Chapter 7
716 Words
Addison was taken to the police station, where she insisted on having a lawyer to clear her name.
But instead of a lawyer, it was Steve who showed up.
Steve looked at the haggard Addison before him, his face etched with sorrow. Yet the words he spoke next crushed Addison's hopes completely.
"Addison, I know you'd never harm Mrs. Johnson. It was all Irene's fault. But if your professor pushes for a full investigation, Irene will be sent to prison. She's pregnant. She can't go to jail. We can't harm the child!"
Addison let out a cold laugh, her heart already dead.
"So I should take her place. Is that it?"
Steve gazed at Addison, his eyes full of reluctance, but he continued.
"Addison, don't worry. I've taken care of everything. It'll only be a month at most before you're released. I promise you won't suffer there. Once Irene gives birth, I'll send her away. Please, put up with this for our child's sake, alright?"
Without even a chance to defend herself, Addison was sent to prison.
But the reality was nothing like Steve's promises.
On the first day, she was beaten black and blue by her cellmates.
On the second day, her food was thrown into the toilet.
On the third day, her bedding was soaked, and her clothes were cut to shreds.
On the fourth day...
For the whole month, Addison endured relentless torment. Time and again, she filed appeals, only to have them rejected every time.
On the day of her release, Steve waited early at the prison gates.
The prison doors opened, and Addison shuffled out slowly, gaunt and hollow-eyed.
Steve looked at her with a mixture of confusion and pity.
He pulled Addison tightly into his embrace, but she didn't even have the strength to resist his hold.
"Addison, I arranged everything in the prison to spare you from suffering. Why did you do this to yourself? Why let yourself end up like this?"
Addison gave a hollow, bitter laugh in response.
At that moment, all that remained in her heart was a cold, numbing emptiness.
Suddenly, a group of students, ignorant of the facts, stormed forward in righteous anger. Their faces contorted with rage, they clamored to avenge Mrs. Johnson, their professor's wife.
They hurled stones at Addison with vicious force and even rushed to beat her mercilessly.
Steve swiftly shielded Addison in his arms, desperate to protect her from harm.
Stones and blows rained down on Steve as he quickly ushered Addison into the car.
The car door shut, cutting off the enraged students, and they drove away from the prison.
Watching the wounds Steve sustained while protecting her, Addison felt not an ounce of gratitude, only deep revulsion.
She opened her phone, and it was immediately bombarded with messages.
The alleged scandal of Addison harming her mentor's wife had spread like wildfire, and the internet erupted in a storm of criticism.
As Irene had wished, Addison, the prodigy of archaeology, was dethroned. Meanwhile, Irene, riding on the gold prize she had stolen from Addison, had risen as the new star of the academic world.
A notification popped up on Addison's phone—a post from Irene.
Irene: [So my idol wasn't all that special after all. Now I'm better than her!]
Suddenly, Steve took the phone from Addison's hand, gazing at her with sympathy.
"Addison, ignore those online comments. Today's your birthday. I've arranged a party tonight. Try to be happy. Okay?"
Addison's lips curved into a cold, faint smile.
They had just gotten home when Steve was summoned away by Irene's call.
Watching his retreating figure, Addison couldn't shed a tear since she was completely numb inside.
Leaving the divorce papers behind, she took her packed suitcase and went straight to the airport to meet Mark Lange.
Mindful of the online rumors, Addison looked at Mark anxiously.
"Professor, what people said online isn't..."
"Addison," Mark Lange interrupted firmly, "I believe you. You're not that kind of person. Once we enter the desert, we won't be able to leave until the project ends. Have you made up your mind?"
Clutching her suitcase handle, Addison met his gaze. "Professor Lange, let's go. I'm ready."
The plane took off, climbing through the clouds until it disappeared into the vast sky.
- Writer
