Lucy’s POV
I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt hollow as I sat in front of the Dean, Daniel’s subtle presence beside him already making my stomach churn. But then Samantha walked in, her smile stretching like a knife across her face.
“Dean,” she began sweetly, “I think it’s time you knew the truth. Lucy was with Professor Daniel this morning. Alone. And if you’ve seen the pictures, you would send…”
The Dean’s brow lifted sharply. “Pictures?” His voice carried the kind of weight that made my blood freeze. His eyes cut into her. “How exactly do you know about pictures, Miss Samantha?”
For the first time, Samantha’s smile faltered. Her eyes flicked toward me—just a second, but I caught it. She hadn’t expected him to notice.
“I—” she stammered, then quickly forced a laugh. “Oh, Dean, we sho
