Pain and humiliation are not easily forgotten, not easy to deal with, but anger is. It's what I have been avoiding ever since, the humiliation that covers everything—it comes with anger, pain, and then lingers as a memory.
I have been alone since Talia graduated, avoiding small talks that might lead to humiliation, especially with Chloe, since humiliation is her specialty. She knows how to anger and belittle someone to the point of completely destroying their self-esteem.
And now, Professor Lee is about to make that happen, which will make me an easy target for Chloe.
I'm still completely dazed when Professor Lee's voice breaks through my thoughts. And then it happens, just as I feared. humiliation.
After checking through everything, his eyes flicker, showing a hint of hesitation before he acts.
"Lilian Vale," he says, his voice skeptical, "how did you come up with such?"
"Sir, I... I—" Words fail me. I'm completely lost.
Normally, the assignment wasn't supposed to be read aloud. Everything is meant to be submitted to the course representative, but my situation with Professor Lee is different.
"What? Is your voice suddenly sealed?" he asks. And my response is just an apology, hoping it will end everything right there.
"But if it's about gossiping or pretending, sharing lies, everyone here will hear the voice, aloud," he continues. "The next time I ask you a question and you are not audible..." He pauses.
"I pity you," he adds.
The hall erupts in laughter. Follows by anger which brews inside me.
This is exactly what I expected from him, but it's worse than I imagined. I lower my head, boiling with rage, but who am I to show it to his face if I don't want to make things worse?
"Come on, get out of my sight!" he screams.
Then angrily takes back the assignment he just handed to me.
"And where do you think you are taking that? Taking it with you? Fine, take it and make sure to grade yourself," he bursts out.
"I'm sorry, sir," I reply, apologizing despite the humiliation and anger consuming me.
I hand the assignment back to him, my face burning with embarrassment.
As I turn to return to my seat, he calls my name again, reminding me to come to his office and explain how I came up with the story I submitted as his assignment.
"Yes, sir," I say.
Returning to my seat, I lift my head slightly. Our eyes meet. Chloe's eyes linger on mine, dripping with sarcasm. She sneers. Immediately, I look away and sit down.
Throughout his lecture, I can't absorb anything. My mind boils with anger. I know the rage will subside, but the humiliation will not. And it will only get worse with Chloe as a witness.
Thankfully, Professor Lee doesn't call on me to answer any questions—surprisingly, it's the first time ever.
I have already made up my mind. I will not let this man break me. I have more to achieve, and I'm still working on it. My brain is already filled with anger—I refuse to add his to it.
---
Chloe and her gang rush toward me, their faces lit with anticipation.
And I can hear it—the whispers, the murmurs that fill the hall like an unwanted echo.
Some say I let the professor walk all over me. Others say it's my fault, while a few claim I'm just plain unlucky. People are chatting, laughing, moving on with their day. Everyone except me.
"Hey..." Chloe starts, her lips curling into that smirk I despise. But before she can say another word, I grab my bag and stand abruptly.
"Professor Lee asked me to come explain my assignment. Sorry, next time."
It's so sudden that for once, she's speechless. Her friends exchange looks, caught off guard.
I do not wait for a response and walk out, inhaling sharply the moment I step into the open air. My chest rises and falls as I exhale, trying to steady myself. But the anger doesn't leave.
"Duvall, that jerk!" The words burst out before I can stop them.
I kick the back tire of a parked car in frustration. It belongs to one of my coursemates, but I do not care.
"He's an unlucky bastard! I was so stupid to even have a shred of hope—" Another kick. Then another.
Just as I pull back my foot for one more, a voice interrupts.
"What did my car do so wrong that you had to take it out on it?"
I freeze. Turning slightly, I find a guy standing there, arms crossed. He's watching me with an amused yet slightly irritated expression.
"If you're that mad, go kick the professor's car, not mine. I just got this last week, huhh?" he adds, his tone polite—but laced with subtle mockery.
I swallow hard. "I'm sorry..." My voice is small, my head dipping slightly.
It's not his fault. It's Duvall's.
Because of him, my ghost-like existence in this department—where people barely noticed me, where even Chloe's old rumors eventually faded—has been shattered.
And Chloe? She's already scheming. I know it. She wants to turn me into the department's next big joke. To make my name the subject of every whispered conversation.
I have to keep avoiding her. If I give her even a single reaction, she'll twist it into a story. And once she gets her story straight, it's over.
"Duvall will pay for this humiliation," I mutter, clenching my fists.
"He'll be my slave soon.
I won the game. He'll come looking for me, and when he does..." A slow, dark smile creeps onto my lips. Still cursing him under my breath, I find myself standing in front of Professor Lee's office before I even realize it.
I stop. Then take a deep breath.
But it doesn't calm the erratic pounding of my heart.
I prepare myself, bracing for whatever awaits me behind this door, before lifting my hand and knock.
"Come in," his voice calls from the other side.
Slowly, my fingers wrap around the doorknob. And I push the door open.
