A Joke That Went Too Far Chapter 04
The dean pushed his way straight into the center of the crowd. The moment he saw the bruises on my face and arms, his expression changed instantly.
“Who did this?”
His voice was shaking. He looked like he was about to pass out.
Tara, who had been holding her composure right up until now, broke. The color went out of her face. Her voice came out small.
“It’s nothing serious, sir. Why would you, why are you here yourself…”
Before the dean could answer, Cassidy and Holly elbowed forward to spin the story.
Cassidy threw her chest out, voice loud. “Dean, if we hadn’t been watching out for Tara, Sophia would’ve bullied her to death!”
Holly shot me a sideways glance and added with a mocking tone, “Exactly. She stays out all night fooling around with men outside, and now she’s even doing it on campus. She’s ruining the school’s reputation!”
The dorm supervisor nodded quickly from the side. “That’s right, I can testify. She’s always been arrogant and difficult!
“Tara is such a kind and gentle girl. Having a roommate like her is just unfair.”
My father was so angry his face had gone red. He stepped right up and got in the dean’s face, finger an inch from his nose.
“This is what gets to happen at your school? What kind of dean are you?!”
As he spoke, he bent down and helped me up, his eyes full of pain.
Then someone in the crowd sneered, their voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Oh, that must be Sophia’s sugar daddy. Showed up to defend her. She’s not picky, is she. She’ll take a guy
in his fifties.”
The crowd erupted.
Some covered their mouths, laughing. Others joined in openly.
“Yeah, I heard she doesn’t care about age. Maybe this old man’s a regular too.”
The dean’s expression tightened. He turned sharply toward the crowd.
“All of you-shut your mouths!”
He glanced at my injuries, his voice urgent.
“Get her to the campus clinic. Now. Don’t keep her standing here.”
Tara saw the dean’s face and her knees gave out. She nearly hit the ground.
However, Connor was not done.
He lifted his foot and kicked toward me again, still cursing, “What are you pretending for? Don’t you
always enjoy chasing thrills? This is nothing to you!”
The kick hit my shin. I let out a muffled groan and nearly lost my balance.
Tara was terrified now. She screamed at him, “Connor, shut up! Stop talking!”
However, he ignored her. He grabbed my arm and shoved me hard.
“Am I wrong? You act pure in front of me, but behind my back you’re nothing but cheap!
“And today you even dared to bully Tara-the dean’s daughter. If anything had happened to her, no one could’ve saved you!”
My dad stepped in front of me and turned on the dean.
“Your daughter? Since when do you have a daughter?”
The dean froze for a moment, about to speak-but Cassidy cut in first with a sneer.
“The dean keeps a low profile. Just because some country bumpkin like you doesn’t know doesn’t mean
it’s not true.”
Tara completely lost it. Seeing the dean’s face grow darker and darker, she suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud, hands clasped, her voice breaking.
“Sir, I was wrong. I was so wrong. I’m sorry.”
Everyone was stunned.
No one expected her to collapse like that.
I knew what had happened. She had bet that the dean would never come down here in person. She lost
that bet.
I forced myself to endure the pain and looked up at my father.
“Dad… the school project. Let’s pull our investment.”
