[What’s wrong with a cousin tutoring his younger cousin?]
[Isn’t it inappropriate for cousins to be so close?]}
[Is it a crime for blood relatives to take a walk or study together? Are you all just filled with garbage thoughts?]
[Don’t be misled; even if he didn’t have an inappropriate relationship with a student, what about taking someone else’s spot at the university?]
[This is about someone’s entire future!]
[Does anyone know what kind of person Ethan really is?]
If he really got in through connections, that’s disgusting; we need to get to the bottom of this.]
This must have been reported by Professor Smith’s daughter herself; it can’t be fake. What a
A knowledgeable person stepped in to clarify. [Let me educate everyone. I’m a college classmate of Ethan’s, but I can’t reveal my identity. Ethan is just a slacker, okay? If he could stay at this school, it would have shut down long ago.]
[He hasn’t even graduated; he’s retaking several classes and hasn’t passed the language proficiency exam. It’s laughable that someone like him could become a professor!]}
[Kyle had already graduated and was recommended for a PhD while Ethan was still in his senior year. This is evaluated step by step by the university; do you think one professor can decide everything?]
[What kind of university hires someone who hasn’t even graduated? This place is heading for disaster! Anyone with half a brain can see that this accusation is baseless and meant to smear Kyle.]
Before long, the university provided evidence comparing my qualifications against those required for staying on staff, along with signatures from multiple professors involved in my evaluation–over ten professors signed off on it, including Professor Smith. There was no way to falsify that process.}
They also outlined the requirements for staying on staff, which mandated at least a graduate degree.§
This meant that even if Ethan had actually graduated from college, he wouldn’t meet the qualifications.
Public opinion shifted dramatically, with many rushing to the comments section to criticize Sophie and Ethan for their shamelessness. Sophie called me soon after, her voice frantic. “Kyle, what do you want? Are you enjoying watching people insult us in those comments?“}
I paused before responding, “I’ve never been as petty as you are. The insults directed at you are a direct result of your own actions online. Do you really think you can defame others without facing consequences?”
“if you’ve done something wrong, then you should take responsibility for it,” I said before hanging up.
The professor also called me, sounding tired and apologetic. “Kyle, I’m so sorry; we failed as parents and raised a daughter who causes so much trouble for you.”
I quickly reassured him, “Professor, this isn’t your fault; there’s no need to apologize. I believe that someday Sophie will realize how her choices hurt those who care about her.”
Although our wedding didn’t happen as planned, Sophie and I had already obtained our marriage certificate, so we still needed to go through the divorce process.
On the day we went to handle the divorce paperwork, I saw the professor and his wife waiting outside my dormitory. They looked at me with sadness and asked, ‘Kyle, is there really no chance for you and Sophie anymore?”
I forced a smile and hugged his wife gently. “Professor, Sophie has never loved me; let’s just leave it at that. If you ever want to see me again, just call; I’m still around campus.”
The divorce process went smoothly since there were no assets to divide and no children involved. We simply needed to sell our apartment and split the proceeds down the middle to resolve everything completely.§
