Chapter 80: Problem solved!

"Or... are you the thief we’ve all been looking for?"

The room fell into a breathless silence.

"I — Impossible! I probably got it when I was pulling your bag!" Patricia blurted out, but the anxiety in her voice was profound. "That’s right! You did this on purpose to save yourself, didn’t you?"

"That’s right! How could Miss Miller do that?!" Mr. Anderson was quick to rescue. "This must be your plan all along! You want to save yourself by making it appear Miss Miller is trying to blindly accuse you!"

"Come with me, you cunning brat!" Mr. Anderson stormed to Penny and grabbed her arm up. "Do you think something like this will —"

Mr. Anderson stopped when another hand clasped his wrist. "Mr. Anderson, stepping into my class is something I can overlook, but calling my students’ names and even forgetting the teacher’s code is not." Miss Sandford seethed through gritted teeth, trying her best to contain her anger at the reaction Mr. Anderson was showing not just to Penny and Patricia, but also to other students.

"Miss Sandford, I’m trying to help you —"

"Thank you, but no. This is my class, so please, let Penny go." Miss Sandford stressed each syllable. She didn’t threaten him, but her tone was enough to carry the message.

Mr. Anderson’s face turned sour and gazed at Miss Sandford with a spiteful glare before he let Penny go. "Hmph! Miss Sandford, this is clearly this child’s plan. She’s trying to save herself from the situation because she was caught! And her means to do that is unspeakable!"

’You!’ Miss Sandford felt her heart clenched in anger. How could an adult treat a child like this?

"Mr. Anderson, since you still don’t believe me, then should I give you my evidence?" A layer of frost sizzled over Penny’s eyes as she looked up at this pathetic adult.

She would never forget Mr. Anderson because, in a way, he also had a fair share of Penny’s miserable school life. Whenever Penny was accused or if Nina twisted the truth, he was quick to take sides without any interest in knowing the truth. The only interest he had was whose pocket was deeper or whose family was more influential.

"Evidence?!" Mr. Anderson arched a brow while everyone furrowed their brows.

"Penny, do you have evidence to prove your innocence?" Miss Sandford asked, and Penny nodded.

"Teacher, when I got here, I told the headmaster that I used to be picked on in my previous school. Because of that, I was anxious that something like that would happen in here," Penny explained adorably and clearly while walking to her desk.

With carefulness and precision not to get some ink, Penny took out the small box from the drawer. Opening it, she picked up a pen from it and showed them.

"Since Mr. Anderson doesn’t believe me, then I’m glad I put up extra precautions in case something like this happens. Mr. Anderson, this is a recording pen with a tiny camera inside. Should we play it to see who was the real thief?" Penny’s voice rang across the entire classroom with so much clarity and confidence, yet it didn’t carry any arrogance.

Their classmates darted their eyes between her pen and Penny, flabbergasted. Even Nina was momentarily blank at this.

"You’re bringing such things in class?" Patricia harrumphed as she had to save herself if what Penny was saying was true. "Do you know that’s not allowed?! Who knows what you’ve been recording secretly —"

"But we’re allowed to carry phones as long as we don’t use them," Penny retorted calmly. "Can you tell everyone not to carry their phones around because they might be recording some things too? Don’t you carry your phone all the time as well?"

Patricia’s breath hitched as her shaky eyes scanned her classmates. This time, all of them carried this dark look because her argument was lame. She took a step back and quickly cast Mr. Anderson a look. Much to her dismay, Mr. Anderson was also pale.

He was so sure he could turn this around, but with concrete evidence, he would only look biased. ’This fox... she has this all along, but she let us prattle on and on to make us believe she’s the culprit!’

"Penny." Miss Sandford called gently. "How about —"

Just as Miss Sandford spoke, they suddenly heard Mr. Anderson yell.

"Miss Miller!" thanks to Mr. Anderson’s quick reflexes, he was able to catch Patricia’s body before it hit the floor. "Miss Miller! Oh my god! She fainted!"

Mr. Anderson carried Patricia in his arms and glared at Penny. "Penny, if you didn’t steal the necklace, you could’ve said so in the beginning! Miss Miller got too stressed and you wouldn’t even let it go! Look what happened!"

’I did say I didn’t, though.’

"This matter is settled. The necklace is found and whoever put it there probably wants to create discord among students and teachers!" Mr. Anderson quickly continued to keep everything under wraps. "However, this will serve as a warning to everyone! Next time this happens, there will be heavy consequences!"

After saying his piece, Mr. Anderson quickly took Patricia to the infirmary. Miss Sandford panicked a little and jogged to follow them. But before she could leave, she looked back at the class and said,

"Class president, take charge. Answer page 209 in your book! Submit them at the end of the day!"

Having said that, Miss Sandford followed Mr. Anderson because Patricia was also her student. As her homeroom teacher, she had to know if Patricia would be alright.

When they left, all that was heard was this profound silence.

Penny didn’t notice the silence, and she smiled in satisfaction. When she turned, her brows rose because all of her classmates were looking at her.

"Heh." She smiled and gazed at the class president. Taking out a pink handkerchief, she handed it to her. "President, sorry about the ink."

"Oh." the class president snapped back to the current lapse and intuitively accepted Penny’s handkerchief. "It’s okay. It’s part of the role."

Hearing the friendliness in her voice, which was unlike earlier, Penny was pleased.

’Problem solved! Hehe! Good job, self.’ Penny happily took her seat and took out her book to do the activity Miss Sandford left them.

Meanwhile, everyone in class still hadn’t recovered. They kept their eyes fixed on Penny; some even with gaping mouths. After everything that happened in a matter of twenty minutes, Penny didn’t brag or say anything but rather, moved on as if nothing happened.

While the rest were weighing their impression of Penny, Ginnie was utterly in awe. She looked back at Penny with equal shock, admiration, and guilt. If she were the one who was accused, Ginnie would be already at the guidance office. But Penny... not only proved her innocence, but she did it with such confidence and courage.

’I want to be like her too.’