Page 107 of Educating Arrogant Mr. Hunter

Zo rolled her eyes. “You’d told us all a million times not to climb onto the desks. I didn’t listen.”

Wren nodded, but her pursed lips told me she wasn’t done beating herself up for what happened.

After signing the necessary release paperwork, I gathered Zoey in my arms and we all headed out of the hospital to my car, with Glen and Marjorie trailing behind.

“Daddy, I can walk.” Zo giggled.

“Not right now. You scared me today, princess. I just want to hold you for a little bit so I can remind myself you’re okay.”

“Zoey, we’re going to get going,” Marjorie said.

“Get better, sweetheart,” Glen smiled. “We’ll call later to check on you.”

“Thank you both for coming,” I said, and for the first time I actually meant it.

They nodded with a relieved smile on both their faces.

“Maybe in a day or two, we could all go out for ice cream or something,” I suggested.

Zoey yipped in excitement. “Yes!”

“We’d like that, Beckett.” Marjorie kissed Zoey’s cheek as she and Glen said their goodbyes and headed to their car.

* * *

Even though it was early, Zoey was tired enough to lay down when we got home. As long as we promised her that the second she woke up, she could have ice cream.

I guided Wren into the living room so there was no chance for Zoey to overhear our conversation. We sank into the couch and I held her trembling body. Tears coursed down her cheeks.

“Babe, you’re scaring me.” I was powerless without knowing what was wrong.

Her hiccuping sobs tore through me.

When she finally spoke, I had to strain to hear her voice. “Do you remember when I told you about the day I quit modeling?”

My arms tightened around her. If I could go back in time to stop that day from happening, just to remove the pain of that event from her life, I would.

She didn’t wait for me to answer before she continued. “My stepmother has been misappropriating money from my trust fund. She withdraws it under the guise of using it to supplement the charity she runs. The one my mother created.”

Wren’s body was ramrod straight with tension. I slowly ran my hand over her hair. When her body violently trembled, I held on tighter and continued stroking her soft strands.

“She threatened to destroy the foundation and release the photos of me from that day if I didn’t give her a weekly stipend.”

“What the fuck?” How had this woman spent any time with Wren and not adored her? “How did she get copies of the pictures?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Maybe the photographer gave them to her. The owner was sleazy, but he didn’t seem completely dishonest.”

Even with all this hurt in her life, my girl still tried to see some good in everyone. I was not as altruistic. Once I had a minute, I’d call my private investigators and have them track down the leak and find a way to destroy them.

“I don’t know what changed. I’ve been paying her the money she requested, but she released them while we were at the hospital. I also got a message from Barbara, the principal’s secretary, to check my email.”

She cried so hard she couldn’t continue. I still didn’t understand the connection of the pictures to Wren’s job.

“Can you show me?” I didn’t want to push her too far or too fast.

Wren handed me her phone after unlocking it. The email had been left open. My eyes flew down the short message, focusing on one line.

Citing Section 25.2, Staff Conduct, Item 10: No staff member shall participate in nor have their likeness portrayed in ways unbecoming of a teacher, through various means such as inappropriate literature. The Board has unanimously terminated your employment, effective immediately.

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