Page 177 of Teacher's Pet

Will’s brows crease slightly, but he stays quiet.

I press on. "I took this job to get away from a family that was breaking me down, day in and day out. I was drowning in a life I wanted nothing to do with, ready to slip into my own miserable existence."

A pause.

"But then?" Will prompts.

I drag a hand down my face, exhaling sharply. "Then I met your daughter. And, God, I didn’t want to feel how I did."

Will leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You want to know something?" he mutters. "Something cancer has taught me?"

I brace myself.

"Nothing is ever black and white," he says, letting out a dry laugh. "You see, I knew my baby girl was struggling with my diagnosis. Knew she was distancing herself, so I made a trip to campus earlier this year."

My brows knit together.

"She didn’t know about it," he adds.

I stare at him.

"I knew Eden Briar from my time here," Will continues. "And I asked her to keep an eye on Ana for me. When she told me she suspected my daughter was involved with a professor, I was livid. Hell, I wanted to rip you apart."

My pulse quickens. Where is this going?

Will watches me, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. "But then… I saw you."

My breath stills.

"You and her. Just walking through the courtyard, talking about one of her reports. I was ready to hobble over and tackle you with what little strength I had left."

Then, something shifts in his face.

A smile.

"But then I saw her smile. And, God… I hadn’t seen her smile like that in ages." His voice turns softer, almost distant. "She looked at you like the world started and ended with you. And you looked at her like life itself relied on her."

I swallow, my throat tight.

"And that’s when I had to sit back and reflect." He exhales, shaking his head. "Because, in the end… I’m no better than you."

"What?" I frown.

Will glances over his shoulder. Across the courtyard, Ana’s mother stands among Elijah and Megan’s parents, laughing, her presence vibrant, alive.

He looks back at me.

"Ana’s mother," he says, voice quieter. "She used to be one of my students."

The air shifts.

The world stills.

My heart slams against my ribs.

"Your student?" I whisper.

Will nods, his expression unreadable.

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