Chapter 225

Tessa’s POV

“Tessa, can we speak in my office?” Dean Miller asked as soon as I left the auditorium.

I had a bad feeling about this conversation; I wondered what he wanted to talk about it. But when his eyes found Joseph’s behind me and he said, “You too, Professor Evergreen,” it felt like my whole world was coming in around me.

Ruby gave my arm a gentle squeeze and then she smiled at me.

“I’ll catch you later, Tess,” she said, hugging me tightly. “I’m going to try to call my parents… again.”

“Good luck,” I said, hugging her back. “I’ll see you at the after-party.”

“You bet,” she said, waving.

We followed Dean Miller to his office across the campus.

There was still no sign of my father and Penny, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was related.

“Please, take a seat,” Dean Miller instructed, motioning for the chairs in front of his desk.

“What’s this all about?” Joseph asked, furrowing his brows together as we sat.

“Your relationship with Tessa has already been established. There’s not much I can do about it now because you are both consenting adults and Tessa graduated, not to mention you no longer work at this school. So, you are free to do as you please and continue your relationship if you wish,” Dean Miller surprised me by saying.

“We appreciate the blessing, sir. But no offense, we don’t need your approval, nor have we been waiting for it,” Joseph said, making me take in a sharp intake of breath as I stared up at him.

Dean Miller nodded as if he already knew this.

“Student-teacher relationships are against school policy and not something I would otherwise condone. But because I found out about it later in the year, I found it not necessary to dig further into it. However, I just ran into a complication and I’m worried that if the school board finds out that I kept something like this from them, it will cost me my job.”

“We won’t say anything to anyone,” I was quick to say. “We will keep our relationship down low until we can get out of this town. We are going to be moving soon and—”

“It’s not you that I’m worried about, Tessa,” Dean Miller said. “It’s also not Joseph,” he added before either of us could say anything more.

“Then what are you worried about?” Joseph asked, cautiously.

Dean Miller met my eyes and with that look, I understood exactly what he was worried about. My already heavy heart fell deep into my stomach, and I suddenly felt sick.

“What did he say to you?” I finally asked after a short pause, drawing Joseph’s attention to me.

“Who?” Joseph asked.

“My father,” I said through my teeth. “That’s what this is about, right? My father said something to you?”

Dean Miller sighed, and then he nodded.

“He questioned why I have been allowing your relationship to continue despite the fact that Joseph is a professor. He brought up the possibility of the school board finding out about this. He didn’t openly say he was going to report it… but the threat was evident.”

It felt like a punch in the gut.

“I won’t let that happen,” Joseph said, shaking his head and I knew what he was thinking. He was going to mind-manipulate my father into forgetting about what he knew. It was the only way we could resolve the situation.

I couldn’t believe my father would stoop so low.

“I’m not sure how you’d be able to stop him,” Dean Miller said, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he was trying to soothe a headache.

“Where is my father now?” I asked, my voice felt raspy against my sore throat.

“He left with your mother,” Dean Miller answered.

I felt a surge of aggravation from his words.

“She isn’t my mother,” I quipped.

Joseph stood up, reaching for my hand and entwining his fingers through them. Dean Miller rolled his eyes at the gesture, and I felt my cheeks burning. I stood up to join Joseph though, staying by his side.

“I’ll deal with it. You can trust me,” Joseph said confidently. “I will speak with him and resolve this whole thing.”

Dean Miller looked unsure.

“Just keep me posted,” he sighed.

Joseph nodded and pulled me along with him out of the office.

“What are you planning on doing?” I asked, worry consuming me.

“Well, first, I’m going to bring you to my house so you can prepare for the party tonight. While you do that, I’m going to have a word with your father. I’m assuming he went back to your apartment,” Joseph spoke so simply that I was amazed by his calm composure.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea if you go there by yourself,” I said as we got outside and started to walk toward his car. “I don’t know what my father is capable of and—”

“Do you know who you are talking to?” Joseph asked, furrowing his brows together. “There’s nothing your father can do to hurt me. If anything, he should be afraid of me.”

