Chapter 1 - The Cold Morning
The fluorescent lights of the cheap hotel bathroom flickered violently above Selena.
She stared at her ruined reflection.
Her dark hair was hacked into jagged, uneven clumps.
Barbara had ensured the humiliation was completely visible.
Selena picked up the plastic scissors she had borrowed from the night clerk.
She began to trim away the damaged edges with trembling hands.
She was not going to let them win.
She carefully molded the chopped mess into a fierce, asymmetrical bob.
It was sharp, striking, and entirely unapologetic.
She slipped into her tailored navy-blue suit and smoothed the lapels.
She buried her fear deep inside her chest.
She ordered a car and rode toward the university campus in total silence.
The morning fog clung to the brick buildings like a heavy blanket.
She walked through the double doors of the science building with her head held high.
The hallway was completely empty, which sent a chill down her spine.
She approached the lecture hall where her doctoral defense was scheduled.
She pushed open the heavy wooden door, expecting to see her academic committee waiting.
Instead, the room was filled with complete chaos.
Her lead advisor, Professor Evans, was pacing back and forth with a red face.
Three campus security officers were standing near the projector screen.
Selena stepped forward and asked what was happening.
Professor Evans turned to her with a look of absolute horror.
He told her that the university had received an anonymous tip at dawn.
Someone had reported that her entire dissertation was plagiarized from classified military archives.
The university had suspended her academic standing effective immediately.
She was barred from presenting her defense.
Before Selena could even process the devastating news, a familiar voice echoed from the doorway.
Hunter walked into the room, holding his mother's arm.
May you like
He smiled warmly at the security officers and pointed a finger directly at Selena.
"That is the woman who assaulted my mother last night, and I am here to press charges," he declared smoothly.
