Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Clap, clap, clap-

Edna's hands came together in a slow, mocking applause.

"But perhaps you've forgotten-I'm your advisor. If anything happens to me, do you still want to graduate?"

She flashed a cold smile. "For old times' sake, I'll give you one last chance. All you have to do is post a statement saying you orchestrated this whole thing, publicly apologize, admit your mistake, and maybe just maybe I'll pretend none of this ever happened. You'll graduate as planned."

Carlson's lips twitched. "If I've come this far, regret isn't an option."

His eyes were bloodshot-clearly, he hadn't slept well in days. But as he looked at Edna, his gaze was razor-sharp. "And can you honestly say, hand on your heart, that the evidence I submitted isn't true?"

Edna let out a sneer, her eyes brimming with contempt. "So what if it is? Does it even matter?"

"If you insist on making this difficult, don't blame me for forgetting whatever 'bond' you think we share as mentor and student."

Carlson almost laughed at that. A bond? Did she really believe that?

To Edna, he had always been nothing more than a dog-summoned when needed, dismissed when not. She'd never seen him as a person.

He could have stayed silent. Just muddle through until June, collect his diploma and degree, and finally be free of Edna. But what about people like Arkle?

Arkle wasn't the first, and he certainly wouldn't be the last. As long as Edna was free to take on new students, there would always be more victims.

and finally breathe easy-but what about those who couldn't? What if someone, unable to

it was time to act. Not just for himself, but for all

courage. Now, maybe he could become that kind

in

out a final warning. "My patience is running out. Take my advice while you still can. Otherwise-once the deadline

Carlson didn't sleep

next day, a user posted on Streamline-a popular social

Edna Moore, Department

(125 pages attached)

of Bioinformatics, Kingswell University, Professor Edna

every fraudulent paper under Edna's name, complete with all

the final page,

waited too long for this day. Suffered through

a degree means to a third-year grad student

advisor

making this decision, graduating in June is no longer

for me.

someone has to step

do something

and hope under someone like Edna Moore, while I look the other way and muddle through