Chapter 21 Identifying Johanna
As Lizzie came out of Anton’s office, Colton, who had been pacing anxiously outside, heaved a sigh of relief.
He hurried forward and took hold of her wheelchair handles.
“Lizzie…”
Lizzie nodded at him.
Colton struggled to maintain a mature composure and not to show any emotions, but there was undisguised joy on his face.
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Lizzie smiled and turned to Anton, “Mr. Hatfield, please inform them. If my dormitory lock gets smashed, I cannot guarantee I’ll remain civil during our conversations.”
Anton pulled a long face and left the office.
Colton pushed Lizzie’s wheelchair toward the dorm. On the way, he spotted Glenna and Norma in the distance and nodded firmly at them.
“Smash the lock.”
At the shout, Colton whipped his head around.
Norberto was instructing Adam to smash Lizzie’s dorm lock with a huge hammer.
Standing next to them, Adrienne watched with unconcealed triumph.
She couldn’t wait to see Lizzie’s belongings thrown out and witness her embarrassment of being homeless.
If it weren’t for Lizzie, her promotion wouldn’t be stuck pending this long.
“Stop it.”
Colton left Lizzie behind and ran over, stepping in front of the dorm door.
“Don’t touch Lizzie’s dorm.”
Adam jerked backward mid–swing, nearly wrenching his arm.
“Who are you? Why are you here? Who allowed you here?” Norberto shouted and looked around to see Lizzie com- ing over in her wheelchair.
His eyes became evasive, but he recalled Theron didn’t support Lizzie, so he said arrogantly, “Lizzie, is this your rela- tive? Take him away. This is the dorm of Equinox Research Laboratory, not your house! Since you’re here, open the door and pack up to vacate the doom quickly for Johanna.”
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Chapter 21 Identifying Johanna
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
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Adrienne instantly exploded. “Lizzie, you were fired long ago. You have no right to hog the dorm.”
Colton raised his chin and stood up for Lizzie. “Her penalty has been suspended. No one is to drive her away until the investigation concludes.”
“Suspended? Impossible!” Adrienne said in disbelief.
Theron personally proved Lizzie plagiarized Johanna. How could Lizzie overturn this? Theron would never side with Lizzie.
“Don’t you believe it? You can ask Mr. Hatfield.” Colton raised his chin and looked in the distance.
Adrienne followed his gaze and saw Anton coming over with a sullen face.
Adrienne had a bad feeling. Could Lizzie actually win this time?
As Anton arrived, she asked anxiously, “Mr. Hatfield, is Lizzie’s penalty truly revoked?”
Anton grunted a curt affirmative through his nose. “Mm.”
Johanna had been hiding in the dorm and waiting for Adrienne to fight her battle, but she couldn’t sit back any longer and finally came out of Adrienne’s dorm.
“Mr. Hatfield.”
Anton didn’t look at Johanna. With a tense face and clipped tone, he announced, “There are still unresolved doubts about Lizzie’s plagiarism case. We need more investigation. So we’re pausing her punishment and putting her on pro- bation instead.”
Johanna’s face paled instantly. She pressed her lips tightly and maintained her usual graceful composure.
Adrienne couldn’t accept this and shouted, “Unresolved doubts? Mr. Howland testified himself. The evidence is solid. What doubts could there be?”
Anton thought Adrienne was blind to his humiliation.
It embarrassed him to change his decision, but she was protesting loudly.
Anton waved impatiently. “My decision stands. Lizzie remains a researcher here, and you can’t take her dorm for the time being.”
Johanna gripped the doorframe tightly, but she looked calm. “I think there must be a misunderstanding. I’ll respect the arrangement.”
Seeing Johanna didn’t protest, Adrienne stood up for her.
“If Lizzie hadn’t plagiarized, would Mr. Howland have denounced his girlfriend? And Lizzie doesn’t even live here now. This is pure waste! Equinox Research Laboratory dorms are not sufficient. Hanna doesn’t even have her own dorm yet.”
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Chapter 21 Identifying Johanna
Lizzie interrupted her coldly, “It’s my dorm. I decide if it sits empty.”
She raised her head slightly in the wheelchair and looked up at Johanna.
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“Others can take what I don’t care about, but no one is to take away what matters to me.”
Lizzie’s voice was calm and quiet, but every word darted at Johanna like a sharp dagger.
Johanna stiffened slightly but soon regained her usual graceful composure.
“Lizzie, you’ve misunderstood. I never intended to seize anything from you. Mr. Howland and I have explained this to you many times. There’s nothing going on between us.”
Her voice was soft and helpless. She sounded as if Lizzie was being unreasonable.
“Really?”
Lizzie looked at her with a faint smile, her eyes dripping with mockery.
“But you have plenty of small tricks.”
Facing Lizzie’s sarcasm, Johanna straightened her back gracefully, carrying an aloof and pure air.
“Everyone knows my character. I focus solely on work and would never stoop to petty schemes.”
Right after she spoke, a raspy shout exploded through the crowd.
“I found you at last.”
The voice shocked everyone, and they looked back in unison.
Norma scrambled forward on her short legs, darting through the crowd to thrust a crisp new two–dollar note into Jo-
hanna’s arms.
“Take your money back!”
Glaring at Johanna fiercely, Norma yelled in thick dialect, “You black–hearted snake! Sneaky and shameless! When you paid me to spread rumors, why didn’t you say Lizzie was still a researcher? She wasn’t fired. Did you want to set me up?”
Johanna froze, utterly flustered by the sudden change.
The note fluttered from her grasp onto the ground.
How did this country bumpkin get into Equinox Research Institute?
Johanna reacted quickly, Concealing the panic in her eyes, she quickly denied, “I don’t know you. What are you talk- ing about?”
Although she was flustered, she managed to keep her voice low and looked gentle,
The onlookers thought she was good–natured enough not to be angry with those who threatened and slandered her.
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Chapter 21 Identifying Johanna
Johanna was indeed a kind person.
Feeling their hostile gazes soften, Johanna gave a faint smile.
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Norma knew Johanna wouldn’t admit it, but she had worked out what to do on the way. As she didn’t want to be pun- ished by the institute, she had to prove Johanna paid her to spread the rumors.
She waved a mediation receipt and put her hand on her hip, raising her voice.
“Yesterday morning! Have you forgotten? You went to the gate of the textile mill in a khaki trench coat and black leather shoes.”
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