Being Dumped by My EX, I Marriied His Older Brother-Chapter 30: With Me Here, Who Dares Accuse Her of Donation Fraud?
"This has nothing to do with you." Nina Thorne shook his hand off.
She tried to leave, but Cole Kane wrapped an arm around her.
Cole Kane’s handsome face was etched with impatience. "Nina Thorne, do you really have to keep making a scene?"
"Cole Kane, everyone says I’ve been pestering you for years, that wanting to be your girlfriend was a pipe dream."
Nina Thorne sneered, "So now that I have a boyfriend, what are you so worked up about?"
Cole Kane’s expression darkened, but he said nothing.
"Cole, the fundraiser is about to start. We should go over so we don’t hold everyone up," Serena Kane said, quickly tugging on Cole Kane’s arm.
At her words, the other alumni chimed in with their agreement.
Principal Tate also tried to smooth things over. "It’s a rare occasion for everyone to make time to come back for the university. Let’s not ruin the atmosphere. Shall we all head over?"
Since Principal Tate had spoken, everyone listened and began to disperse.
Cole Kane shot Nina Thorne a look and said in a low voice, "We’ll talk about this later."
Cole Kane led Serena Kane inside, with Corinne Kerr following behind them.
Nina Thorne didn’t want to stay any longer and was about to leave with Macy Lynch, but Principal Tate insisted they stay.
They had always respected Principal Tate, so they finally agreed to stay. They deliberately avoided Cole Kane’s group and found a place to sit.
The fundraiser was an event held by Sylport U’s elite alumni to give back to the university.
Justin Kane was also a Sylport U alumnus. If he came today, he would be the center of attention.
Nina Thorne didn’t know if he would rush back to attend. They hadn’t been in much contact over the past two days and hadn’t talked about it.
After a moment’s thought, she sent him a text: *The fundraiser has started. Are you back yet?*
「Meanwhile, in the car.」
Justin Kane was rushing toward the university. Assistant Cheney had just finished reporting to him about Nina Thorne’s situation at the fundraiser.
His expression was grim after listening, but when he suddenly received Nina Thorne’s text, the iciness in his eyes instantly melted away.
After a long moment, he asked in a deep voice, "How much longer until we arrive?"
Assistant Cheney replied, "Half an hour."
Justin Kane raised an eyebrow. "Contact the university. I need you to do something for her."
「...」
Seeing that Justin Kane hadn’t replied, Nina Thorne disappointedly put down her phone.
At that moment, the venue erupted in cheers because Cole Kane had generously donated thirty million.
Inevitably, this once again drew a lot of ridicule toward Nina Thorne.
"Cole Kane is now the president of Zephyr, the Kane Group’s most important subsidiary. How could a malicious woman like Nina Thorne ever be worthy of him?"
"A moment ago she was even threatening to call the police. Pfft, who doesn’t know she’s a rich heiress? Even if she did call the police, she’d just use her money to make it all go away in the end."
These whispers reached the ears of Nina Thorne and Macy Lynch.
Macy Lynch was so angry she wanted to curse them out, but Nina Thorne patted her hand, signaling her to calm down.
During her four years of university, Nina Thorne had never bullied a single classmate.
’Just when did I get branded with the reputation of a malicious heiress?’
It started in her freshman year, when she caught Serena Kane bullying a female student from a poor family.
Nina Thorne had protected that student from Serena Kane.
Serena Kane had admitted her mistake, promised to change, and begged her not to tell Cole Kane.
Nina Thorne had agreed.
From then on, Nina Thorne gradually shouldered more and more blame, and within a year, her name was despised by everyone at the university.
At the time, Nina Thorne only had eyes for Cole Kane and couldn’t be bothered with any of it, chasing after him day after day.
Pushing aside her memories, Nina Thorne’s expression remained calm.
’These debts... I’ll settle them all, one by one.’
The fundraiser continued. On the big screen, a scrolling list displayed the names of donors and their contribution amounts.
Only donations over 500,000 would have their names appear on the screen.
Serena Kane donated one million and was praised for being as beautiful as she was kind-hearted.
Not seeing Nina Thorne’s or Macy Lynch’s names, Corinne Kerr took the opportunity to sneer, "And some people call themselves rich young ladies, yet they can’t even bear to part with 500,000."
"Anyone who hangs out with people like that can’t be a good person either. And here I thought that now that a certain someone’s a celebrity, she’d at least remember where she came from. Turns out they’re both just ungrateful wretches."
Corinne Kerr was furious that Macy Lynch had hit her and was eager to kick her while she was down.
Besides, she had Serena Kane backing her up.
