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Novel Catalog
Chapter 25: Slander Against Ainsley
“What forum?” Ainsley blinked in surprise, not entirely understanding the situation.
Serina quickly turned on her phone and navigated to the viral post that had been circulating. She showed Ainsley the screen, her expression worried.
“This one,” Serina said, tapping on the post. “Someone’s exposing you, saying that you only have a high school diploma and that you became a psychology teacher here by using some… improper methods.”
Ainsley stared at the phone, taking in the malicious words, and a sense of realization dawned on her. She had noticed students acting strange around her earlier, eyeing her curiously as she worked. Now, it all made sense.
Serina looked at Ainsley anxiously, her voice dropping to a soft, concerned tone. “Ainsley, a lot of people are reading that post. They’re talking badly about you… If this keeps up, it’s going to be tough for you at school.”
Ainsley, however, remained calm. A soft smile curled her lips as she reassured Serina. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a post—nothing more. People can talk all they want. What matters is what I do here, not what they say.”
She spoke as though the hateful words had no effect on her, as if they couldn’t touch her in the slightest. Despite the cruelty of the accusations, Ainsley remained serene. Serina was still visibly upset, but Ainsley’s calmness seemed to put her at ease.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. It’s not the first time someone has tried to bring me down,” Ainsley said with a soft chuckle. “Now, let’s eat. That’s the most important thing right now.”
Serina looked at her, still uneasy, but was ultimately comforted by Ainsley’s reassuring demeanor. The two headed to the canteen, where they were met with the curious gazes of students.
Serina, being the daughter of the influential Gage family, was a known figure on campus, and Ainsley, with her recent popularity (and the rumors swirling about her), didn’t go unnoticed either. The two attracted a lot of attention as they entered the canteen, and whispers filled the air.
“Isn’t that Ainsley, the new teacher? And Serina… Why are they together?” one voice whispered.
“Yeah, what’s going on here? I didn’t know they were friends.”
“Do you think Serina helped her get the job? Maybe Ainsley’s only here because of her connection to the Gage family?”
The conversations quickly shifted, and more students joined in, making assumptions based on the forum post.
“She’s just trying to get close to Serina, isn’t she? Using her to climb up the social ladder,” one voice sneered.
“Yeah, Ainsley claims she got the job on her own, but who knows what she really did? She’s just a pretty face.”
The whispers grew louder as students speculated on Ainsley’s motives and how she had managed to get the teaching position despite having no college degree.
Ainsley could hear them, but she didn’t react, calmly eating her meal as Serina’s fists clenched beside her. She glanced at Ainsley, who was maintaining her composure, and felt her frustration building.
“You’ve all had your say, haven’t you?” Serina suddenly snapped, standing up and glaring at the group of students. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm, cutting through the murmurs of the canteen.
The chatter immediately died down, the students falling silent and exchanging nervous glances. They looked from Serina to Ainsley, unsure how to respond. Serina stood there, her eyes blazing with anger, while Ainsley remained calm, almost unaffected by the drama unfolding around them.
It was a moment before someone spoke up, cautiously eyeing Ainsley.
“Serina, don’t be deceived by her,” one of the students said, a sneer creeping into their voice. “She’s just a high school graduate who somehow became a teacher here. That’s suspicious, don’t you think? I’m sure she’s very… scheming.”
The words stung, but Ainsley didn’t flinch.
“Yeah,” another added, their tone dripping with mockery. “She’s probably using her looks to get ahead. I mean, look at her. What else could she be relying on?”
The mocking tone only grew louder, and the insinuations continued to build.
“Don’t be fooled, Serina. She might look innocent, but a woman like her… You never know what she might have done to get that job,” one whispered, their words laced with malice.
Another voice joined in, and a few snickers followed. “She’s beautiful, sure, but that doesn’t mean she’s qualified to be a teacher. Maybe she slept her way to the top.”
Serina’s patience wore thin, and she could feel her blood boiling at the injustice of it all. Ainsley was being slandered, and it angered her more than anything.
Before she could say anything, a voice came from the back of the group—a sharp, mocking tone that cut through the silence.
“Serina, Ainsley’s done something so shameful, and she has such a bad reputation. Why are you still hanging out with her?”
The words were harsh, and they were meant to get under Serina’s skin. Serina turned, her eyes narrowing as she saw the woman who had spoken—a student who had been part of the crowd gossiping earlier.
Serina’s face flushed with anger, but she didn’t back down. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” she snapped, glaring at the woman. “Ainsley is not like what you think. She’s not the person you’re trying to make her out to be.”
The woman smirked, crossing her arms. “Oh, really? Then maybe you should take a closer look at the kind of woman you’re defending.”
Serina was about to fire back, but Ainsley gently placed a hand on her arm, stopping her.
“Ainsley…” Serina looked at her, confusion in her eyes.
Ainsley smiled softly, her eyes calm. “It’s alright, Serina. Let’s just eat. The truth doesn’t need to be defended in every battle.”
The words were simple, but they were enough to remind Serina of Ainsley’s quiet strength. They didn’t need to stoop to the level of these petty accusations.
Serina reluctantly sat back down, still fuming but deciding to let it go for now. The group around them was still watching, but they were starting to realize that Ainsley wasn’t going to rise to the bait.
They were wrong about her, and deep down, they knew it.
