Reborn to Destroy the Lie That Ruined Me

4: 4

I stood frozen where I was, a hum roaring in my ears.

"How is that possible?"

The words were barely out before the whole place erupted.

"How is it possible? The proof is right there and he's still playing dumb!"

"Two-faced to the bone. Won't own up to what he did!"

"Talked so tough about the DNA test, and now look at him! You animal in a suit!"

I ignored the curses raining down and snatched the report out of the nurse's hand.

Black ink on white paper. A biological relationship exists. The words seared into me.

My mind went blank.

I had never touched Dora Fox. How could she be carrying my child?

Before I could get a word of defense out, a hard slap cracked across my face.

My wife's eyes were full of disappointment, full of ruin.

"Joseph Joyce, how could you do something like this? You're lower than an animal! We're getting a divorce!"

Even my daughter, the child I loved most, stood there with red eyes.

"Dad… did you really… lie to us?"

I reached for her in a panic, and she shrank back half a step, timid.

That look on her face, the disbelief and the hurt, cut into my heart like a blunt knife.

Was I about to repeat everything from my last life?

At that exact moment, Dora Fox threw herself down in front of the cameras, fragile and hopeless, every word aimed to kill.

"Professor Joyce, I know you're respected by everyone, but the science is right in front of us. You can't keep denying it."

"All I ever wanted was an apology. I never wanted to send you to prison."

She paused, the picture of someone who had suffered every wrong.

"Just give me three thousand dollars and I'll get rid of the baby right away. I'll let the whole thing go and I won't press charges."

The onlookers exploded again, curses crashing down from every side.

"That girl is too kind!"

"Scum like him belongs in prison. Why should he get off!"

"His character is rotten. There's no saving a man like this!"

The Dean glared at me, his face full of fury.

"The proof couldn't be clearer. What is there left to argue?"

"The university is making it official now. Your teaching post is terminated, effective immediately. We're reporting you to the Department of Education for blacklisting and holding you accountable for all of it!"

I roared before I could stop myself.

"No, this is wrong, it has to be wrong! I never touched her!"

The words had barely left me before the crowd went past their limit. Several of them rushed in and drove their feet hard into my body.

Fists and feet came down one after another, ugly curses rising on every side.

Through the chaos, out of the corner of my eye I caught Dora Fox sneaking a glance up at me, then dropping her head again, playing frightened and innocent.

"Professor Joyce, when it comes down to it, this is still your fault. I had no choice either…"

Both cheeks burned and went numb, and every bone in me throbbed with pain.

I stared her down and screamed with everything I had left:

"You're lying through your teeth! This is not my child, this is the mess your own filthy life dragged in!"

That line lit the crowd's fury all the way up.

More of them surged forward, fists and feet never stopping.

Someone pulled out a phone right then and dialed the police.

"Hello, is this 911? There's an animal here in human skin who's been abusing a female student!"

"Get him thrown in prison, fast!"

I curled up on the cold floor, in agony all over, as if every organ inside me had been knocked out of place.

Through my blurred vision, I saw the smug look all over Dora Fox's face.

And in that instant, everything suddenly came clear to me.

I tore myself free of the hands dragging at me and shouted with all my strength.

"I have proof!"