Halley chimed in, "Miss Lowell, people must take responsibility for their actions."


    Even Professor Cole, who had once held Bianca in high regard, shook his head. "Unbelievable. You really can''t judge a book by its cover! She''s a disgrace to academia!"


    The chorus of usations made Bianca''s head spin. Everyone looked at her with contempt and disgust, as if she were a rat scurrying through the streets.


    Used to a life of pride and arrogance, Bianca couldn''t handle such a dramatic fall from grace. She scrambled to her feet, shielding her face as she tried to escape, once again resorting to being the coward Noreen had called her.


    But this time, Henry gave her no chance.


    He blocked her path, his voice merciless as he confronted her. "An hour ago, WT Business School issued a statement revoking your degree. They will also be pursuing legal action against you for giarizing another''s thesis and research!"


    "Furthermore, your illicit affair with William has been publicly exposed by Mrs. William. The evidence includes numerous intimate photos and videos of you and William, as well as your private chat logs."


    Bianca''s eyes turned bloodshot, while her lips went unnaturally pale.


    "You''re disgusting," Henry said, his eyes like shards of ice.


    Those simple words stabbed Bianca straight through the heart. The blood drained from her face.


    For her, this moment was a blow more painful than death.


    Henry took a half-step back, and the reporters instantly swarmed forward, surrounding Bianca. She had no escape.


    Countless questions exploded in her mind, and the scene descended into chaos. She struggled, enraged and desperate...


    Her hair and clothes were a mess. Her once polished and morous image waspletely gone.


    Someone in the crowd shoved, and Bianca fell to the ground again. This time, the fall hurt badly, so much so that she no longer had the strength to getup. The glory she had stolen through dishonest means had now transformed into the sharpest of des, and before everyone''s eyesi the seeds she had sown were now being reaped upon her own flesh.


    She sat there in a disheveled heap, her nails digging deep into her palms, trying to use physical pain to jolther numb mind back to reality. But she discovered with bitter despair that it was all irreversible.


    Less than ten feet away, Noreen stood, poised and graceful, taking questions from the media.


    A reporter asked, "Miss Gilmore, we heard that WT Business School has re-


    extended their admission offer to you?"


    Noreen nodded. "Yes, that''s right."


    "Will you be epting it?"


    "I will. I''m quite interested in WT Business School''s full-time MBA program."


    "But aren''t you also pursuing a master''s degree with Academician Joyner? Can you handle both?"


    Before Noreen could answer, Halley chimed in happily from the side, "That won''t be a problem for her. She can enroll at WT Business School by next spring at thetest."


    The reporters gasped, their admiration for Noreen growing.


    "Miss Gilmore is truly winning at life! Bncing a career and her studies so perfectly! We hear you''ll be ringing the opening bell for your IPO in Glenhaven City next week. Congrattions."


    A slight smile touched Noreen''s lips. "Thank you."


    "And what about your personal life? Have you met someone special, Miss Gilmore? When can we expect to hear about true love?"


    It was a question every sessful


    businesswoman faced. It was rather


    unfair, really.


    Why did no one ever


    ask male entrepreneurs questions like that? As if a woman''s world


    should be confined to the small


    realm of romance.


    Noreen smiled calmly at the camera. "Compared to true love, I much prefer cold,


    hard cash."