When fate plays its hand

Chapter 0793

“Hardest path?” Madison didn’t understand. “Reporting someone doesn’t seem that hard. As long as the evidence is solid, you can use public opinion to directly bring down Sophite, It’s way faster than going through legal channels.”

Once the story gained traction, the college wouldn’t be able to turn a blind eye. Everyone would be watching

Sebastian replied, “From an efficiency standpoint, yes, reporting is the fastest way. But take a closer look at that post,”

“I did! I read it multiple times. What’s the issue?”

“Joli filed the report under his real name.”

“And? What’s wrong with that?”

Sebastian’s expression was a mix of disbelief and exasperation. Meanwhile, Madison looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, clearly not grasping the gravity of the situation.

With a resigned sigh, he explained, “When a student reports their advisor, there are two possible outcomes. Either the report is successful, and the advisor is punished, or the report fails, and the advisor carries on as usual,

“But regardless of the outcome, the student is almost guaranteed to face an uphill battle afterward.”

Madison frowned. “I get why it’d be bad if the report failed–the advisor would retaliate, make life difficult, and all that. But why would it still be bad if the report succeeded?”

Sebastian countered, “If the report succeeds, what happens next?”

“Well, the advisor would be fired, and in some cases, even face jail time!”

“Exactly. The advisor gets fired. But what about the student? Especially someone like Joli, who’s in his final year of graduate college and about to graduate. What happens to him?” Madison froze, finally realizing the implications. If the advisor were dismissed, Joli wouldn’t be able to graduate on time.

Even if the college allowed him to switch advisors, doing so would mean changing his research focus and primary thesis topic. His years of effort would go to waste.

A graduate student who couldn’t graduate was no better off than an undergraduate. No, perhaps even worse as undergraduates at least had the advantage of youth and more opportunities ahead.

After a long silence, Madison finally muttered, “He could’ve just endured for a few more months…”

Chapter 0793

+25 BONUS

Exactly. If Joli had waited a few more months to earn his degree, he’d have been free to pursue any opportunity. But instead, he chose to expose Sophie now.

“Which means,” Miranda said, having quietly set down what she was working on, “he has no choice–he has to win.”

Sebastian frowned. “Given the current situation, winning… is going to be very difficult.”

“But the post is already out there!” Madison exclaimed, incredulous. “More than 30 pages of evidence–how can that not take Sophie down?”

She had always believed that once a matter reached the level of public scrutiny, it would inevitably lead to serious consequences.

Meanwhile, Miranda and Sebastian exchanged a grim look. They were far less optimistic than Madison.

Sebastian explained, “Public opinion matters, yes, but it depends on the scope and the scale of the attention it gets. Right now, this is still confined to our college’s internal forum. If the wider public doesn’t know, what good does that do?”

Madison gasped. “You mean the college might protect Sophie?”

Miranda’s tone turned serious. “In a way, protecting Sophie means protecting the college’s reputation.”

“But… everyone’s watching! How could the college blatantly cover for her?”

Sebastian scoffed lightly. “It’s all about weighing the pros and cons. Right now, the administration is likely still in a wait–and–see phase. If the situation tips in a certain direction–if one side gains more momentum–then the college will act.

“Whether they choose to protect Sophie or abandon her will depend entirely on which way the winds blow.”

“Then… is there anything we can do to help Joli?” Madison asked anxiously. “I mean… to tip the scales in favor of the outcome we want?