‘I promised Bonnie I wouldn’t tell anyone unless it was an emergency. I can only bear with it,’ Russell thought.
The higher-ups, who were adamant about Bonnie’s expulsion, remained quiet. They did not know how to respond to Russell.
At that moment, Deandre Pearson, who was on the left of the conference table, said, “Mr. Russell, this isn’t the first time Bonnie has done something like this. She has given rise to many scandals, but we’ve disregarded them.
“This time, the subjects of her scandals are too much to ignore. There are even two groups of people, for Heaven’s sake. That’s proof that Bonnie’s character is questionable, at best. Why else would this trouble keep coming after her?
“If I may, Mr. Russell, do you think someone has so much time to make up the whole thing to defame her?”
Deandre was Selina’s uncle. He had held a grudge against Bonnie since she expelled his niece. After finally getting some dirt on Bonnie, he would not let this chance slip through his fingers. “None of you can tell right from wrong! How foolish!” Russell’s hand began to tremble as he held his cane. He was furious.
However, Deandre continued, “People like Bonnie are beyond redemption, Mr. Russell. You should save your breath and let us expel her as soon as possible. That way, we’ll finally be free of her and her troubles. After all, we’ve received plenty of complaints from the students.”
Russell sighed, trying to suppress his emotions. Even so, he could not bear it. Ultimately, he roared and told them the secret he had kept inside, “I called you foolish, yet you refused to believe me! Would Ms. Bonita have done something so outrageous?! Answer me!”
A pin-drop silence hung over the conference room. Everyone was shocked by Russell’s words. The higher-ups, shareholders, and professors’ eyes widened in surprise.
‘What?! Bonita? Bonnie, the newly promoted university president, is the world-renowned Bonita?!’
‘How’s that even possible? Bonnie’s rise from a student to the president is shocking enough. To think that she’s none other than Bonita herself—’
‘That’s just ‘
‘If Bonnie is Ms. Bonita, why the hell would she enroll in Pyralis University? How are we supposed to believe that?!’
…
Meanwhile, neither Bonnie nor Niko and the middle-aged couple would back down. Things had become increasingly intense between them. At that moment, Avril emerged from the crowd and yelled, “Bonnie, I’m sorry it took me so long!”
Two guys-Toby and Jim-were behind Avril. The trio appeared and stood before Bonnie, keeping her in the middle to protect her. Bonnie felt a wave of warmth in her chest when she realized it. “What are you three doing here?”
Avril explained, “I saw you surrounded by the crowd much earlier, but I was worried I couldn’t handle them. I didn’t want to worsen things if I came alone, so I thought of getting you some backup.” She glanced at Toby and Jim. They were the backups she mentioned.
Jim looked at Bonnie from head to toe and asked worriedly, “Are you okay?”
