The Platonic Trap novel Chapter 35

"Then investigate it."

Alistair's voice was a low, dangerous rumble. He didn't need to say anything else.

Standing right behind him, Ken understood the assignment perfectly.

Right in front of everyone, Ken pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

He stated the address and immediately hung up.

Standing behind Talbot, the color completely drained from Evelyn's face. "M-Mr. Zucker, there's really no need to escalate this, I don't need—"

"Shut up."

Alistair cut her off without raising his voice.

His expression was freezing, his chiseled features looking like they had been carved from winter ice. The look in his eyes was lethal.

Talbot glanced frantically between Evelyn and the isolated figure of Celia, his voice bordering on desperate. "Mr. Zucker, it's really just a minor misunderstanding. Celia and I can sort this out privately..."

"You think academic fraud is a minor misunderstanding?" A flash of terrifying anger broke through Alistair's icy facade. "You think condemning someone without knowing the truth, slandering them, and publicly humiliating them is a minor misunderstanding?!"

He stared Talbot down, his voice laced with disgust. "Is this how the Forresters raised you, Talbot?"

Talbot swallowed hard, his jaw tight, not daring to breathe a word in response.

Alistair's fingers curled slightly as his dark gaze swept across the room, landing back on Celia.

She still refused to look at him. She had turned her head away, her hands clasped behind her back as she stood entirely alone.

Across the room, Talbot was shielding Evelyn behind him.

But Celia was standing by herself in a corner the sunlight couldn't even reach.

The chill of the early spring morning seemed to cling to Alistair's sharp jawline.

His eyes darkened.

"Come here," he commanded softly, his voice cutting through the tension.

He was talking to her.

The entire room stared in stunned disbelief.

The university board members looked like they had just seen a ghost, their eyes darting frantically between the terrifying billionaire and the quiet student, terrified to make a single sound.

Celia clearly heard him.

But she kept her face turned away, her delicate lips pressed tightly together. She let the tears pool in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to look at him or say a word.

She looked so fragile.

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