“It’s going to be alright, Litte. Don’t worry, I’ll prove your innocence,” Orson said as he gently patted Litte on the head.
“It’s useless, Orson. They won’t believe me...” Litte shook her head in despair. “Those people only believe what they see with their own eyes. There are too many witnesses against me—I can’t fight them...”
“No.” Orson didn’t agree with Litte’s words. “Having many witnesses doesn’t mean their claims are true. As long as we present irrefutable evidence, their lies will fall apart.”
“But... there’s no evidence...” Litte’s voice trembled with frustration.
“There will be, Litte. There will be.” Orson reassured him again before standing up. “Stay here for now. I’ll prove your innocence.”
“Until the truth comes to light, don’t leave this room. They’ll bring food to you,” Orson said as he prepared to leave.
He knew that if Litte went outside, he’d face even more accusations. Even if many of those accusations weren’t driven by malice, public opinion could easily be swayed.
Especially if Orson were to bring Litte out himself—he couldn’t even begin to imagine the storm of rumors that would follow.
—
Orson went to the Disciplinary Committee and requested the testimonies related to the case. As he read through the victim’s and witnesses’ statements, his anger boiled over.
“This is clearly coordinated! This is a premeditated setup!” Orson shouted furiously.
The committee members didn’t dare say a word in his presence.
“President Orson!” Manuel appeared behind Orson at that moment. “We’re still in the middle of the investigation. If it’s confirmed that this was indeed a setup, we will punish those responsible and restore Litte’s reputation.”
“But for now, please don’t interfere with our investigation!” Manuel’s tone was unusually firm as he faced Orson. “Otherwise, I’ll have to use my authority as Executive Director to impeach you!”
“...Fine.” Orson nodded reluctantly. “Then tell me, how do you plan to conduct the investigation?”
“We have our methods,” Manuel replied.
“Alright. I hope you’ll keep your word and conduct a fair investigation.” Orson said this and left the room.
At the door, he saw Olivia waiting. He apologized to her. “Sorry, Olivia. I’m busy today and can’t accompany you.”
“It’s fine,” Olivia said, shaking her head. “Orson, you should calm down. Acting rashly won’t help Litte—it might even harm him.”
“Mm, thank you.” Orson nodded and walked away.
“Honestly, this whole thing must have something to do with the girl involved. Why aren’t they investigating her...” Orson muttered as he walked off, his words caught entirely by Olivia.
—
After Orson left, Olivia entered the Disciplinary Committee’s office.
Orson stopped at the corner of the hallway, pausing to watch Olivia enter the office. Smiling faintly, he turned and walked away.
—
“I apologize. Since the suspect, Litte, is President Orson’s brother, he was understandably emotional just now,” Olivia said.
“It’s not an issue.” Manuel shook his head. “I understand why the President is angry. His brother is under suspicion of being framed, but the Disciplinary Committee must act impartially.”
“Understood.” Olivia nodded and then asked, “I’d like to know—this victim is Litte’s classmate, correct? What’s her name?”
“Sorry, Vice President, I can’t disclose that information.”
“Ah, you’re worried I might threaten her?” Olivia smiled faintly. “I understand. I won’t interfere with your work. Best of luck with your investigation.”
With that, Olivia left the office.
—
Outside the Student Council building, Orson found a group of protesting students already gathered.
The moment they saw him step out, they rushed forward, eager to question him.
“President Orson! Did the suspect, Litte, act so boldly because he had you as his backer?”
“President Orson, we demand an explanation!”
“President Orson...”
Orson looked at the students crowding around him. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he said, “I have no comment on this matter.”
“Furthermore, until the truth is revealed, I urge everyone not to jump to conclusions about the suspect. After all, the suspect may very well be a victim of false accusations.”
“That’s all I have to say.” With those words, Orson pushed through the crowd and headed toward the administrative building.
“President Orson, are you saying you believe Litte is being framed?”
“President Orson, is it because Litte is your brother that you think this way?”
“President Orson, will you use your authority as President to interfere in the interrogation?”
—
“So, Orson, you’ve come to me, have you?” Luca said, sipping his tea as he looked at Orson.
“Yes, Headmaster. Right now, you’re the only one who can help.”
“But the Disciplinary Committee and the Student Council are parallel institutions. We can’t interfere with their investigations,” Luca said, shaking his head helplessly.
“Besides, Orson, if you truly believe Litte wouldn’t do such a thing, why not trust the Disciplinary Committee’s investigation results?”
“...” Orson remained silent.
“You should know, every Executive Director of the Student Council has left office without a blemish on their record. They’re elected for their fairness and integrity. You can trust them.”
“But public opinion may not wait for the investigation to conclude. If the students grow dissatisfied and vote to impeach the Student Council, the situation will drag on, and Litte’s studies will suffer.”
“I understand, Orson.” Luca nodded. “You’re worried about Litte. But isn’t it during times of adversity that people grow stronger?”
“Your life has been too smooth, Orson. This incident is not only a test for Litte but for you as well.”
“If you can navigate this crisis successfully, you’ll gain invaluable insights—into people and their hearts.” Luca tapped his chest as he spoke.
“That’s all I have to say, Orson. You should go back.”
“Mm.” Realizing he couldn’t persuade Luca, Orson nodded and left the Headmaster’s office.
—
Meanwhile, in her dormitory, Olivia was flipping through the Class 1-1 student roster she had borrowed, identifying a few students she found suspicious.
At that moment, Lianca returned.
“Well, well. I guess scum runs in the Stranick family.” Seeing Olivia in the living room with the roster, Lianca didn’t bother to hide her disdain.
“Why would you say that? Even if Litte is a suspect, that doesn’t mean the entire family is to blame.” Olivia didn’t look up, continuing to scan the roster.
“Hah. Sister, don’t you know? Orson’s been seeing another woman behind your back.”
“What?!” Olivia’s head snapped up instantly, her gaze locking onto Lianca with such intensity that it made her uneasy.
“Lianca, what did you just say?”