I sat motionless, watching the spectacle unfold. My mother—Genevieve—knelt on the floor, her performance growing more dramatic by the second. Tears streaked down her face as she pounded her fists against her chest.
"Please!" she wailed, looking at the university officials. "My daughter didn't know! I took those files because I wanted to help her. She's always been overlooked, always pushed aside."
The university dean shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His eyes darted between Genevieve's theatrical display and my blank expression.
Leo Finch cleared his throat. "If I may speak—"
"You may not," Caleb cut in smoothly. "This is a serious academic violation. Your personal relationship with the accused hardly makes you an objective party."
Leo's face flushed. "I've worked with Elara for months. She's one of the most ethical—"
"Ethics?" Fiona scoffed, stepping forward. "She's been stealing my work for years. This is just the first time we caught her."
