The video ignited the crowd’s fury. “He’s a
monster! Arrest him! Beat him!” “Lock him
up! Throw away the key!” “String him up!
He’s a disgrace to the profession!”
Several self–proclaimed vigilantes grabbed
me, pinning me down.
I looked up and saw a familiar face. David.
David was my colleague, a rival who’d been
passed over for the professorship I’d recently
received. We’d never gotten along. I hadn’t
invited him to the party. What was he doing
Г
He held me down, his face a mask of
righteous indignation. “John, I thought you
were a decent man. I’m ashamed to have lost
to a scumbag like you. Today, I stand for
justice!” He punched me in the face.
Others joined in, kicking and punching. Sarah
and Ashley watched, smirking.
“Stop! I’ll press charges for assault!” I
roared, struggling against them.
“President Thompson, look at him! No
remorse! He’s threatening to sue us! He’s the
one who should be sued!” David crowed.
“You should never have given him that
professorship!”
The president looked at me, disappointment
etched on his face. “John, tell me the truth.
Did you do it? Confess now. It will be better
for you when the police arrive.” He was my
mentor, he still cared.
“I didn’t do anything. Why should I confess?”
I said firmly.
David exchanged a look with Sarah. Sarah
stepped forward, pulling Ashley with her.
“John, I see you won’t listen to reason.” She
ripped Ashley’s shirt open, revealing horrific
scars on her back. “Look! This is what he did
to her! Every time she resisted, he beat her!”
Ashley sobbed, clutching her shirt. “He said…
he said he gave me everything, so I had to
obey. I was so scared…”
The crowd’s anger reached a fever pitch.
く
Even the president, who’d initially hesitated,
looked disgusted. “John! Have you no
decency?”
I was seeing those scars for the first time.
Sarah had been abusing Ashley. That’s why
Ashley was so compliant, willing to risk
everything.
“President Thompson, revoke his tenure! We
can’t have someone like this associated with
our university!” David urged.
I laughed. “David, you’ve been waiting for this,
haven’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” he snapped.
“You’ll see.”
Just then, a voice boomed from the doorway.
“Police! We received a call about an assault.
Who called?”
The crowd parted. Two officers stood in the
doorway.
