Marrying My Father's Enemy-Chapter 75: The Hearing

Chapter 75: The Hearing

Eira adjusted the strap of her bag and exhaled as she stood outside the university gates.

The campus buzzed with life—students rushed to class, chatting in groups, or buried in their phones. freёweɓnovel_com

She pulled her coat tighter around herself, the crisp morning air biting at her cheeks.

She didn’t tell Callian about the hearing today.

He would’ve insisted on coming, and the last thing she wanted was to drag him into more chaos.

This was her fight.

As she stepped onto the campus, her eyes caught a familiar face.

William was standing near the entrance, leaning against a bench.

He straightened when he saw her, offering a faint, almost awkward smile.

"Eira," he said in a cautious tone. "Morning."

Eira nodded, her steps slowed down. "Morning."

William hesitated, his eyes darting around before landing back on her.

"Good luck today," he said quickly, then turned and disappeared into one of the classrooms.

Eira frowned, watching him go.

His greeting was strange—almost rehearsed.

But she didn’t have time to dwell on it.

The hearing was in less than fifteen minutes, and she couldn’t afford to be late.

// The Hearing Room //

The large room was intimidating, its high ceilings and dark wooden panels giving it an air of authority.

A long table dominated the center, where several commission members sat.

Eira walked in and took her designated seat.

She felt their eyes on her presence as if she were already guilty.

At the far end of the table, Vanesa sat with a smug expression, her arms crossed.

Eira’s stomach churned at the sight of her.

"Miss Blackwood," one of the commission members, a woman with sharp glasses and a sharper tone, began.

"Thank you for coming. Today, we will address the allegations brought forth by Miss Vanesa Blackwood."

Eira nodded, keeping her posture straight. "I understand."

Vanesa leaned forward, her voice seemed more dramatic as she spoke. "I was attacked. Twice. First by Callian, then by her."

She pointed a manicured finger at Eira, her tone was more than accusing. "And now I have to come here, reliving the trauma."

Eira clenched her fists under the table but kept her face neutral.

One of the commission members, an older man with a graying beard, raised an eyebrow. "Let’s take this step by step. Miss Vanesa, could you explain what happened the night you claim Callian attacked you?"

Vanesa sighed heavily, as if the memory pained her. "It was awful. I was just trying to talk to him—trying to reason with him—and he lost control. He grabbed me, threw me against the wall—"

"That’s a lie," Eira interrupted in a calm voice.

"Mrs. Hax Reed," the woman in glasses warned, "you will have your turn to speak. Please allow Miss Vanesa to continue."

Eira bit the inside of her cheek and nodded.

Vanesa resumed, her voice gained more confidence with every word.

"After he threw me, I ran. But later, when I confronted Eira, she did the same thing. She threw a book at me, and I barely got out of the way in time. She’s just as dangerous as he is."

Eira exhaled slowly, steadying herself before she spoke. "With all due respect, that’s not what happened."

"Then tell us your version of events," the man with the beard said, gesturing for her to proceed.

Eira turned to face the commission members. "Vanesa is leaving out an important detail. She threw the book first. I only defended myself."

Vanesa let out a scoff. "Oh, please. You’re twisting things!"

"Am I?" Eira said, finally letting some of her frustration slip into her tone.

"You barged into my personal space, shouting and throwing things. I tried to keep calm, but you wouldn’t stop. And when you threw the book at me, I had every right to defend myself."

"You’re lying!" Vanesa snapped.

"You and Callian both have it out for me. You’ve always hated me."

"I don’t hate you, Vanesa," Eira said. "But I won’t sit here and let you paint me as the aggressor when you’re the one who started it."

One of the younger commission members leaned forward, adjusting his glasses. "Miss Eira, do you have any witnesses to corroborate your account of events?"

Eira hesitated.

William wasn’t there, and involving him would only complicate things further. "No," she admitted. "It was just the two of us... I’m not sure if the other members saw it too."

Vanesa smirked, but the man with the beard held up a hand. "And Miss Vanesa, do you have witnesses to your version of events?"

Vanesa faltered. "Well... no. But my word should be enough! I’m the victim here!"

"Enough," the woman in glasses interjected. "We’re here to determine the truth, not to take sides based on emotion. Miss Eira, is there anything else you’d like to add?"

Eira took a deep breath.

"Only that I acted in self-defense. I didn’t want things to escalate, but I wasn’t going to let her hurt me. If you review my history at this university, you’ll see I’ve never been involved in anything like this before. I value my education and my place here. This isn’t who I am."

Vanesa rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath, but the commission members didn’t acknowledge her.

The woman in glasses closed her notebook with a snap.

"We will review both accounts and any additional evidence before making a decision. You will be notified of the outcome in due course. This hearing is adjourned."

As the commission members stood and began to gather their things, Vanesa shot Eira with an evil glare.

"This isn’t over," she hissed.

Eira met her eyes, her voice was calmer now. "You’re right. It’s not."

Vanesa turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Eira alone with her thoughts.

She let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding, her shoulders sagging slightly.

The truth was out now. All she could do was wait and hope it was enough.

"What did she mean that Callian attacked her? When was this? The night he was with her?"

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