt, anyone guilty of academic dishonesty should be permanently banned from academia. She doesn’t belong here.”
The crowd’s jeers and insults towards Khloe rose like an angry tide.
Daryl trembled with fury, watching the barrage of verbal attacks on Khloe. “Don’t be fooled by this fabricated story. Someone is trying to destroy her. I’ve seen Khloe’s abilities with my own eyes.”
Despite Daryl’s heartfelt defense, no one seemed willing to believe her.
The room was filled with wary eyes, all fixed on Khloe, and even Daryl wasn’t immune to their skepticism.
It was human nature, after all. People tended to trust what aligned with their own beliefs and experiences. The idea that someone as young and outwardly glamorous as Khloe could truly make meaningful contributions to research and medicine seemed almost impossible to them.
Without missing a beat, Casey remarked, “Professor Hewitt, you’ve been tricked, and you don’t even know it. She’s a fraud, and this is all the proof you need. It’s not your fault, though. She’s just really good at fooling people.”
“You…” Daryl’s anger flared, and she was ready to defend Khloe. Khloe cut Daryl off. “There’s no point. People’s biases are like solid walls-you can’t change them just by wishing it.”
Having Daryl appear today to showcase her ties to the scientist had been a calculated move on Khloe’s part, carefully orchestrated.
But what she hadn’t expected was how openly Daryl would back her, even to the point of risking public mockery by referring to her as a mentor in front of everyone.
That one word, “mentor,” would ensure the media would be all over today’s events.
Khloe felt no remorse for taking advantage of the scientist’s sincerity. After all, the three years she had spent in prison had long since shattered any sense of innocence or moral compass. She was willing to do whatever it took for revenge. However, she would still lend a hand with Daryl’s research in the future, for she disliked feeling indebted to anyone.
Silencing Daryl before she could say more, Khloe lifted her gaze, her eyes locking onto Casey with a cold intensity. “Since you accuse me of fraud, do you have the courage to put your skills to the test?”
Casey blinked in surprise for a brief moment, then her face twisted into a sneer. “A fraud like you thinks you can challenge me? Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got. I’ll make sure you lose so badly that no one will ever believe your lies again.”
Khloe’s voice remained unwavering as she continued, “There’s a patient in the ICU at Zhecrora University’s medical school, suffering severe heart damage and in the final stages of heart failure. I’ve already secured the family’s consent for surgery. Given your background at the medical school and with the Astro Research Center, I imagine your surgical skills are top-notch. How about we put them to the test in a surgical competition?”
A surgery for a patient suffering severe heart damage and in the final stages of heart failure? And it required a complete organ replacement?
This was a surgery of unparalleled difficulty. If something went wrong, they would not only lose the competition, but the family could stir up a public scandal, and the university might be held responsible. On top of that, the patient was a highly respected national figure. Any mistake would be a serious incident.
Casey’s expression darkened. Her lips quivered, and her eyes betrayed a flicker of fear and uncertainty. “You’re setting me up for failure. This surgery is too risky. What if something goes wrong? Do you even know who this patient is?”
A smirk played on Khloe’s lips as she taunted, “What happened? Lost your courage already? You seemed so sure of yourself just a second ago.”
Casey clenched her jaw, forcing herself to remain composed. “It’s not fear. This surgery requires meticulous preparation and a well-coordinated team. We can’t rush into it without careful planning.”
Khloe narrowed her eyes slightly. “Whatever resources you need, just ask. I’ll make sure you have them.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd around them.
“Khloe’s really cruel, throwing such a difficult challenge her way.”
“Casey is caught in a bind. She can’t accept it, but refusing is just as hard.”
“I highly doubt she’ll actually go through with it. Sure, Casey is a top student, but this kind of surgery isn’t something just anyone can pull off. As far as I know, no one’s ever succeeded at it anywhere in the world.”
“Exactly, there hasn’t been. The latest attempt at Mabel Clinic abroad ended in failure.”
Reluctant to enter this competition, Casey responded stubbornly, “You’ll provide for me? I don’t trust you. You’d probably give me defective materials on purpose. I’m not falling for an obvious trap like that.”
At that moment, a calm and authoritative voice rang out from the crowd. “I’ll ensure the resources for this surgery are provided and that everything is handled fairly.”
The crowd turned as one to see Rhett walking towards them from a distance.
Rhett was a professor at Zhecrora University, though he didn’t teach there frequently. He had come this time because Henrik had reached out, telling him about Khloe’s plans and asking for his support.
Rhett was taken aback as soon as he arrived and heard about the risky gamble at play. Henrik’s fiancee was undeniably bold in her approach. If this went wrong, the news would spread like wildfire, and the patient’s family would surely create a massive uproar. However, Henrik had already given his full backing to Khloe. Naturally, Rhett wouldn’t stand in the way, and he was also intrigued to see just how skilled Khloe truly was. If she didn’t possess exceptional talent, she wouldn’t have earned Henrik’s admiration.
Rhett approached Khloe, gave her a brief nod, and then addressed Casey. “Casey, you don’t have to worry about the resources. I’ll make sure everything is of the highest quality, and a professional team will oversee the process to ensure fairness in the competition.”
Casey hesitated, biting her lip, still unsure. But with Rhett’s steady gaze on her, she knew she couldn’t back out. “Since you’ve put it that way, I’ll take on the challenge. But I trust you’ll keep your word and ensure that the competition remains fair and just.”
“Of course.”
Those around them, seeing Rhett step in, couldn’t hide their excitement. Everyone was eager to see how the high-stakes surgery would unfold with Rhett overseeing it.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply