Chapter 286: Do You Think So Too?

"Jane Lancaster, these men all insist you were the one who ambushed and beat them. Do you have anything to say?" Professor Lee began.

He worried his tone had been too severe and might have frightened her, so he quickly added, "But rest assured, if you didn’t do it, the university will stand firmly by you."

To be honest, he simply didn’t believe Jane Lancaster could be the kind of assailant who would attack several grown men!

The young lady looked so poised and demure. Those hands of hers were so graceful—clearly an artist’s hands. How could they possibly be used to beat someone up?

If the university administrators hadn’t insisted on bringing Jane Lancaster in, he would have just had security throw these false accusers out!

Vincent Holt, the most hot-tempered of the group, couldn’t listen anymore. "Professor, are you suggesting that we all ganged up to frame her?"

Professor Lee pushed up his glasses and muttered under his breath, "Who’s to say? It’s not like there isn’t a precedent, after all."

The precedent he was referring to was the incident with Professor Quentin Woods and a group of students who had falsely accused Jane Lancaster of being an impostor.

Fearing the university administrators were unaware of the incident, he even took the time to explain it to them.

A university administrator said, "...Oh, right. There was that incident."

Their gazes toward Chloe Dave and the others immediately grew suspicious. ’Could this be another premeditated frame-up?’

Vincent Holt was about to explode with anger. This administrator was a connection his family had made. Half an hour ago, the man had been calling him his nephew, and now he was already switching sides to support Jane Lancaster?

Chloe Dave pressed his lips together. Since they had come this far, he had no reason to hold back.

"Distinguished administrators, we aren’t unreasonable people, and as you can all see, we’re not associated with Young Master Jenson’s group. Since we have all singled out Jane Lancaster, there must be a compelling reason."

He thought he was making a perfectly logical point. "Otherwise, why would we suspect her and no one else?"

"That’s not the right way to look at it," the advisor countered, clearly experienced in handling such arguments. "By your logic, why didn’t the assailant attack anyone else? Why you, specifically? As they say, there’s no smoke without fire. Perhaps you did something to provoke this?"

Chloe Dave’s face instantly flushed crimson. "I did not!"

What did the advisor mean by that? How could she turn it around and suggest they were the ones who did something wrong?

He, Chloe Dave, was not that kind of person!

Jane Lancaster was completely taken aback.

’This isn’t right. According to the original plot, I’m supposed to be expelled.’

’The administrators, the professors, even the advisor and my classmates—everyone is supposed to condemn me, to pass judgment on me. Why are they all defending me now?’

Caleb Lowell watched her intently. ’So she doesn’t even care if she gets expelled?’

’No wonder she’s so brazen. She’d go after this many people just to vent her anger.’

Vincent Holt, though still furious, quickly seized on the flaw in the advisor’s words. "So you’re admitting Jane Lancaster did it?"

"I said no such thing!" the advisor retorted. "You’re trying to convict my student based on one offhand comment? That just makes me even more suspicious that you’re all just... jumping at shadows."

She had wanted to say they were making false accusations, but she softened her words at the last second.

While defending her student, she also had to maintain her professional decorum as an educator.

These people, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have much class.

Seeing that Vincent Holt was getting nowhere, Jim Jenson quickly jumped in. "Fine, I’ll just say it. Jane Lancaster and I have had bad blood since we were kids. I’m positive it was her."

Assistant Grant chimed in, "Before our boss lost consciousness, he also identified Jane Lancaster."

This time, Jane Lancaster was genuinely surprised. "Your boss is unconscious?"

’How is that possible? He’s not trying to shake me down, is he?’

Assistant Grant gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "You seem surprised, but our boss was indeed attacked with a sack over his head. He coughed up blood, lost consciousness, and still hasn’t woken up."

Caleb Lowell’s pupils constricted. "Was Sean Grant beaten that badly? What did the doctor say?"

His heart sank. If Sean Grant was that severely injured, this feud would become a serious one.

He felt a headache coming on. ’How could Jane Lancaster be so lawless? Does she have any idea that she’s deliberately breaking the law?!’

Assistant Grant continued, "Our boss is a kind-hearted man. Before he lost consciousness, he told us not to call the police. But if he doesn’t wake up, we will definitely report it. When that happens, Miss Lancaster, don’t blame us for refusing any and all attempts at reconciliation."

"Oh," Jane Lancaster said. "Then you should call the police."

’Threatening me? If you really had evidence, it wouldn’t be you showing up here. It would be the police.’

"After all this talk, you still haven’t dared to call the police. You only dare to come to the university and cause a scene. That just proves you know your accusations won’t hold up." Jane Lancaster sighed, her tone turning serious. "I sympathize with what happened to you, but is it not going too far to use me as a scapegoat for you to take your anger out on? I expect an immediate apology."

Vincent Holt was stunned. "You have the nerve to turn this back on us?"

Jim Jenson flew into a rage. "Jane Lancaster, you’re pulling this crap again! It was definitely you!"

Damn it, the word "apology" was a trigger for him now. He’d lost count of how many times he’d been duped by her.

Jane Lancaster looked at Jim Jenson. "Definitely you? Do you have any proof? Did you see me hitting you with your own eyes? Alright, then. When I attacked you, what was I wearing? What were my distinguishing features?"

Jim Jenson sputtered, "...I had a sack over my head! How would I know what you were wearing!"

Jane Lancaster spread her hands. "See? You can’t even get those basic details straight. How can you be so certain it was me?"

Vincent Holt’s lips twitched as he interjected, "Why are we so sure it was you? Because you have a history! You’re no high-society heiress; you’re a common thug who fights, bullies, and is capable of anything!"

Jane Lancaster replied, "Vincent Holt, this isn’t the first or second time you’ve slandered me. Need I remind you how you deliberately schemed to sabotage my engagement to Caleb Lowell?"

The color drained from Vincent Holt’s face. Last time... was at the bachelor party before the engagement banquet.

He had been causing trouble for Jane Lancaster, and Caleb Lowell had even called the Holt family to bar him from attending the engagement banquet.

Caleb Lowell pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Vincent, that’s enough."

Vincent Holt shut his mouth, though he desperately wanted to show them the video that would have finished Jane Lancaster for good.

But now wasn’t the right time. He didn’t want to tip his hand too early.

"It’s because your engagement with Zion fell through that you came to hate me. Hating me is one thing, but how could you go after Zion? Hiring someone to run him down with a car?" Vincent Holt argued forcefully. "Even if you were targeting Luna, and she was the one who ultimately got hurt, a slight miscalculation in that situation could have been fatal. Did you not have any reservations?"

Jane Lancaster was speechless.

Faced with such an enormous, baseless accusation, she didn’t rush to defend herself. Instead, she looked at Caleb Lowell. "Is that what you think, too?"

Caleb Lowell’s breath hitched. Of course he thought Vincent Holt’s accusation was absurd.

There was no way Jane Lancaster would ever try to harm him.

"I..." Just as he was about to deny it.

Vincent Holt cut in, "How did Alvin Lancaster go mad? How did Adrian Lancaster get poisoned? You were there for both. Don’t try to say you had nothing to do with it."

The rest of Caleb Lowell’s sentence died in his throat.