“Ms. Williams, may you have many more birthdays to come.”

I stared blankly at the cake and replied simply, “Thank you.”

Vivian then mentioned that there was a surprise waiting for me.

The admission notices had arrived, all delivered by a courier standing at the door.

When the packages were brought in, the school boards seemed even more excited than the students.

This class had not only achieved the best results I’d ever seen, but they had also broken the school’s record.

However, once the students opened the envelopes and pulled out the admission letters, the expressions of the school boards began to shift.

They quickly stood up to check them one by one, only to find they were all from the same, unfamiliar university.

Vivian gave me a gentle, forced smile.

“Ms. Williams, this is the birthday gift we prepared for you. As you wished, the entire class was admitted to Ridgeway University.”

I had already suspected the outcome, but I hadn’t expected them to actually follow through.

Seeing the identical admission letters in their hands, it was as if they had taken all their years of hard work and burned them to ashes.

As if they had personally buried their futures.

Even if they hated me, this was madness.

“As your homeroom teacher, I just want to ask you one thing. Is this really worth it?”

Vivian answered calmly, “Ms. Williams, what are you talking about? Weren’t you the one who told us to apply to Ridgeway University?”

“You said it was a newly established 211 university with a strong faculty and bright prospects.”

“Nonsense!” Greg suddenly snapped.

He had looked into Ridgeway University and discovered it was nothing more than a scam.

Not even a legitimate third-tier institution. And yet the entire class had applied there?

His fury was about to boil over.

Once the truth was revealed, the room descended into chaos.

Some of the parents became hysterical, accusing me of destroying their children’s futures.

I asked, “Vivian, when did I ever tell you to apply to Ridgeway University?”

I refused to be baited this time without evidence.

Besides, I had never advised them on their futures, not once.

But Vivian replied smoothly, “Ms. Williams, didn’t you tell us last time that Ridgeway University was the best choice?”

“The principal was there too. Are you going to deny it?”

The other students erupted into theatrical sobs.

They knew exactly what they were doing, yet played the part of helpless victims.

They hurled insults at me, saying I wasn’t fit to be a teacher.

Their plan had been flawless.

From the setup to the execution, every step had gone off without a hitch.

Some students had even secretly started a livestream.

The title had already been prepared.

[Teacher Manipulates Students into Enrolling at Unaccredited School, Sparking Outrage.]

In just a few minutes, the stream had tens of thousands of viewers.

All eyes turned to Greg.

He looked shaken, but tried to remember.

I said, “Mr. Dawson, you were present. You know I didn’t give any advice.”

“I didn’t hear you say anything, but I can’t confirm what you might’ve said before I arrived.”

The entire class applying to a fake university was a scandal that could taint the school’s reputation forever.

No matter what stance the leadership took, the fallout would land squarely on me.

Meanwhile, Vice-class monitor, Sophie, stood up.

“Ms. Wiliams, are you trying to shirk responsibility?”

“Give me back my life!”

“I was counting on getting into a 211 university. Now what am I supposed to do? My family’s efforts over the past three years were all for nothing!”

“My mom sold our house to buy an apartment near the school so she could accompany me during the exam. How am I supposed to explain this to her?”

“Witch! Ms. Williams is an evil witch!”

The curses intensified, once again putting me in the spotlight.

But this time, I remained calm.

Unlike my past life, I didn’t panic.

I looked at these little monsters and asked, “You have no evidence, yet you accuse me of misleading you into applying to Ridgeway University?”

“Who says we have no evidence?”

Vivian’s lips curled into a cold smile.

She turned on the projector and mirrored her phone screen.

The video showed me standing at the lectern, introducing Ridgeway University with vivid enthusiasm.

“Some students wanted to capture their final high school moments and secretly recorded this,” she explained.

“Without this video, we’d never be able to clear our names.”

With Vivian’s testimony, the class’s support and this video, it was as if a verdict had already been reached.

The parents were furious, demanding I be permanently barred from teaching.

Even the school boards, trying to mediate, felt embarrassed.

They had never imagined a teacher could be so cruel.

But I stood my ground. “This video was generated by AI, wasn’t it?”

“I may not be tech-savvy, but I understand enough.”

Pointing to the screen, I said, “At 3 minutes and 17 seconds, my face distorts. Didn’t anyone notice?”

Vivian’s expression shifted slightly.

She frowned and asked coldly, “Then what do you think we’re trying to achieve by doing this?”

“Exactly,” I echoed. “What are you trying to achieve?”

The school officials exchanged glances, wanting to hear the answer too.

“You’re trying to vent the resentment you’ve held toward me for the past three years,” I said plainly.

“I thought my methods were noble, but to you, they were harsh. This is your revenge.”

My words stunned everyone into silence.

Even if no one believed me, I said it anyway.

Vivian glared at me, her gaze icy, while the other students stared in shock.

There were 46 students in my class.

One-third came from poor families and I visited them regularly each month.

I brought food, helped financially and ensured their safety.

If anyone didn’t show up, I’d call immediately. I protected each one like my own.

Was that kind of education wrong?

Before I died in my previous life, I had wrestled with that question countless times.

“What?! Ms. Claire, aren’t you underestimating us?”

“Yes, Miss. We loved you and obeyed you, yet this is how you treat us?”

“I swear, I’ve never held any resentment toward Ms. Claire,” one of them claimed.

Then Vivian raised her hand and vowed, “If I’m lying, may my entire family meet a terrible end!”

I sneered inside.

If such oaths worked, how many people in this world would die every day?

It was just another performance.

And in the eyes of outsiders, as their homeroom teacher, I could not escape blame no matter how things unfolded.

Finally, someone from the school suggested a formal investigation.

But the parents wouldn’t back down.

If this hadn’t been a public setting, they would’ve likely assaulted me then and there.

To calm the situation, the school made a temporary promise, I would be suspended immediately.

And if the accusations proved true, my teaching license would be permanently revoked.

Vivian turned her back to the others and flashed a triumphant smile at me.

Silently, I took out my phone and played the recording from that day.