Chapter 4

The lock clicked, and Thomas walked in with his arm around Evelyn.

The happiness on both their faces froze the second they saw me.

"What are you doing here?" Evelyn asked.

I held the suitcase by my side. "It's my home. Am I not allowed back?"

Her face cooled at once. "You couldn't call first? And now you're standing there taking shots at me?"

Her gaze dropped to the suitcase. "What, are you running away from home? You're almost 30. Aren't you a little old for this?"

I gave a short laugh. "You saw the divorce papers. You cheated first, so the car and the apartment stay with me."

Evelyn didn't react.

Thomas, however, went pale.

"Mr. Wells, how could you do that? Professor Pritchard and I are innocent. You're the one I saw a few days ago..."

He clapped a hand over his mouth.

"I didn't mean to say that. I just..."

The way he trailed off made Evelyn's face go cold.

"What did you see?" she asked.

"I saw Mr. Wells at a bar, playing some kind of kissing game with a few women. Maybe I got it wrong."

Thomas pulled out his phone and handed Evelyn a photo. After she looked at it, her eyes cut toward me, sharp and cold.

"So this is why you keep pushing for a divorce? You're the one who changed, Arthur."

I looked up at her in disbelief.

"You believe him? I just had surgery. I've spent the whole month recovering. How would I have gone to a bar?"

Evelyn faltered.

Thomas sniffled. "Professor, let's just say I was wrong. Please don't fight with Mr. Wells over me."

His phone chimed. He glanced down, then let out a startled cry and threw himself into Evelyn's arms.

"S-Someone found my number. They're calling me names. They're saying I'm a homewrecker."

Tears streamed down his face as he looked at me.

"Mr. Wells, you know there's nothing between Professor Pritchard and me. How could you do this to me?"

Evelyn looked at me with open disgust. "You did this?"

She asked it like a question, but she had already made up her mind.

I tried to explain, exhausted. "It wasn't me."

"Who else would do something like this? Arthur, does it make you feel good to go after a boy five years younger than you?"

She shoved the phone in front of my face, disappointment heavy in her eyes.

"What gives you the right to say I did it?" I asked.

"You came home at this exact moment because you wanted to see Thomas suffer, didn't you? Arthur, when did you become this cruel? Apologize to him!"

I bit down on my lip and refused to lower my head.

"Where's your proof? Do you have any proof I did this?"

She choked on the question, but Thomas's tears were enough for her.

Evelyn grabbed my arm and forced me down.

The second my knees hit the floor, a vicious pain drilled through my lower abdomen.

Black spots burst across my vision. I clenched my teeth and refused to make a sound.

Evelyn still had my wrist in a crushing grip, tight enough to feel like she might break the bone.

She looked down at me with a coldness I had never seen in her before, as if I were some unforgivable criminal.

"Apologize to Thomas."

She repeated it, her voice flat with command.

Thomas hid behind her, smiling at me with naked provocation.

I laughed until tears spilled down my face.

Then I shoved Evelyn away and threw the file from my bag at her feet.

"Evelyn, open your damn eyes and look. See for yourself what kind of person your precious student really is!"