His Untold Lies

Chapter 28 Unexpected Confession

As they stepped into the dean's office, they were met with a chilly atmosphere. The dean was conspicuously absent from her desk, leaving the room empty. The guards instructed them to take a seat and behave while awaiting the dean's return. One guard departed to resume his duties, while the other remained behind to watch over them.

The two refrained from conversing or exchanging glances. They busied themselves with their phones, sitting in silence. It was an unavoidable void, a silence so profound it created its own distinctive sound. They panted for breath after their altercation, their labored breathing breaking the stillness. With no other competing sounds, the most audible noise was the resounding absence of noise itself.

After what felt like an eternity, the door finally swung open, and the dean entered with a bento box that appeared freshly acquired. She made her way to her chair and settled in comfortably.

Before she began speaking, she took a deep breath. "I received a report that the two of you had a fight in the cafeteria while everyone was enjoying their lunch. You disrupted not only their meal but mine as well. Since you've interrupted my peaceful lunch today, I expect a clear account of how this fight began."

"Kianna initiated it, Dean! She just pulled my hair for no reason!" Asteria accused, placing blame on Kianna.

"What are you saying? Everyone in the cafeteria witnessed your actions, Asteria. Don't try to play the victim here because you're not."

Both of them fell silent when the dean slammed her desk in anger. "Silence! I requested a clear description of the incident, not a brawl in my office! This is a university, not a boxing ring for the two of you!"

"But Dean... I'm telling the truth. Kianna really started it. I was just defending myself-" Asteria began.

"Do you honestly believe anyone will buy your falsehoods? Enough, Asteria! Speak the truth, and perhaps that will be a step toward forgiveness for your past transgressions."

"That's enough! I'll call your parents, and both of you will explain everything when they arrive," the dean declared, picking up her phone to contact Mr. Saavedra. It took two attempts before their father answered.

"Hello, Mr. Saavedra?"

[Yes, who is this?]

"This is the Dean of the University of Cavite, and I would like to invite you to come to the school-"

[Oh, may I ask why? I'm quite busy at the moment, and I'm not sure if I can make it.]

"I'm afraid I must inform you that you need to come. Your daughters caused a disturbance in our cafeteria this afternoon, affecting our other students."

[I see, I'll be there...]

***Call ended***

"Will Daddy come?" Asteria innocently inquired.

"Yes, he will, and I expect both of you to behave while we wait for him. Prepare your statements, as I don't want any fabricated stories from either of you," the dean instructed.

It took more than an hour for their father and his wife to arrive. The dean welcomed them and offered tea, but they declined.

"It appears we're ready to begin. I apologize for the sudden call, Mr. and Mrs. Saavedra, but we need to address this issue promptly to prevent any further disturbances involving my students. I've called you here to help resolve your daughter's personal matters. Let's proceed."

"Wait, can't we just let them go to their classes and handle this at home? After all, you mentioned it's our daughter's personal issue," Mr. Saavedra suggested.

"Well, you are correct, Mr. Saavedra, but as you can see, their altercation occurred on university premises, so it's our responsibility to address it immediately to prevent any impact on other students."

Their father sighed heavily, a mix of embarrassment and disappointment. "Tell us what happened," he ordered, looking sternly at both of them.

"Daddy, I already told the dean that Kianna started it, but she doesn't believe me..." Asteria expressed her frustration.

"Okay, Asteria, please tell us what happened," her mother requested.

"No, can we pause for a moment? I don't want to hear your daughter's lies anymore. I'm tired of it. Dean, may I request permission to review the CCTV footage from the cafeteria this morning? Cameras don't lie, right?" Kianna asserted.

"You're correct, Kianna. Very well, let's go to the CCTV surveillance office," the dean agreed, prompting everyone to follow her.

...

**CCTV Surveillance Office**

Asteria appeared anxious as the guard reviewed the footage. Kianna leaned against a wall, waiting for them to view the events of the morning.

"I've found it. Here it is, Ma'am."

"Can you rewind to the very beginning before they approached each other?"

"Of course, Ma'am."

After watching the footage, the dean remained expressionless. Asteria nervously swallowed. Her mother could only support her husband in trying to keep his composure.

"How will you explain everything we've seen, Ms. Asteria Dayle Saavedra?" the dean inquired.

"You've all misunderstood everything! I was walking to buy something in the cafeteria when she suddenly called me a slut. When I heard it, I approached her and asked her about it, but she denied it, Mom... then... then that's when everything started. I slapped her because I was so angry that she called me a slut for no reason-"

"Liar!"

"Liar," Kianna said, accompanied by an unfamiliar voice from outside. The door opened, and a guy wearing a hoodie entered the room.

"Why are you here, Mr. Ramirez?" the dean asked sternly.

"I'm here to confirm that Ms. Asteria was the one who caused all the disturbance in the cafeteria earlier," Nate asserted.

"What do you mean, confirm? You're only saying that because Kianna is your rumored girlfriend, or maybe it's not a rumor at all!" Asteria exclaimed, defending herself against Nate's accusation.

"Yes, you're absolutely right, I have feelings for Kianna Myst Saavedra. That's why I won't stand by and let you mistreat her, blaming her for your immature behavior," Nate declared as he approached the dean. "Here's a video of what happened earlier. You can see that Miaree approached Kianna and said hurtful things to her."

The dean inquired with curiosity, "Why do you have this video, Mr. Ramirez?"

"As I mentioned earlier, I have feelings for Ms. Kianna Myst Saavedra, so while she was having lunch, I discreetly filmed her without her knowledge. I've admired her from a distance, although I realize that may seem a bit intrusive. I'd like to sincerely apologize for my actions," Nate explained.

A pause hung in the air as Kianna fixed her gaze on Nate. Time seemed to slow down, and Kianna stood still, unable to hear clearly as everything sounded muffled.

"Alright, it seems we've resolved this issue. Ms. Asteria, I'm deeply disappointed by your actions. You even dared to lie in front of me, the dean of this university, and to your own parents. Mr. and Mrs. Saavedra, I regret to inform you that our school doesn't tolerate bullying. I will discipline your daughter, Asteria, in accordance with our university rules. Bullying is a serious offense, Ms. Asteria Dayle Saavedra. As per our regulations, students who engage in bullying will face expulsion from this university. I hope you'll learn from this mistake, Ms. Asteria. Mr. and Mrs. Saavedra, and you, Asteria Dayle Saavedra, I'd like to meet with all of you in my office to discuss this matter further," the dean stated before leaving the room.

Mr. Saavedra's expression revealed his disappointment in his daughter. "I didn't raise you to behave like this! You've brought shame to our family!" Her father angrily remarked and left the surveillance office.

Asteria, glaring at Kianna, stopped herself from approaching her. "I'm not finished with you," she said before exiting the room with her mother.

Kianna let out a deep sigh, stretched her neck, and picked up her bag. She looked at Nate and began to approach him. Nate turned to face her, curiosity in his eyes.

"Thank you for helping me. If it weren't for you, Asteria might have convinced everyone here with her lies."

"Don't mention it. I just wanted to assist you," Nate replied.