4: 4
4
"What?!"
The whole room reeled, and the place erupted.
But Alice held her ground.
"Officer, everything I'm telling you is true."
"Rowena isn't just the top-ranked applicant in the state. She likes messing around with AI, and every one of those chat logs was generated by her using AI!"
"I warned her more than once to stay away from Henry, and she wouldn't listen. Then, just to please that punk boyfriend of hers, she tricked me into going to the club."
"Please, stand up for me and make sure Rowena gets the punishment she deserves!"
The moment she finished, Alice handed over a video to the investigators.
In the clip, Henry, the punk, had his arm around my waist, calling me babe.
My head spun with rage. "You're the one fooling people with a fake AI video, Alice. Do you really think everyone here is an idiot?"
"If I were his girlfriend, then why is it you lying in a hospital bed?"
Alice's eyes went red with tears, wronged.
"I was the one who suffered in your place."
"Henry wanted to see you. You didn't come, so they beat me instead!"
Evelyn latched onto that like she'd found her proof, glaring at me as if she wanted to tear me apart alive.
"Rowena, you little slut!"
"I always knew my daughter was sweet and well-behaved. It was you who led her astray."
"It's because of you that she got hurt by that punk. Don't think you're getting off easy today. Either you go to jail, or you pay up!"
"And you'll apologize to my daughter in front of the reporters, then go to the National Film Academy and set it straight. If anyone's admission gets canceled, let it be yours. Don't you dare drag my Alice down with you!"
I didn't explain. All I wanted was for the National Film Academy's investigation team to get here.
"I have proof."
"But I want to wait for the investigation team to arrive before I show it to everyone."
After that, no matter how the officer pressed, I kept my mouth shut.
I just let it drag on.
Alice was rattled, but she didn't know what this so-called proof of mine was, and figured I was only bluffing.
While the others were talking out in the hallway, she leaned in close and dropped her voice.
"Rowena, you're my best friend. Please help me one more time. Just this once."
"I don't even know who blew this thing up. Somehow it's all over the internet, and now it's putting our admission to the National Film Academy at risk!"
"Please, just play along with me. Say you're Henry's girlfriend. You've got nothing to hide, so you're not afraid of any investigation, right?"
"Once this dies down, I'll treat you to dinner, okay? A little thing like this, you'd definitely help me out."
I stared at Alice, cold. "Up to now, do you really still think this is a little thing?"
Alice pressed her lips together, still ready to sweet-talk me into it.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside.
A teacher from the school said gravely, "The National Film Academy's investigation team is here."
"Rowena, what exactly is going on here?"
The moment had come.
I curled my lips and lifted my eyes, cold.
"Alice, do you really think everyone's going to believe your lies?"
"Then everyone, take a look at this——"