With Corinne Kerr taking the lead, others chimed in, making snide remarks at the two of them.
Serena Kane couldn’t have been happier to see Nina Thorne under attack, and she gloated inwardly.
The gazes falling upon Nina Thorne and Macy Lynch were filled with a venomous malice.
In reality, both of them had donated anonymously—three million and one million, respectively.
"Whether you donate a lot or a little, it’s the thought that counts. You’re really going to pick a fight over this?"
Macy Lynch attacked back indiscriminately, "No one said you have to donate just for coming to a fundraiser. Just because you donated, does that mean everyone has to? What about the people who don’t have money? How is what you’re doing any different from guilt-tripping?"
"Did all four years of your university education go to the dogs? All of you are dressed to the nines, but you pull stunts like this. Aren’t you ashamed?"
Macy Lynch’s words instantly shut them up.
But Corinne Kerr was relentless. "Of course, no one would say anything if alumni without money don’t donate. But one of you is a huge star and the other is a rich heiress. Are you telling me you don’t have money either?"
Her words stirred up agreement from others in the crowd, and the focus of their attacks once again fell on Nina Thorne and Macy Lynch.
It was as if they were being deliberately targeted.
Nina Thorne glanced at Serena Kane and instantly understood.
Nina Thorne hadn’t seen Corinne Kerr’s name on the scrolling screen earlier. "Then how much did you donate?"
All eyes swiveled to Corinne Kerr.
Corinne Kerr choked. "I..."
Serena Kane came to her defense. "Corinne comes from an ordinary background and has only been working for a year. To show her support, she still donated 300,000."
"If her 300,000 is a sign of sincerity, then what does that make Macy’s one-million-dollar donation?" As Nina Thorne said this, Macy Lynch pulled up the transaction record on her phone.
The two worked in perfect sync, leaving those with malicious intentions speechless.
Thwarted, Serena Kane gritted her teeth in anger.
Furious, she again incited Corinne Kerr to keep causing trouble for Nina Thorne.
Learning that Nina Thorne had donated three million, Corinne still wouldn’t let it go.
"Nina Thorne, you’re supposed to be a rich heiress, and you only donate three million? Everyone knows the Thorne Family is loaded. How can you be so rich yet so stingy? That’s hilarious," Corinne Kerr shouted, afraid that others wouldn’t hear.
Nina Thorne frowned. ’Corinne Kerr is an idiot, just following Serena Kane’s orders.’
Nina Thorne didn’t want to get entangled in this.
But Macy Lynch couldn’t take it anymore and started laying into Corinne Kerr. Even after chewing her out, she wasn’t satisfied.
"I’ve seen lackeys before, but never one like you—poor and a complete poser! No one would look down on you for being broke, but since you’re broke and still asking to be humiliated, I guess I’ll just have to oblige you today."
Corinne Kerr finally couldn’t take it anymore and looked to Serena Kane for help.
Because of what just happened, Serena Kane didn’t want to step in herself. Instead, she feigned weakness and looked to Cole Kane to intervene.
Cole Kane stood up, looked back at Nina Thorne in the back row, and ordered in a condescending tone, "Don’t be so aggressive. Whether it’s 300,000 or three million, it’s the thought that counts."
Serena Kane weakly chimed in, "That’s right. Besides, Nina Thorne, your family is truly wealthy. Corinne didn’t mean that donating only three million was too little; she just found it a bit strange, that’s all."
Nina Thorne realized that no matter what she did today, she would be targeted.
For some people, even if they’ve done nothing wrong, their very existence is treated as a mistake.
Further talk was pointless. Nina Thorne was about to pull Macy Lynch away to leave, but at that moment, the representative on stage suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Wait... According to the latest tally, the highest donation is three hundred million!"
Everyone was stunned, wondering who the donor could be.
The representative called out a name: "It’s Nina Thorne."
Nina Thorne froze in the middle of pulling Macy Lynch away.
Macy Lynch stared at her, utterly shocked, her eyes asking: *You donated that?*
Nina Thorne shook her head and looked at the stage in astonishment.
’Did someone use my name to make a fraudulent donation?’
Cole Kane demanded, "All your family’s money is controlled by your grandfather. Where did you get that kind of money?"
Serena Kane feigned concern. "Nina Thorne, your family may be rich, but the Thorne Family only gives you one million a month for living expenses. You shouldn’t do this just to prove a point. It would be terrible if people accused you of making a fraudulent donation."
The crowd believed this explanation and shook their heads in disappointment.
"A fraudulent donation?"
Just then, the tall, imposing figure of Justin Kane strode in, his voice cold and solemn. "With me here, who dares say she made a fraudulent donation?"
