"Professor Riley, can you please remain behind for a moment?"

Eve knew she was likely going to get a talking to for the way she'd handled everything, but she also knew she'd won - and that was enough. The girls and Samantha's father all marched out, noses in the air like they were completely unbothered that their next stop was the advisory department on what other programs were available that the girls could transfer to without delaying their graduation too much.

Take that you stuck up pieces of...

"Eve," Sharon breathed, slumping into her chair behind her desk the moment the door closed, "Listen, I know what they did was wrong... but... girl, you can't cuss students out like that."

The hallway security camera couldn't see much, but it had managed to capture all the audio of everything that had happened in the library last night... including Eve's more colorful language when she faced the girls after their little prank.

It also captured Samantha and the girls plotting the prank, though, which was the final nail in the coffin for all three of them since none of them bothered to write their apology letters.

"You didn't see that boy, Sharon," she sighed, sitting across the desk, "he showed up at my classroom like he'd seen the devil himself. He was terrified for his life. And it's not like it was the first time they'd fucked with him. Their bullying is affecting his grades, and he's a student too. He deserves to be stood up for even though his daddy didn't donate to the school of business."

Serves those punks right, she mentally grumbled, replaying their shitty conversation in the hallway as they talked about Allen like he was gum on the bottom of their shoes.

"I know, I know," Sharon nodded, "which is why you won, in the end. He's going to raise hell, though, Eve. There will be an investigation into your conduct, there will probably be a disciplinary action for unprofessional behavior... you know how this works. You can't act like that with students, even if they probably deserved it."

"Yeah, well, I'm willing to accept the consequences of my actions," Eve shrugged, "just like those little shits will. I lost my cool, but I can't regret it. I will own it, though, and accept whatever happens as a result."

Sharon studied the woman across from her desk, and couldn't help but chuckle. Eve wasn't a young thing anymore, and it was clear the years had sharpened her tongue rather than smoothed out her rough edges. Eve was older than Sharon and probably could have been part of the administration of the school of business years ago if she wanted, but the passion she had for teaching kept her in the classroom.

Sharon admired that about her, honestly. In fact, she admired her for damn near everything she was and had done. Sure, her black curly hair was peppered with grey now, still visible even when she pulled it back into the pony tail she always wore. The creases that had formed at the corners of her eyes and the edges of her permanent scowl stayed even when her lightly tanned face relaxed... but she had the fire of someone half her age.

Hell, she had twice the fire Sharon did and, while she was by no means a spring chicken herself, she was far younger than Eve.

Still... you can't cuss out a bunch of under-graduate students, no matter how much you may want to. Even if you are the most sought-after business consultant and change-management coach in the country.

"I'm sure you'll be hearing from Chris later this week, if not before then," Sharon sighed, shaking her head lightly, "Until then, keep your head down, okay? Try not to stir up any more trouble, if you can manage it."

"Sure," Eve shrugged, "Oh, and I'll be sponsoring Allen effective immediately. His tuition? Covered. His meal plan? Paid. I want all the bills sent to me yesterday. That boy deserves to graduate without the burden of finances added to everything else he's dealing with."

"Okay," Sharon said quietly, her face softening.

It wasn't the first time Eve had sponsored a student, but it never ceased to amaze her how Eve handled things. She knew Allen would be well taken care of, likely long after he graduated, now that Eve had decided to take personal responsibility for the boy.

All or nothing, no in between - that's just how Eve was.

And she had a soft spot for the kids that fought for their place here... kids that reminded her of her.

Everyone knew Eve's backstory despite her best efforts to bury the past. When she started making headlines after the big technology project she did for the biggest hospital network in the country, they'd had a field day with the 'rags to riches' tagline.

Everyone knew she'd been trafficked to feed her family, and rumor was she'd had her sister sent abroad to protect her from the attention when it hit the papers. Even her husband and kids had needed security for a while, if she remembered right.

She'd left her mother to the sharks though, and Sharon didn't blame her one bit for that.

The controversy had nearly cost her the contract she was working on at the time, but in true Eve fashion she overcame that challenge like everything else she'd ever faced. It had all blown over in the end, and she'd even written a book about it all after.

