So did Jake Morrison and Ashley Park. Three witnesses, all suddenly unavailable. Aaliyah felt a cold knot forming in her stomach. "That's not a coincidence. It gets worse," Nia continued.
"I found Sarah at the coffee shop near her dorm. She looked terrified when she saw me coming. She kept saying she didn't want any trouble, that she couldn't afford to get involved." Marcus leaned forward. "Did she say why?" "Eventually." Nia's voice was grim. Grayson cornered her after lunch, told her she'd better think carefully before she ruined her future over someone like Aaliyah.
Said her work study position in the admissions office could disappear if she made the wrong choice. Reminded her that her recommendation letters for graduate school come from professors who respect influential families. He threatened her job and her future. Aaliyah said quietly. That's not all.
Nia said. Sarah heard him having similar conversations with other witnesses. He's systematically intimidating everyone who saw what really happened. Marcus stood up abruptly, his hands clenched into fists. This is deliberate witness tampering.
We need to document everything, Aaliyah said, forcing herself to remain calm. Every name, every threat, every detail Sarah can remember. I already started. Nia pulled out her phone. Sarah gave me a list of who she saw talking to Grayson.
Jake Morrison, Ashley Park, David Kim, Jessica Torres. All of them were scheduled for interviews today. Marcus paced in front of the bench. This is exactly how privileged students get away with things. They don't just lie about what happened.
They make sure nobody else can tell the truth. But they made a mistake. Aaliyah pointed out. Sarah talked to you. She's scared, but she's not completely silenced yet.
Nia said darkly. Give Grayson time. He'll find a way to pressure her into staying quiet permanently. They spent the next hour documenting everything Sarah had told Nia, including specific quotes from Grayson's threats and the names of other students he had approached. Marcus insisted on precise times and locations for each incident.
This pattern of intimidation is going to be crucial, he explained. It proves Grayson knows his original story won't hold up under scrutiny. As evening approached, Aaliyah returned to her dorm room, feeling exhausted. The day had revealed just how far Grayson was willing to go to protect himself. His father's influence might shield him from immediate consequences, but his desperation was creating new evidence of his guilt.
She was reviewing her notes when she noticed the white paper that had been slipped under her door. No envelope, no signature, just a single page of university disciplinary policy with one section highlighted in bright yellow. The highlighted text read, "Students with specialized training in combat sports, martial arts, or other fighting disciplines bear heightened responsibility for avoiding physical confrontations, and may be subject to enhanced penalties for any use of force deemed excessive given their advanced capabilities." The message was clear. Even if she proved Grayson had initiated the confrontation, they could still claim her martial arts training made her response excessive. Instead of panic, Aaliyah felt cold determination.
She photographed the paper from multiple angles, then sealed it carefully in an envelope. This anonymous threat would join the growing pile of evidence, showing exactly how desperate Grayson and his supporters had become. Marcus's office smelled like coffee and old books. Papers covered every surface. File cabinets lined the walls.
Aaliyah sat across from his desk while Nia paced near the window. "Show me what you found," Marcus said. Aaliyah handed him the anonymous document. The highlighted section glowed under his desk lamp. Marcus read it twice, his jaw tightening with each word.
This is targeted intimidation, he said. Someone wants you to know they're building a case against your martial arts background. Can they actually use that against me? Aaliyah asked. They'll try.
Marcus set the paper down carefully. But this feels desperate, like they know their original story is falling apart. He turned to his computer and began typing. I've been thinking about something all night. Grayson's behavior toward you wasn't random.
The systematic harassment, the public humiliation, the way he cornered you with witnesses, it felt practiced. What do you mean? Nia stopped pacing. I mean, I think he's done this before. Marcus clicked through several screens.
As a university employee, I have access to internal conduct records. Nothing confidential, just basic logs of complaints and outcomes. The search results filled his screen. Marcus scrolled down, his eyes scanning dates and case numbers. Then he stopped.
Here, he said, Grayson Vale mentioned in a complaint from 2 years ago. Case closed before formal hearing. Aaliyah leaned forward. What was the complaint about? Marcus clicked on the file.
His face went pale as he read. A scholarship student named Maria Santos reported that Grayson and three friends cornered her outside the library. They mocked her accent, told her she didn't belong at Hartwell, and when she tried to leave, they blocked her path while other students watched. "That sounds exactly like what he did to me." Aaliyah said, "It gets worse." Marcus scrolled down. Maria says they followed her for weeks afterward, made comments in class, spread rumors about her grades.
When she finally complained, she was told the incident was, "He said," she said, without clear evidence of misconduct. Nia sat down hard in the chair beside Aaliyah. "What happened to her?" "Case withdrawn." Maria requested to drop the complaint 3 weeks after filing it. Marcus's voice was grim, but look at who signed off on closing the file. He pointed to a name at the bottom of the screen.
Dr. Patricia Weston, associate dean of student conduct, the same administrator currently handling Aaliyah's disciplinary case. She buried it, Aaliyah said. Let me check something else. Marcus opened another search window. This time he looked for any mention of Victor Vale in university correspondence.