Page 90 of Forbidden Professor

Heat floods my cheeks. I fumble with my water bottle. "I... it’s not... he was just..."

Vi’s eyebrows rise. "Spill it. What’s going on?"

I glance around, making sure no one else is listening. Heart pounding, I lean in and lower my voice. "We’ve been seeing each other," I admit, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

My mind races. What have I done? Can I trust her? But as I look at Vi’s wide-eyed expression, I know there’s no taking it back.

Vi’s face shifts from surprise to concern.

"Eve, are you serious?" Her voice drops. "That’s... that’s not allowed, right?"

A wave of guilt hits me. "I know it’s complicated, but?—"

"Complicated?" she says, her voice filled with worry. "Eve, he’s our professor. Don’t you think this gives you an unfair advantage?"

Her words sting. I want to defend Carter, to say how careful he is to stay professional. But I can’t deny there’s truth in her concern.

"I... I didn’t think about it like that," I admit, my voice barely a whisper. The hallway feels smaller, pressing in on me.

Vi’s gaze softens a bit. "Eve, I’m not judging you. But this could affect your career. Not to mention his."

I close my eyes, trying to gather my thoughts. When I look at her again, I manage a shaky promise. "You’re right, Vi. I’ll make it right."

The weight of my words hits me. How can I make things right without losing Carter?

Vi’s frown turns into a playful smirk. "Well, I might be persuaded to keep this quiet," she says, tapping her chin. "For one of those amazing chocolate cupcakes from the café."

Relief floods over me, and I laugh. "Deal. I’ll throw in a latte too."

"Now you’re talking." Vi links her arm with mine as we head toward the exit.

The sun is setting when I pull into Carter’s driveway. The conversation with Vi replays in my mind, filling me with worry. I take a deep breath before going inside.

Carter is in the living room, reading a medical journal. He looks up, his eyes lighting up as he smiles. "Hey, beautiful," he says, setting the journal down.

"Hi," I reply, sitting beside him, his familiar scent bringing me comfort.

He studies my face, his brow furrowing. "Are you okay? You look like something’s weighing on you."

I hesitate. "I had a talk with Vi after class," I say, my fingers tracing the couch cushion. "She knows about us, Carter."

His posture stiffens slightly, but he stays calm. "How did that go?"

"She was surprised and worried. She mentioned fairness to other students. I hadn’t thought about it from that perspective."

Carter nods, his expression serious. "That’s something we should discuss," he says, taking my hand. "Tell me everything."

As I recount the talk, Carter listens intently, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my hand, grounding me as I share my fears.

When I finish, he leans back, his hand still holding mine, eyes distant.

"Eve," he says, voice soft but firm. "I think... I need to resign from my position."

My heart sinks. "No! Carter, you can’t. Your students, your job… they mean a lot to you."

He squeezes my hand. "But you mean everything to me, Eve. I don’t want you to live with the recriminations of our affair. Besides, I can’t stay in this role if it compromises my integrity or affects other students."

"There has to be another way," I say, my voice desperate. I turn to him fully, searching his face. "We could be more discreet. Or maybe I could transfer. Don’t throw away your career for this."

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