Mike Carter had no intention of engaging with Zoe Han after what happened last time. But now, seeing what she had done, he had no choice. He stepped forward and pushed Zoe back with a firm hand.
"What the hell?" Zoe stumbled, glaring at Mike. She hadn't expected him to intervene.
Amelia Song's hand was bright red, smeared with muddy water. The marks were clear—Zoe had deliberately stomped on her after tripping her.
Zoe's lips curled into a sneer. "What are you barking about? I didn't see her there. And you dare lay a hand on me?"
Mike's fists clenched, trembling with anger. Didn't see her? That was a blatant lie. Anyone with eyes could see what had happened.
It was intentional. Zoe had deliberately tripped Amelia, then stomped on her hand as she tried to stand up.
The confrontation drew a crowd, laughter rippling through the onlookers.
"Mike Carter, the campus joke, always finding new ways to entertain us," someone muttered, eliciting more chuckles.
In the distance, Leila Stewart and Sophia Rivers watched the scene unfold. Leila's lips curled into a smirk.
"See? What did I say? Mike's just a walking disaster. And now, a violent one at that."
Sophia nudged Leila with her elbow. "Could you stop? No one asked you to comment."
Leila's eyebrows furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm your best friend, Sophia. I'm just looking out for you. After everything Mike pulled at your birthday party, how can you still defend him?"
Sophia opened her mouth to explain, but Leila waved her off. "Forget it. Believe what you want. But let's not pretend he's some kind of hero. Look at him now, playing the knight for… an outcast."
Sophia sighed. "Fine. But you can't deny what Zoe did was wrong. She tripped Amelia on purpose. Mike's just standing up for her."
Leila scoffed. "Standing up for her? Please. A mute and a loser defending each other? It's pathetic."
Sophia didn't respond. She turned her attention back to the confrontation, her expression conflicted.
Mike bent down to help Amelia up. Her clothes were soaked and smeared with mud, and her eyes were downcast.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
Amelia shook her head quickly, then gestured to her mouth, indicating she couldn't speak.
Mike gave her a small nod. "Don't worry. I'll handle this."
Turning back to Zoe, his voice sharpened. "Apologize. Now."
Zoe's sneer deepened. "Apologize? For what? She was the one who splashed mud on my pants." She pointed at her Adidas sweatpants, which had a few faint specks of mud. "These are brand new, you know. Do you have any idea how much they cost?"
Mike's jaw tightened. He was tired of this nonsense. "You're upset about a bit of mud? You tripped her on purpose and stomped on her hand. Don't make excuses."
"Excuses?" Zoe folded her arms. "Mike Carter, you think you're a big shot now? Coming to the rescue of a mute? What are you going to do, buy me new pants?"
Mike's lips curved into a cold smile. "If it's money you want, I've got more than enough to drown you in it. But that's not the point."
The crowd murmured, intrigued by Mike's confidence.
Zoe's face turned red. She hadn't expected Mike to push back so hard. "You… you're unbelievable. Fine, you want a fight? Let's see how tough you really are." She stomped off, muttering under her breath, "You'll regret this."
The tension in the air slowly dissipated as Zoe disappeared from view. Mike turned back to Amelia, whose eyes were wide with uncertainty.
"It's okay," he said softly. "She won't bother you again."
Amelia gave him a hesitant smile, mouthing the words "Thank you."
Meanwhile, Zoe stormed back to her dorm, her face twisted in rage. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number, her voice trembling with anger.
"Brother, he hit me! That bastard Mike Carter hit me! I've never been so humiliated in my life!"
On the other end of the line, the voice that responded was calm but firm. "Who did this to you?"
Zoe's lips curled into a smirk. "Mike Carter. I want him gone. Expelled."
The "brother" she spoke to wasn't her sibling. It was a middle-aged man named Richard Liu, a department head at River Valley College. His balding head gleamed under the fluorescent light as he listened to Zoe's complaints.
Richard put down his paperwork and stood. "Don't worry, Zoe. I'll handle it. By the end of the day, Mike Carter won't be a student here anymore."
Zoe's pout turned into a triumphant grin. "Thank you, Richard. You're the best." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "That'll teach him to mess with me."
Back on the field, the class was wrapping up when Mike was approached by his advisor. The stern-faced man wasted no time.
"Mike Carter, come with me to the office. Pack your things. You're done here."
The crowd's laughter bubbled up again.
"Ha! Looks like the hero's getting his punishment."
"What did he expect? You can't go around punching people and not face consequences."
Amelia tugged on Mike's sleeve, shaking her head urgently. She didn't want him to go.
Mike smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. I've got this."
Turning to the advisor, he asked, "Expelled? Really? On what grounds?"
The advisor sneered. "You assaulted another student. Plus, your behavior has been disruptive to the school's reputation. I've already filed the paperwork."
Mike chuckled, pulling out his phone. "Well, let's see who gets expelled first."
The advisor's expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?"
Mike ignored him and typed out a quick message: "Now's a good time to meet. I'm on the athletics field."
Moments later, his phone buzzed with a reply. "On my way."
Ten minutes later, a black car pulled up to the field. Out stepped a sharply dressed man—none other than Henry Zhou, a high-ranking official from the local education board. The crowd fell silent as Henry approached Mike with a warm smile.
"Mr. Carter," Henry said, extending a hand. "It's an honor to finally meet you."
The advisor's jaw dropped. "Mr. Zhou, what are you doing here?"
Henry glanced at the advisor, his smile fading. "I'm here to discuss some recent investments Mr. Carter has made in the education sector. It seems there's been some confusion about his role at this institution."
Mike crossed his arms, his voice calm but firm. "You were saying something about expelling me?"
The advisor stammered, sweat forming on his brow. "I… I think there's been a misunderstanding."
Henry's gaze hardened. "I suggest you rethink your position, sir. Mr. Carter is a valued supporter of this institution. If anyone's behavior warrants review, it's yours."
The crowd erupted into whispers as the power dynamic shifted dramatically. Mike stood tall, his confidence unshaken.
"Like I said," he murmured. "Let's see who gets expelled first."