Chapter 10 - The Hearing
They Wanted Me Expelled
The investigation became public.
Within a day, headlines appeared.
CADET ACCUSED OF SECURITY VIOLATION.
GRADUATION HONOR UNDER REVIEW.
MILITARY ACADEMY INVESTIGATES TOP STUDENT.
My name was everywhere.
The same family that had never wanted anyone to notice me was suddenly desperate to speak on my behalf.
Sandra gave an interview.
“Emma is emotionally unstable,” she said.
Brooke refused to comment.
My father was missing.
Colonel Voss was suspended.
And headquarters ordered a formal hearing.
I walked into the hearing room alone.
General Grant sat behind the panel.
Three senior officers.
Two civilian legal representatives.
One empty chair reserved for my father.
The prosecutor stood.
“Cadet Lawson, did you access restricted academy databases?”
“No.”
“Have you ever used another officer's credentials?”
“No.”
“Were you aware your father had military connections?”
“No.”
“Did you know your mother was alive?”
“No.”
The prosecutor paused.
“Did your family have motive to manipulate your academic standing?”
I looked at him.
“I don't know.”
“Did you receive special treatment from General Grant?”
“No.”
“Why were senior officers personally attending your graduation?”
I hesitated.
“Because they believed I had earned it.”
The prosecutor smiled.
“Or because of your father's influence?”
The room went silent.
I felt the old humiliation returning.
Then General Grant spoke.
“Objection.”
The prosecutor continued.
“Cadet Lawson, isn't it true your father arranged opportunities for you?”
“No.”
“Isn't it true Colonel Voss personally reviewed your evaluations?”
“Yes.”
“So there was favoritism.”
“No.”
“You can't prove that.”
“I can prove my grades.”
He pushed the transcript forward.
“Grades can be manipulated.”
Then he placed another document on the table.
A transfer log.
It showed my credentials had accessed restricted files.
My heart sank.
“This is not mine.”
“Then whose is it?”
“I don't know.”
The prosecutor looked toward the panel.
“Cadet Lawson has no explanation.”
Then the doors opened.
An officer entered.
He whispered something to General Grant.
Grant stood.
“Stop the hearing.”
The prosecutor protested.
“General…”
“We found the missing server.”
Every person in the room went still.
The server had been hidden in Colonel Voss's private office.
The forensic team had recovered deleted footage.
Grant connected the screen.
The video showed Voss entering the records room.
Then another person appeared.
Sandra.
She handed him a device.
My stepmother.
I looked at the screen in disbelief.
The prosecutor lowered his head.
Grant played the audio.
Sandra's voice was clear.
“She has to lose the award.”
Voss answered.
“Not enough.”
“Then what?”
“Make them question her loyalty.”
“Can you do that?”
“I already have.”
The recording ended.
I looked at Sandra.
She was sitting in the back of the room.
She couldn't look at me.
The panel dismissed the charges.
Then another document appeared.
This one had been signed by my father.
It revoked Sandra's access to every Lawson family account.
And granted control of his company to me.
I stared at the page.
“What is this?”
General Grant answered.
“Your father knew this would happen.”
My hands shook.
“And he left his company to me?”
“Not just the company.”
He handed me another envelope.
“This arrived from your father an hour ago.”
Inside was one sentence.
Emma, when they try to give you everything, ask yourself what they are trying to take.
I looked at Grant.
“What does that mean?”
He stared toward the closed hearing-room doors.
“Because your father didn't leave you his company for the money.”
“Then why?”
Grant lowered his voice.
May you like
“Because the company contains the evidence we need.”
And somewhere in that company was the name of the person who had ordered everything.