Sharon had read it, but it'd been hard to stomach the story - and she didn't even know Eve yet.

'If it's gonna be out there, I'm going to be the one to capitalize on it,' she had said when Sharon asked her about it, 'I'll be damned if my story makes someone else money.'

The woman was fearless, and it inspired Sharon every day - though she kept that bit to herself. Eve didn't want to be an inspiration, she just wanted to be left alone.

Sharon waved Eve off after they wrapped up a few things, shaking her head at the unshakable woman as she walked out her office door.

"Professor?" Allen's voice drew Eve's gaze as she stepped out of Sharon's office, and she smiled at him softly when he rushed up to her looking far better that he did last night.

"Hey Allen," Eve said gently, giving him a once over, "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired," Allen admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "and embarrassed I fell for something so stupid. I'm sorry about-"

"Absolutely not," Eve interrupted, placing her hand on the boy's shoulder and drawing his gaze back to her, "You did nothing worth apologizing for. The girls that set up the prank have been disciplined, and they won't be bothering you again. You did nothing wrong aside from working so hard you couldn't think rationally under pressure. They're responsible for their own actions."

Allen sighed, his shoulders slumping even as a small blush colored his cheeks.

"I should have known better," he mumbled, scrutinizing his shoes intensely.

"You're working too hard," Eve said gently, studying the young man, "Thankfully your life is about to get a bit easier so you can focus on your studies more and work less. I'm glad to tell you a sponsorship has come through for you, and your tuition, book costs, and other school related fees - including meals - are covered through the sponsorship. The administrator will be getting you more details soon."

Allen stood straight up, staring at Eve with wide eyes and a slack jaw - frozen in pure shock.

"W-what?" he choked, a fine mist building in his eyes.

"Sponsorships come through all the schools," Eve explained carefully, not wanting him to know it was her behind it, "and the students selected are those that show great promise. You'll need to continue to work hard on your studies, and make sure to make good use of this opportunity. It isn't guaranteed success, Allen... it's just a little helping hand that you've earned with the hard work you've put in."

"I promise," he rasped, grabbing her hand like it was a lifeline, "I promise, I-I'll work hard and I-I'll earn it and-"

"I know you will," Eve said with a warm smile, patting his hand gently, "You deserve this opportunity, Allen. Hopefully you can reduce the hours you've been putting in at your jobs, preferably quitting at least one of them. There's no reason you can't keep the bagging job at the grocery store, if you want. But you should consider quitting the café - the hours are too late - and you don't need to do the extra tutoring gig if you don't want to anymore. Focus on your studies going forward, okay?"

"Okay," Allen nodded energetically, even as he was struggling with his emotions, "I will. I'll... work hard. I promise."

"Good," Eve gave him a nod and patted his shoulder, "Now, get to class. You've got a test this afternoon, I believe, and I expect you to nail it."

"Yes ma'am!" Allen said fiercely, turning on his heel and rushing down the hallway with a renewed fire that the bullying had threatened to snuff out.

Eve watched him go, nodding once before walking back to her office. She spent the rest of the day - when she wasn't teaching - arranging for Allen's sponsorship, paying outstanding balances, and ensuring that the rest of his college career was fiscally taken care of. Then, she created a small account and put some funds in it, arranging to have it delivered to him anonymously when he graduated or turned 35 - whichever came first. It would accrue interest in the meantime and be a good little bonus to get him started when he was ready to launch his career in earnest.

Allen would be the 18th student she'd done this for, and she doubted he'd be the last.

She didn't need much for herself, and she couldn't think of a better way to spend her money. The benefit of no longer having a family to provide for nor a home that cost way too much to maintain was that she could choose how to spend her small fortune without needing to justify it to anyone.

While most of her money and assets were already set aside for her children and potential grandchildren, what she kept aside for herself was more than enough to take care of the less fortunate students that needed an extra hand in a cruel world that tried to stomp them down.

It wouldn't guarantee any of them success... but it would make sure that finances weren't the reason they failed.

Finishing up, she gathered her things to head to the bank and finalize everything.

Then she was determined to eat her body weight in chocolate and drink an entire bottle of wine before bed to start the weekend off right.