Chapter 3Wife's 5-Year Scam

After that day, Victoria didn't come home for a long time. I stopped calling to check on where she was the way I used to, and instead threw myself into my work.

On the day the semester started, I went back to campus. Students passing by kept giving me strange looks.

"Professor, you should go check out the lab building..."

One of the students I got along with well looked visibly uncomfortable and pointed toward the building.

As I made my way toward the building, I saw Tyler standing at the front entrance. He was holding up a banner, shouting into a megaphone.

"Five years ago, I was framed.

"My advisor, Alexander Marshall, an honorary professor at this school, committed academic fraud and stole my research. He doctored photos maliciously to smear my name. I don't care how much you all respect him, I don't care whether you believe me, but I have to say this today!"

Tyler's eyes landed on me, burning with hatred. He rolled up his sleeve, showing off a crisscross of bruises and scars, some old, some fresh.

"I've spent the last five years being spat on by everyone I meet. I have no connections, I got expelled, I couldn't even get my diploma.

"Because of Alexander Marshall, no one would give me the time of day.

"Abroad, I was undocumented, no papers, nothing. I worked construction for five years. To keep from starving or freezing to death, I even got myself thrown into prison on purpose.

"I ended up like this because of Alexander Marshall! He's not fit to call himself a professor!"

Countless eyes turned toward me, some in disbelief, some already burning with anger. Whispers spread through the crowd. I clenched my fists and forced myself to stay calm.

"What proof do you have?"

Something I hadn't done was something I hadn't done. I didn't believe Tyler could actually produce any real evidence.

But before Tyler could answer, someone else stepped out from behind him. Victoria moved to shield him. Every one of my students, everyone who knew me, knew Victoria was my wife.

"I can testify to that. I have proof, right here, that you committed academic fraud and stole Tyler's research."

I tilted my head back, my eyes widening. She was holding up a flash drive.

Looking at the woman in front of me, I felt dizzy, like I was looking at a total stranger.

"Victoria, you'd frame me for his sake?"

Victoria's expression didn't so much as flicker. She dropped the flash drive back into her bag and, without meeting my eyes, said evenly, "I'm just telling the truth."

No one cared whether what was on that drive was even real. The simple fact that she was my wife was proof enough for them.

I was suspended over the whole thing. Every research project I was running got put on hold.

Online, the rumors spiraled further out of control. And because of me, their disgraced honorary professor, the school's enrollment numbers started to drop.

I ran myself ragged trying to clear my name. No one believed a word of it. Tyler cleared his own name by pinning it entirely on me.

"I'm sorry, Professor. Please don't be angry. Victoria only came up with this idea because she felt sorry for me. You won't forgive me anyway, and honestly, I'm sick of living the way I used to. I'm sorry."

Tyler apologized to me with a face full of regret, but what he actually said was almost laughable.

Victoria didn't seem to think she'd done anything wrong. Instead, she told me, "You should go stay somewhere else for a few days. Miles is still home, and I don't want this affecting him.

"Alexander, it's just this once. I know it isn't fair to you. But if you'd just been a little kinder to Tyler, I never would have had to use this against you."

So they'd had this planned from the very beginning. To clear Tyler's name, she hadn't hesitated to resort to something this disgusting.

I forced a smile with no real strength behind it, and didn't have the energy to argue with her anymore. Just the sight of the two of them made me sick.