"Do you really want to drag this out until your reputation is in ruins? Will that make you happy?"
I stared into his eyes. They once reflected my image. Now all I saw was disgust.
I let out a bitter laugh.
"Fabian, you started this."
"Unless you return my paper to me—"
"I will pursue this to the end and nail both of you thieves to the pillar of academic shame."
Fabian's expression didn't change. He watched me with calm detachment.
As if he was certain.
That I was all bark and no bite.
"Fabian, you've been a university professor for ten years. You should know better than anyone what happens to people who commit academic fraud."
"You wouldn't dare."
His face shifted slightly.
He gripped my wrist harder, speaking through clenched teeth.
"Go ahead and say whatever you want. I run the entire Research Center now. I'd like to see who would believe you."
"Whether they believe me isn't up to you."
I shook him off and pulled a stack of documents from the drawer, throwing them down in front of him.