“But he knows about your kind and what you are. What if he has something that can hurt you?” I asked, panic rising in me like bile.

“He would have used it on me by now,” Joseph said, glancing at me. “You don’t need to worry, Tessa. I can handle myself.”

I felt a sense of uncertainty, but I trusted Joseph and I knew he could more than anything take care of himself. So, I bit my lower lip and slid into his car.

It took us a little while, with the school traffic and all, to get back to Joseph’s house. Nobody was due to get here for another hour.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” I asked, not wanting to leave the car without him.

He leaned over and brushed his lips across mine.

“I won’t be long,” he whispered against my lips. “I hired a couple cooks and I need you to make sure things are running smoothly inside. Others I hired will be arriving soon as well. I need someone to oversee everything until I get back.”

Before I left the car, I kissed him one last time.

“I love you,” I said to him.

“I love you too,” he said in return. “Forever and always.”

He smiled as I slid out of the car and slammed the door shut behind me. Per usual, he waited until I was inside before he drove off.

…..

Joseph’s POV

Leaving Tessa was always something I found difficult, but I needed to deal with this before I returned to her. I promised Dean Miller that I wouldn’t let this get back to the school board and I was determined to keep that promise.

It didn’t take long to get to Tessa’s apartment and as soon as I pulled into the lot, I recognized her father’s car. I couldn’t believe he actually left the ceremony and returned here without saying anything to Tessa.

His hatred for me ran deeper than his love for Tessa apparently.

I was infuriated and annoyed by that fact, but I brushed my own personal feelings down into the pit of my stomach and ascended the stairs until I reached Tessa’s floor. I walked down the hallway, and I could already hear Tessa’s father and Penny speaking behind the door.

“I can’t believe you did that, Rick,” Penny said, and it was clear she’s been crying. “I’m going to call her and—”

“Just let me be the parent, Penny,” Rick scolded. “She’s my daughter. I know what’s best for her. I’m only trying to protect her.”

“You are pushing her away…”

I stopped the conversation by knocking on the door. Rick was the one who answered and when he saw me, his eyes grew large.

“We need to talk,” I said to him before he could utter a single word.

I could smell his fear and hear how rapid his heartbeat was. I was right; he had no weapons to use against me. He feared me.

“What are you doing here?” Rick asked through his teeth, his pupils dilating as he took me in.

Penny stood behind him with her arms wrapped around her body like she was desperately trying to hold herself together and tears were clear in her eyes.

“Can we talk alone?” I asked, fixing my attention back on him.

His brows furrowed together and then he glanced over his shoulder at Penny who was watching him with a concerned look in her eyes. He soon sighed and stepped into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

“What do you want?” Rick asked, raising his brows at me.

“I spoke to Dean Miller, and I believe we have a misunderstanding. He’s under the impression that you want to report my relationship with Tessa to the board and get him fired,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

“And if I do?” Rick scoffed.

“And if you do, you realize the only ones you are truly hurting are Tessa, and the Dean, right? We are both consenting adults. I resigned as a professor and Tessa is no longer a student. We are free to see one another as we see fit. The school board can’t dictate that. You can get the dean fired, but it won’t change anything. The most it’ll do is drive Tessa further away, and I don’t think you really want that.”

He opened his mouth to say something in protest, I was sure of it. He was red in the face, and I couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed or furious. But one thing was clear, he was speechless.

“I’m going to be honest with you, sir,” I continued. “I’m in love with your daughter and I’m planning on making her my wife. I know you don’t approve of that but it’s going to happen and there isn’t much you can do about it. If you want any kind of relationship with Tessa and any future grandchildren, I suggest you call Dean Miller and take back your earlier threats and maybe call Tessa to apologize as well because she’s really hurting right now.”

He visibly swallowed, folding his arms across his chest and pressing his lips in a thin line. There wasn’t much more for me to say and now I just had to trust that he would do the right thing.

“That’s all I came to say,” I concluded turning away. “I can’t force you to do the right thing, but for Tessa’s sake, I hope you do.”

On that note, I walked away without looking back.