Chapter One: The Echo of the Accusation
In the quiet school with long windows and muddy courtyards, Asher Lee, a 27-year-old man, worked as a librarian at the academy—loved by some students and pupils.
Asher didn't socialize much. He was known for his warm smile, calm gaze, and measured words. He sat in his wooden corner amidst old books, arranging the shelves himself, always carrying a small notebook in his hand...
He wasn't the type to attract attention, but he was a silent anchor in the lives of many students—especially Mary, a second-year high school student who suffered from domestic abuse. Yet Asher never treated her with disgust; instead, he always tried to comfort and support her.
Until that day happened.
One day, Maria sat in the library as usual beside Asher. She suddenly had an outburst and pushed the books off the table. Asher gently held her shoulder and whispered:
"Are you okay? It's okay to cry here."
But that moment of touch… was the beginning of the end.
The next day, Asher was summoned to the principal's office.
There, the school principal sat with hesitant eyes, and beside him was Mary's mother, holding a document. But Asher managed to read the words on the paper: "Protecting Girls from Harassment."
"Asher... we're sorry to inform you there's been a report. The student Mary says you touched her inappropriately."
The words hit him like blocks of ice.
"That's… impossible. I didn't touch anyone. No way."
But no one was listening.
"You'll be suspended for two weeks," the principal said angrily.
Asher tried to speak, but no one would even listen before he was suspended for two weeks.
Once Asher completed the two weeks, he thought the matter had ended. But his instinct was right—it was far from over.
Within days, everything changed.
Students started avoiding him.
Teachers began greeting him coldly.
Small rumors started spreading through the school's internal app:
"I heard he was spying on girls through the back camera!"
"Mary said he tried to hold her hand pretending he was helping with research."
No one asked him. No one gave him a chance to explain.
Worse still… a fake account posted a doctored photo of him beside a woman he didn't even know.
Within a week, no one dared to enter the library anymore.
Maria—the one who knew the truth—remained silent.
The days passed slowly, and the bullying increased, with students throwing rotten food in front of the library and writing obscene words on the door.
In the week following his suspension, Asher thought maybe people had forgotten, or perhaps forgiven him.
But the opposite happened.
"Did you feel her crying?"
"The library = the wolf's den."
On Wednesday, as he was heading to the archive room, two students approached him, one secretly recording with a phone.
The other yelled:
"Say to the camera that you're not a creep, and we'll post it on the 'Perfect Teachers' account!"
Students gathered around him, as if they were waiting for him to collapse. To break. To confess a crime he never committed.
But he said nothing.
He simply closed the door behind him, sat on the wooden chair, took a deep breath… then wrote in his notebook:
"Maybe I should resign."
Before he could even finish the sentence, police officers arrived at the school.
Before they opened the library door, they said:
"Asher Lee? We need you to come with us for questioning."
The students were stunned and gathered around as Asher was led out of the school in handcuffs. One student took a picture. Just one… but it was enough to destroy what was left of his dignity.
He didn't scream or resist. His face was simply pale.
The same questions.
Five hours of staring into faces treating him like a criminal until proven otherwise.
Papers, footage, camera recordings.
Eventually, the investigators confirmed two things:
There was no solid evidence. The photos were merely fake and fabricated.
The investigator said:
"We apologize, Mr. Asher. The charges have been dropped. You're free to go."
But Asher didn't smile. He didn't thank them.
He knew full well—freedom means nothing when your reputation has already been executed publicly.
He returned home exhausted, holding the documents that proved the charges were dropped.
The next morning, he came back to school.
He stood at the principal's door and asked to see him.
He entered the office and sat silently.
Took a carefully folded paper out of his coat.
Placed it on the table.
"My resignation."
The principal didn't look at him. He only sighed.
"I'm sorry for what happened, Asher. We can't control everything..."
"There's no need to control anything," Asher said tiredly.
He stood up, then turned to leave. But... a moment.
A Small Hand on His
Before he could turn around to see who it was, Mary was standing there.
She said nothing.
She only extended her small hand and gripped Asher's tightly.
Her hand was trembling.
Her eyes… full of tears.
Asher's steps froze at the threshold of the principal's office. He never expected to see Mary again—especially after everything that had happened.
His hand was in the grip of the girl who lied, destroyed his life, and made him go through this hell.
He looked at her trembling hand, and at her teary eyes. There was a heavy silence in the air, then Mary spoke in a low voice—almost a whisper:
"I… I'm so sorry, Mr. Asher."
Those simple words, which Asher had waited months to hear, now meant nothing. They were just empty sounds.
"I'm willing to do anything..." Mary continued, trying to hold his hand tighter, "anything to make things go back to how they were."
Those words were enough to provoke a cold laugh, before Asher spoke sarcastically:
"You never stop saying funny things."
Mary's face was pale, her eyes filled with tears—but Asher didn't care.
"I only made one mistake, Mary," Asher said, staring straight into her eyes.
"My mistake was deciding to get to know you."
He let go of her hand and slowly walked away, leaving her standing in the hallway.
But Asher's mind was focused on one thing:
"Who the hell posted that photo?" he said angrily.
Mary's words were not enough. Her apology wasn't a cure. It would've been better if she had remained silent.
Asher left the school, holding nothing in his hand but his notebook...
He sat in a small café, flipped his phone, and started searching—one by one—through student accounts, private groups, and even image files.
Finally… he found the forgotten comment under the doctored photo posted the day he was arrested. It was from a fake account. But the account was linked to an official administrative email.
He cracked the link.
His heart skipped a beat.
The email belonged to... the school principal.
And he wasn't alone.
After careful investigation, he found traces of another account tied to a suspicious address:
It was Mary's mother.
Asher stood up, shaking.
Not from fear—but from rage.
The rage that Asher had buried deep inside… had finally erupted like a volcano.
"Why? Why did you destroy my life? Why did you do this?"
He wanted an answer. No justifications. No tears.
Just the truth.
He decided to confront the principal first.
He left the café, heading back to the school.
The sky was dark, snow began to fall heavily.
Pedestrians were walking fast, and the sky was fully covered in gloom.
Midway across a narrow bridge over a highway, with the wind slapping his face, his phone rang.
A new email.
From:[email protected]
Content:
"...."
Before Asher could even read the message, he felt a sudden headache—then collapsed violently to the ground.
End of Chapter.
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Of course, if you don't like the beginning of the story, there is no need to be angry because everything is in the coming chapters.