The S-Rank Wolf They Failed to See Chapter 08

The S-Rank Wolf They Failed to See Chapter 08

Three days later, it reached the Northern Territory.

My professor called me in handed me a glass of water, and asked what had happened.

The tears came immediately.

After I told her everything, she asked if I had any evidence,

I gave her the surveillance footage.

The day I found out they wanted my sister to take my place, I’d gone out that night and bought a hidden

camera. I tucked it into the fake flowers in the living room.

I’d been gathering proof from the very beginning.

After watching it, my professor slammed her fist on the desk. She said my parents had gone way too far.

She told me to stop worrying and focus on my research.

I nodded.

The next day, all the hate posts about me were gone.

In their place was a cease-and-desist letter from my professor’s lawyer.

My mom panicked.

She blew up Grandma’s phone with calls to me. Hundreds of them. But I didn’t pick up a single one.

Because I’d participated in a classified project. My phone had been taken away.

By the time I got it back, I had hundreds of missed calls and a stranger’s number that had been texting me relentlessly.

It started with begging:

[Nina, Mom was wrong. I wasn’t thinking straight.]

Then came the anger:

[Nina, I’m still your mother. I raised you. If you put me in jail, everyone will look down on you!]

Then the desperation:

[Nina, your sister can’t survive without me… Where are you? Just give us an answer!]

I was still debating whether to reply when I looked up and saw Zane.

I didn’t know how he’d found my school. Maybe those “warm-hearted” internet sleuths had doxxed me when I was getting cyberbullied before.

“Nina.”

He ran up to me and grabbed my hand, afraid that I was about to bolt.

The senior students next to me immediately stepped in front of me. One of them said it plain and simple, “Get lost.”

Zane let go and stepped back, tears in his eyes. “Nina, please write a letter of forgiveness. Our family can’t take any more of this.”

“Then ask Mom why did she smear my name in that video?”

Zane’s voice cracked. “I didn’t know she was posting that. If I had, I would’ve stopped her!”

I rolled my eyes and snorted. “Where was that urge to stop her when you tried to steal my S-rank exam results and allow Ayla to take my identity to get into the academy?”

“Where was your voice when the whole internet was tearing me apart?”

“You want me, the victim, to sign a letter of forgiveness now that everything’s fallen apart? Dream on.”

Zane took a long breath.

Then he dropped to his knees.

“Nina, please.” His voice was full of shame.

One of the senior students laughed. “Is kneeling some kind of special apology technique now?”

She put her arm around me. “Come on, Nina. The professor’s waiting for us at the celebration dinner.”

I nodded and walked away.

But I did end up writing that letter.

My conditions were simple. Their whole family had to appear on camera and apologize for seven days straight. The videos could never be deleted.

And I had my family records separated from theirs. Legally, I was no longer their daughter. No obligation to support them financially or otherwise.

To stay out of jail, they had no choice but to agree.

A month later, our research team won an award.

I was the youngest, but my name was third on the list, right behind the two professors.

They said it was based on contribution.

They saw the work I’d put in.

I stood there, stunned. Mémories suddenly surfaced of our family’s cleaning day when I was little.

My sister slacked off, whining and begging me to wipe the windows for her.

I agreed and cleaned every/single pane right under my mom’s nose.

My mom saw the spotless windows and praised my sister endlessly.

She even bought her a new gaming console.

I got frantic. I tugged on her sleeve and told her I was the one who cleaned the windows.

She gave me a cold look and said, “Nina, you’re always trying to take credit for your sister’s work.”

“Did you get your sweeping done? It’s a total mess.”

She kicked the trash can over as she said it.

All the garbage I’d just collected spilled back onto the floor.

At home, my parents never saw my effort.

But here, I didn’t have to fight to prove myself.

They saw what I did, and they clapped for me without me having to beg.

I turned my head away and wiped the tears from my eyes.