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“Stop right there.” Tony pushed his chair back. “My wife and I paid for Megan’s overseas trip and I can prove that with little problem.”

“Allegation number three, it is alleged—”

“That is garbage!” Megan’s voice rang out over the table as she jumped to her feet and her chair fell back against the wall. She ignored the glares from the men sitting across the table. “It’s a pack of lies. Absolute lies.”

“Please sit down, Miss Miller. Once more and we will close the meeting.”

What the hell were they on about?

Tony’s hand on her arm brought Megan back to a semblance of calm. The room was spinning and a red haze filled her vision. She swallowed the nausea that was building in her chest and closed her eyes for a second to regain her balance.

Opening her eyes, she turned to the vice-chancellor and lowered her voice.

“Professor Devine, I apologise for my outburst. However, none of this is true. There can’t be any evidence because it’s simply not true.” Megan fought to stop the trembling of her chin. “This is the first I have heard of such…lies. And that is the reason I haven’t responded.”

“Please wait till the allegations are read in their entirety, Miss Miller.”

“There’s more?”

Tony reached over and held her hand as twelve more allegations of inappropriate behavior were levelled against her. Allegations of misappropriation of funds, inappropriate relationships with students, fudging marks, impolite interactions with staff and the list went on…and on.

And there was more to come. The final allegation that she had plagiarised material for her doctorate finally brought her undone.

“You cannot be bloody serious?” Megan slammed her hands on the table and her water glass went flying. She stood and watched, bemused as water trickled across the table towards the vice chancellor. Before the water reached his papers, he snatched them off the table, and then gestured to the man beside him to deal with the mess.

A surreal feeling washed over Megan as she watched the water drip from the table.

Drip by drip. Almost in slow motion. She wanted to pinch herself.

Am I dreaming? Nothing that had been said was anywhere near the truth. The only person in the sociology department she’d ever had words with was another lecturer and—

Of course. That was it!

“Greg Cannon. It was Greg Cannon, wasn’t it?” Certainty overtook her disbelief and she squared her shoulders as the water was mopped up from the table with paper towel. “He has been doing everything he can to make me look bad in meetings because he wanted the promotion that I’m in line for. He was upset when I was appointed to the relieving position. It’s Greg Cannon who has made these vexatious allegations!”

“Miss Miller, this is your last warning. Please sit down immediately or this meeting will conclude now.” The vice chancellor glared at her. “We have documentary evidence of your wrongdoing and your most unprofessional behavior today is simply confirming that the allegations are correct.”

Tony pulled her back down into her chair and leaned across to whisper in her ear. “Calm down, Meg. We’ll sort this out. You’re not doing yourself any favours by reacting like this.”

The voices and the horrid words droned around her for another five minutes until the final words of the vice-chancellor caught her attention.

“All allegations have been upheld. The other parties involved have been interviewed and there is incontrovertible evidence of guilt.” The vice-chancellor stood and looked down at Megan. “Miss Miller, you are hereby dismissed from your temporary contract at North Shore University and will be escorted from the premises immediately.”

As Megan’s world fell to pieces around her, one of the other men who she hadn’t recognised stood and came around to stand behind her.

“Security will accompany you to your office while you collect your belongings.”

“Don’t I get to speak? Why don’t I get interviewed? I need to show you all of this is untrue.” Megan knew her voice was rising to a screech but her absolute distress— and the unfairness and untruth— of the allegations was drowning her. She knew the tears rolling down her cheeks would be seen as an admission of guilt but she couldn’t stop them. It was as though she was in a parallel universe watching from outside of reality. “I can answer any questions that you’ve got. Ask me, I’ll answer anything now.”

Her trip to London was the least of her worries at the moment. She had to get out of this mess. It was ironic; Megan knew her ethics were of the highest standard. She was so honest, she didn’t even take the reams of photocopy paper out of the cupboard without getting permission from ‘Cankle Nancy’, let alone fudge marks or take a bribe. The allegations were ridiculous and anyone who knew her would know that.

Her heart sank as she thought of the rest of the staff. Nancy seemed to know all about his. How many other people in the university had heard these stories and believed them?

“You now have a seven day appeal period, Miss Miller. This meeting is concluded and a transcript of the minutes will be sent to your home address. “Your access to the university network, and your email account, have been withdrawn.”

Tony took her arm and led her from the room, followed by the security man. Beth waited in the foyer and her face was blurred as Megan looked at her through tears.

“Beth, this can’t be happening?” Megan put shaking hands over her face as she choked back another sob. “This is so not true.”