---
As I step inside, I brace myself for the worst.
I expect another round of humiliation, more cutting remarks—because that's his specialty.
But to my surprise, it doesn't come.
Professor Lee sits calmly, his demeanor the complete opposite of what I'm used to. No sharp words, or mocking tone. Just quiet curiosity.
His eyes flick to the assignment in his hands before settling on me.
"How did you write this?" he asks, his voice almost… gentle.
I hesitate. "Sir, I just found it. I researched the work, then put everything together."
He doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he leans back slightly, studying me like I'm some kind of puzzle. Then, he speaks again.
"Which site?"
I blink.
"Show it to me," he says, turning his computer screen toward me.
A sharp prickle of unease spreads through my chest. In my mind, I know the truth—Duvall forged the story.
Earlier, I thought Professor Lee was in on it, that they were working together just to humiliate me. But now, watching his reaction, I realize that's not the case.
He's genuinely surprised.
So why did he choose to humiliate me in front of everyone?
"Actually..." I start, the weight of my own words pressing against my throat.
His gaze sharpens, fixed on me, waiting.
"Yes, actually...?" he presses, anticipation flickering in his eyes.
I swallow, my fingers curling at my sides.
My mind races. What am I supposed to say? That someone I barely know tricked me into writing a forged story? That none of this was my own research,
He'd never believe me.
I force a breath through my nose. "I—I don't remember the exact site, sir."
His eyes narrow slightly, suspicion creeping in. "You don't remember?"
I shake my head. "I came across different sources and compiled everything. I didn't save the links."
It's a weak excuse, but I have no choice.
Professor Lee hums, his fingers drumming against the desk. "Interesting."
His gaze returns to the assignment in his hands, scanning over the words once more. The longer he stares, the more I see it—that strange flicker of disbelief.
Something about this story unsettles him.
And then, so quietly I almost miss it, he mutters, "This shouldn't exist."
A cold chill crawls down my spine.
I sit frozen, watching as he leans back in his chair, his expression unreadable.
Then, he looks at me again. "Tell me the truth, Lilian. Who helped you?" My heart pounds. "No one."
His silence stretches, suffocating.
"You expect me to believe that?" His voice is low now, almost coaxing. "That you, a mere student, wrote something like this?"
I grip the edges of my sleeves, refusing to break eye contact.
"I wrote it, sir."
Another pause. Then, suddenly, he laughs—a quiet, humorless sound.
"You're either very bold or very foolish," he says. "Maybe both."
The air between us feels heavier. I can sense it now—the shift in his approach. Before, he was just cruel for the sake of it. But now?
Now, he's intrigued. And I don't know if that's a good thing or not.
I try to act brave, to keep my composure, but the insults still come.
So what? Does this mean I failed? The thought lingers, heavy and suffocating. I already picture the glaring red "F" on my paper.
I should just give up now. But an F… That would mean facing him again. No matter what, I'll have to come back—it's his course, and there's no escaping it.
Silence.
Then, suddenly, a knock. No pause, no hesitation. The door creaks open and to my surprise Duvall appears.
Shock bolts through me, and instinctively, I drop my gaze, staring at the floor as if it might swallow me whole.
"Oh, you?" His voice is filled with amused surprise. He points at me, as if confirming I'm actually here.
"What a small world," he muses, smiling. "Fancy meeting you here."
Professor Lee, ever composed, tilts his head slightly. "Sir, do you know Lilian?" he asks politely.
I don't even think before turning toward him. It's reflex—too fast to control. My eyes lock with Duvall's for a split second before I realize and quickly look away.
SIR? The word rings in my head. From Professor LEE? He's older, an authority figure. Calling Duvall "sir" in the same breath as him is ridiculous.
"No, sir!" I blurt out.
"Yes, I do." Duvall counters smoothly.
His smirk deepens as he leans against the doorframe. "Woah! Lilian Vale, my slave—are you pretending now?" His tone drips with amusement.
My lips curl in frustration. "This jerk. This unlucky jerk!!"
Inside, I'm screaming. so hardly, but, all quiet outside.
Professor Lee's gaze flickers between us, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Your slave?" he repeats, raising a brow.
I grip my sleeves tighter, my nails pressing into my palms.
Duvall smirks, stepping further into the room with that ridiculous air of confidence. "Oh, she knows exactly what I mean."
I don't dare look at him. I refuse. My heart is already racing from the humiliation earlier—I don't need him adding to it.
"Sir, I don't know what he's talking about," I say, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I barely know him."
Duvall lets out a low chuckle. "Barely know me? That hurts, Vale." He places a hand over his chest in mock offense. "After everything we've been through?"
I grit my teeth. "We've been through nothing."
"Nothing?" He tilts his head, looking thoughtful. "Then why do I remember a certain pinky promise?"
My stomach drops.
Professor Lee watches us, and silently taking in every word, every reaction.
I can't have this conversation here. Not in front of him...
***