Chapter 3

A few days later, Ben knocked on our door again. He looked even more uncomfortable this time.

He handed me a crisp, official-looking envelope.

"This is from the Dean of Students' office, Emily," he said, avoiding my eyes.

I opened it.

A formal disciplinary warning letter.

The charge: "Cyberbullying and defamation causing significant distress and reputational harm to a fellow student."

My stomach dropped.

Jessica.

She must have gone to Dr. Peterson.

Dr. Peterson was a tenured adjunct psychology professor. He was also Jessica' s academic advisor. I' d heard rumors about him being ethically lax, but this was something else.

A memory surfaced, sharp and clear.

Weeks ago, I' d walked into our room. Jessica was on a video call, her voice syrupy sweet. She was talking to an older man. As I passed behind her, she subtly tried to angle her phone, trying to film me in my pajamas.

I' d noticed the movement, shifted abruptly.

For a split second, I saw the man' s face clearly on her phone screen.

Dr. Peterson.

At the time, I just thought it was weird, creepy. Now, it clicked. Their relationship wasn't just advisor-student. It was inappropriate, illicit.

It explained everything: Jessica' s consistently good grades despite her terrible attendance, how she always got away with minor university infractions. Dr. Peterson was protecting her, pulling strings.

And now, he was pulling them for her against me.

The letter felt heavy in my hand. This was more serious than I thought. Jessica wasn't just a reckless party girl, she was manipulative and had a powerful, compromised ally.