She Used My Photos to Seduce Men,Then Tried to Ruin Me

She tapped the desk twice. Case closed.

"Here's what's going to happen, Rebecca. You pay the man back, we put this to rest, and nobody hears another word about it."

I sat there, stunned. She wasn't even pretending to ask.

"I never took his money. Why should I be the one paying it back?"

Eight thousand dollars—where was I supposed to scrape that together? I didn't have it. Not even close.

Advisor Chavez's voice shot up, her finger jabbing so close it nearly touched my face.

"Then how do you explain these photos!"

Mr. Pierce slammed his palm on the table and shot to his feet.

"Exactly! She played with my feelings and took my money. I want every cent back! Eight thousand two hundred, not a penny less!"

I clenched my fists until my knuckles went white.

"I didn't do it. Period. If you don't believe me, then request an investigation. Find out whose name is actually on that account—"

Advisor Chavez cut me off hard.

"Check the account? Do you know what a hassle that is? You want the school to go digging through IP logs, pulling camera footage, dragging in the cyber police—all for you?"

"The man can't wait around for that. And the school sure doesn't have time to waste on this."

I didn't get angry. I laughed.

"If you won't check the account, how do you prove it was me? That's just pinning it on someone."

Advisor Chavez's patience snapped.

"The man came all the way to campus and identified you. You're still denying it? Students these days—nothing but lies!"

"And you said you don't even have a smartphone. Well, your roommate Susan Edwards just told me to my face she's seen you using one!"

I frowned.

Why would Susan lie about that?

Everything clicked. Susan was framing me—she'd run the scam, she was scared of the fallout, and she needed me to take the blame.

Advisor Chavez kept going, eyes locked on me.

"Pay him back now, and I'll talk to the man, get him to let it go. I keep this whole thing from going up to the dean. That's the best deal you're going to get!"

I was silent for a few seconds. Then I stood.

"Advisor Chavez, I need to step out and make a phone call."

A satisfied smile spread across her face. She thought I'd come around—that I was calling home to scrape together the money.

She waved me off. "Go ahead. Make it quick."

I took my basic phone and walked out.

On speakerphone, my voice carried through the crack in the door and back into the room.

"Hello, Village Head Hale? It's me, Rebecca."

"You told me before there are legal aid attorneys now—ones who help people from the countryside with lawsuits. That's real, right?"

"Good. Let me get the number down. People like us, out here on our own, when somebody tries to pin something on you—you've got to have somewhere to make your case, right?"

The moment I finished, a crash came from inside the room.

I ended the call and pushed the door open.

Advisor Chavez's face was drained of color. The cup beside her hand had tipped over, and she hadn't even bothered to wipe up the spill.

That overbearing posture from moments ago had vanished completely.

She'd pushed for a private settlement because she was afraid of the matter escalating.

But it never crossed her mind that some hick from the mountains would actually go looking for a lawyer.

When she saw me walk back in, she forced an awkward smile.

"Rebecca—you're back? Sit, sit, sit down."

"About all that… ahem, I got a little heated earlier, that's all."

"I'll take care of it, okay? Just—don't go running off to some lawyer. This is a school matter, we can talk it through…"