Secrets 295
Chapter 295 The Weight of Proof
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+8 Pen
Night had deepened, but the lights outside still burned bright, casting long shadows of two young women inside the room.
The next morning at school, things were far from simple. Official source is Find1Novel.net
Scarlett had barely stepped into the classroom before she was surrounded.
—
These were research students
people hypersensitive to the idea of academic fraud. If Scarlett escaped punishment, she would not only graduate smoothly but might even take the title of Excellent Graduate. To them, that felt unjust.
So they were determined to denounce her.
Scarlett stood in the center of the classroom. Her gaze swept across the room, her clear eyes showing not a trace of panic, only a razor–sharp calm.
That composure was so unsettling that the noisy classroom fell silent for several seconds.
“In law there’s a principle,” she said evenly, her voice carrying. “The one who makes the claim must provide the evidence.
—
They say I relied on connections then let them show proof. Should I be forced to prove my innocence just because of an anonymous letter? If anyone can make up charges at will, do we condemn the innocent to spend their lives chasing down lies?”
From the back row, a girl in a red dress suddenly shot to her feet. Her voice was shrill.
“Stop twisting words, Scarlett! Everyone knows your family background is powerful. At Jandale, all
your opponents were ordinary students. Why else would you win the gold prize? Who could believe it wasn’t rigged?”
It was Millie, a classmate who had always lagged behind Scarlett in grades, always a step away from the scholarships. Her face now gleamed with barely suppressed glee, as if this was her long–awaited chance to topple her rival.
Scarlett turned to her. There was no anger in her eyes, only a touch of distant detachment.
“Millie, when you say I relied on connections, did you see my mother bribing a judge? Did you
my father slip cash to the committee?”
hear
Millie stiffened, then forced herself to retort.
11:47 Fri, Oct 3
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Chapter 295 The Weight of Proof
+B Pearls
“Everyone says so! Otherwise, why would your project take first place? We all saw your report – it was basically the same as the runner–up’s!”
“The same?”
Scarlett moved to the projector, pulling up a side–by–side comparison.
“My targeted vector used nanoscale liposomes. Stability was 37% higher than the runner–up’s polyethylene glycol vector. That was verified repeatedly in the lab. Drug frequency dropped from three times a week to two, patient compliance increased by 42% all proven in clinical simulation tests. Do those sound like ‘no difference‘ to you?”
–
Her voice wasn’t loud, but each word cut cleanly, like a scalpel slicing through the absurdity of the claim.
Millie’s face flushed dark, her lips trembling without words to fire back.
Then another voice spoke.
“Scarlett, Millie may have been blunt, but she raised a point. The letters of complaint allege that your thesis data is falsified — particularly the third group’s drug results, which were unusually strong. Can you explain that?”
Everyone turned.
—
—
It was Professor Gomez, known across the school for his rigor — even his stubbornness. If he was questioning her, then perhaps there really was something wrong.
Millie’s lips curled with a hidden smirk. Arms folded, she waited for Scarlett to stumble. If Scarlett failed to answer, she wouldn’t need to lift a finger. The crowd would destroy her for her.
Inside, she silently thanked whoever had managed to bring Professor Gomez here. What a blessing.
But Scarlett smiled – not the smile of panic, but one of steady assurance.
“Professor Gomez, as a peer reviewer for pharmacology journals, you know this better than anyone. The third group used gene–knockout mice, which are inherently more sensitive to the drug. I have full original records: daily dosing logs, body weight charts, tumor measurements, even photo evidence. And our lab cameras record every procedure – my bench is in view. Every step is archived.”
She let her eyes sweep the room. “If it’s just questions, I’ll answer. But to accuse me of fraud — bring evidence. Show me altered records. Show me tampered footage. Show me switched samples.”
The room went silent, so still that a pin drop would echo.
Chapter 295 The Weight of Proof
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* Pearls
Her composure cut deeper than any defense could. She hadn’t pleaded, hadn’t cried about her hard work. She had simply demanded proof, and the clarity of that demand left the whispers dying in throats.
Millic, who had expected only to watch the show, now found her face twisting with frustration. She hadn’t thought Scarlett would be this prepared.
She forced a cough and raised her voice. “Scarlett, don’t dodge the issue! The higher authorities are watching closely. If you can’t prove your innocence, the school won’t be able to explain this to the public!”
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