I reached the podium, handed Dean Whitfield the sealed envelope, and waited. Inside was the university’s final academic-integrity determination clearing me of every allegation, along with a summary from the digital-forensics review. Investigators had found that the supposed messages showing me purchasing exam answers had been altered. Timestamps did not match university records, portions of the screenshots had been edited, and the anonymous submission had been connected to evidence investigators were already reviewing. The image showing the distinctive burn on Bianca’s hand was only one piece of that case. I had known for weeks that I was graduating with my scholarship, fellowship, and job offer restored.
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