Mary sneered, “This is just a business marriage. It’s not about love. As long as it benefits the family, it could be any Robinson. It doesn’t matter.”
Her gaze hardened. “In fact, I’ve always known about your existence, but what does it matter? Dave will only marry me. All I want is to become the lady of the Robinson family.”
A smug smile spread across her face. “I’ve been the center of attention since I was a child. If he wants to marry me, he has to cut ties with anyone questionable. So, you must go.”
I couldn’t help but laugh—a bitter, incredulous laugh that echoed in the tense air. I was laughing at my own foolishness, at the realization of how naive I had been, and at Dave, who had brought all of this upon himself.
"Miss Warren, I’m not leaving, but I won’t have anything to do with Dave anymore. I know what it means to have integrity."
"I won’t be the other woman, knowingly or otherwise."
"You..." Mary glared, realizing I was calling her out. Her hand shot up as if to slap me, but she stopped, letting it drop, seething with anger.
Damn Dave, I cursed silently.
Mary didn’t get the reaction she wanted, so she switched tactics to force me out.
If I had known how dirty her methods would be, I would’ve left without hesitation.
Soon after, the headline "A Small Time Teacher from Los Angeles No. 17 Middle School Seduces Wealthy Businessman" spread like wildfire.
A photo of Dave and me on the sofa, at an intimate moment, was posted online. Dave’s face was carefully hidden, but mine was fully exposed for the world to see.
Kyle Alexander, the principal, called me into his office. His expression was serious.
"I know that person is Dave," he said, "but the scandal has caused too much damage. The school has decided to dismiss you."
Just like that, I was blamed for something that wasn’t even true. I became the subject of gossip, disliked by my own students, and criticized by their parents. The rumors followed me everywhere, and in the end, I lost my job.
When I got home, I noticed splatters of chicken blood on the door. My heart sank as I inserted my key, pushing the door open to find my mother perched on the sofa, waiting for my return.
Before I could take a step, she hurled a cup at me. It grazed my forehead and shattered on the floor, shards scattering like my already fragile spirit. It was the very cup Dave had given me last year during our trip to Shopify.