Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 805

From where Sybil stood, she could see the color drain from Edna's face in an instant. In a split second, her commanding, smug composure crumbled into panic and disbelief.

"No... that's impossible... It's only been one day, how could—"

Sybil cut her off. "Public opinion turns on a dime. You came home yesterday, crashed into bed, and slept like the dead. Anything could've happened while you

were out."

"Carlson—that little rat! Causing trouble on the campus forum wasn't enough for him? He—he actually dared to take it public?!"

"Why wouldn't he?" Sybil retorted. "You threatened to ruin his future, to stop him from graduating. What's worse than that? When you back someone into a corner, sometimes they leap. He'd rather take his chances than sit here and wait for you to destroy him!"

Crack-

Edna slapped her hard across the face.

"Whose side are you on, huh? If I go down, you think you'll be any better off?!"

But this time, Sybil didn't cry out or fight back. She just slowly turned her head, the side of her face already swelling where she'd been hit. The force of it spoke for itself.

at me for?!"

icy. "I'm looking at you, Aunt Edna. Watching you flail, terrified, like a bird with a broken wing. Watching you wrap yourself up in your own web, so sure of yourself, only to come crashing down. Watching you get exactly what you deserve, and

raised her

time, Sybil caught her wrist, yanked it aside, and shoved her

done letting you hit me! I'm a person, not your slave, and

gone mad! Sybil, are you trying to turn this

Please. Even if you were, your reign is over. Face it, Aunt Edna-whatever power

laughed—a raw,

face, sneering. "You really think this-this little scandal can bring me down? I'm a tenured professor at Kingswell University! I've published dozens of papers, won awards, brought so múch recognition to the department. You think one student's

mocking, laughter bubbling up

statement. You've been

"No... that can't be... The

phone, and

with research data... Misappropriated authorship... Negligence and misconduct... Inappropriate language... Dereliction

of contract... Revocation of teaching credentials... Papers withdrawn, grants

professor! I'm the backbone of the department! My performance reviews are spotless! There's no way they'd fire me! No... I

began tearing through the living room, knocking things to