Bianca swallowing her pride and bowing her head did not move Noreen in the slightest.


    Her eyes remained cold, her expression distant as she fired back questions, each word a sharp jab.


    "Your apology isn''t sincere. You''re only here because your back is against the wall. From the moment this started until now, you''ve had plenty of opportunities toe clean, but you did nothing. Even when Henry cornered you time and again, you just ran and hid like a coward."


    "Now that you have nowhere left to turn, you finally remember to apologize? Don''t you think it''s a little toote?"


    "Do you think I''ll ept such a low-cost apology? Or do you think I''m some kind of saint?"


    Bianca''s willingness to apologize was indeed a surprise to Noreen, but that''s all it was a surprise.


    Even with her posture of utter submission, it was nothing more than crocodile tears.


    Since returning to the country, she had reaped countless benefits from her stolen academic persona. Did she feel any guilt then? Even for a second?


    No. Her eyes were filled with nothing but her own glory. She had probably forgotten that all her honors were stolen from someone else.


    Kindness should not be wasted on people like her.


    Noreen''s merciless words were a profound humiliation for Bianca. Her eyes burned, and she clenched her fists, her lips trembling. "As long as you don''t press charges for the identity theft, I''ll do anything you ask."


    Hearing this, Noreen let out a soft, chillingugh.


    "But to me, you are worthless."


    Noreen''s cruel sentence drained the color from Bianca''s face in an instant. Her body swayed, so fragile she looked like she could faint at any moment.


    Noreen ignored her disy of weakness. Unwilling to waste any more time, she turned to leave.


    Panic seized Bianca. On instinct, she reached out to grab Noreen''s arm, but Noreen violently shook her off. The next second, Bianca stumbled and fell to the ground. "Are you okay?"


    A familiar voice rang out. A flicker of hope ignited in Bianca, and she was about to say she was fine but hel expression froze when she saw the person was looking at Noreen with concern.


    Henry was anxiously checking on Noreen,pletely ignoring Bianca, who was still


    on the ground. "Did she hurt you?" he asked urgently.


    Before Noreen could answer, he added with a cold face, "I''m calling the police!"


    Bianca''s face


    ce turned pale and ugly.


    She never imagined Henry could be so heartless, turning on her without a second thought,pletely disregarding their past. He was even defending Noreen right in front of


    but


    her looking at her with nothing contempt and disdain, as if she were


    something filthy.


    Henry had arrived with Halley and a few others. He had seen Bianca reach for Noreen from a distance and had rushed over to protect her.


    By now, Halley and the rest of the group had caught up. Among them were some familiar faces to Bianca, including Professor Cole, whom she had once hosted at a banquet.


    Apanying Halley were also several official media outlets, including the business channel reporter who had first broken the story of Bianca''s giarism.


    They had all been invited by Halley to cover the follow-up to the giarism case. Bianca had truly stumbled right into the line of fire.


    The reporters, with their professional instincts, immediately raised their cameras, pointing their lenses straight at Bianca and Noreen.


    Terrified, Bianca threw her hands up to cover her face. "Stop filming! You can''t film this!"


    Henry ignored her chaotic panic and asked Noreen, "What did she want from you?" Noreen didn''t mince words. "She came to apologize and ask for forgiveness." Henry snorted. "If apologies worked, what would be the point ofws?"