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“I know we talked about her resigning and finding a new position, but I find it strange that she also transferred from your class. I need to know what happened, so we can get ahead of it. If there was an argument or disagreement, it needs to be put on record. Sometimes, students get a wild hair and decide to file a complaint.”
Wait... He thinks... He’s not assuming a relationship.
And that shocks me. I thought he would automatically assume that something of that caliber is what happened, not some sort of workplace drama.
I have no idea what to do with this.
Madeline could still tell him.
If it weren’t for that, I would let it go. Tell him we had a disagreement, because while not the whole truth, it is part of it. We did disagree.
“Aiden?” Dr. Lewis furrows his brow at me. “I just need to know what happened. We’re not going to make a big fuss out of it, but the transparency helps us know what we might be up against.”
I shake my head. “She’d never complain. That’s not how she is. She’s going to just distance herself, and that’s my fault. It’s all my fault, actually. I thought I was helping her by employing her and paying her generously... But I broke her heart.”
Dr. Lewis’s expression shifts. “I’m sorry, what? You broke her heart? Did she develop a crush on you? I’m confused... You told me...”
“Excuse me,” a familiar voice calls out from behind us.
Dr. Lewis and I jerk our heads in the direction, and much to my shock, there’sMadeline,a packet of papers in her arms.
My jaw drops, and my stomach lurches. She’s really going to go through with it. She’s going to ruin my life one way or the other.
“I’m sorry, we’re in the middle of a meeting,” Dr. Lewis says to her, his voice less than friendly. He knows who my ex-wife is.
“Which is the perfect timing, really,” Madeline snaps at him. “I have information you need to know, Dr. Lewis. My ex-husband—”
“I started a relationship with Melody Everett,” I cut in, not giving her the satisfaction of dropping the news. I’m not going to let her have this. “And I need to put in my resignation.”
Dr. Lewis blinks a couple of times. “I’m sorry. You had a relationship with Ms. Everett?” His voice is tinged in disbelief. “I can’t... You wouldn’t...”
“I wouldn’t, you’re right,” I tell him, eyeing Madeline’s sick grin on her face. “But the truth is, I fell in love with her. She’san older student, though we both know she’s still significantly younger than me. I started working with her, and I saw a side of her that I hadn’t never seen in anyone. She’s selfless, kind, beautiful, and the best person I’ve ever met.”
“Wow.” Dr. Lewis sighs. “I didn’t see this coming...”
“And he’s been fucking her!” Madeline blurts out obnoxiously. “That should constitute criminal charges.”
Dr. Lewis spins around in his chair to face her. “Um, no. It doesn’t constitute criminal charges. Ms. Everett is almost twenty-four years old. She’s definitely old enough to make decisions for herself. That being said…” He turns his gaze back to me. “It does break school policy.”
“I know it does,” I say, my voice straining. “But the truth is, I don’t regret it. That’s why I need to resign quietly. I don’t want any of this to come back on her. Maybe I should’ve stopped the relationship before it ever started, but I haven’t dated anyone in years. For the first time in my life, I fell in love, and that’s thanks to Melody. And our families work, too. Connor adores her and Dorian.”
Dr. Lewis appears exasperated by my speech and looks over to Madeline. “What are the documents you have?”
“Just copies of the school policy.” Her voice loses some confidence as her eyes flicker over to me. “But I don’t think you need them.”
“I do not,” Dr. Lewis says flatly.
I gaze over at Madeline, and I’m pretty sure that she’s got more than just school policy documents. If it’s my guess, I’ll bet she has custody papers for me to sign. But I didn’t give her the chance to follow through. On anything.
“I need to speak with Dr. Banks in private,” he snaps to Madeline.
“You can say anything—”
“Leave,or I will call for security.” Dr. Lewis sneers at her. “I think you’ve done enough. Getout.”
Her eyes widen, and her lips part like she might protest, but surprisingly, she spins around, slipping out of the office and into the hallway.
I’ll have to deal with her later. Right now, it’s time for me to take the brunt of this whole mess, which is what I should’ve done in the first place.
