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Mairi slowly nodded. “Understood, Dean Blanchard.” She had a bad feeling about this, and it worsened when they reached the vice dean’s office. Instead of inviting her to the small living area in the office, Dean Blanchard indicated the swivel seat before her desk. She was definitely in trouble...but for what?
The vice dean took her seat behind the other side of the large desk. Leaning back, she clasped her hands in front of her. “Do you have any idea why I’ve called you in here?”
Mairi shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Dean Blanchard.”
“As you know, CU is a privately funded university. Its founding family, the Christopoulos’, takes its responsibilities to the student body seriously. Because of this, one of the family’s representatives has contacted me about a rather worrying matter.”
Mairi swallowed. “If this is about my past—-”
“Yes,” the vice dean acknowledged bluntly, “it is. I’m afraid we’ve received word from trusted sources that you’re about to be the subject of an exposé.”
The word ‘exposé’ caught her off guard. “A-about me?”
Dean Blanchard inclined her head. “Apparently, it’s based on complaints filed by women whose children are enrolled here.”
“But it’s only my second day,” Mairi blurted out, now even more confused.
“Exactly. Which was why the university had been predisposed to ignore or even discredit this until...” The older woman adjusted her glasses with a sigh. “We heard about what happened yesterday.”
It took a while for the meaning behind the words to sink in, Mairi paling when she realized the vice dean was talking about Leon Arlotta.
“According to other students, Mr. Arlotta has expressed his interest in you, and it’s allegedly mutual—-”
“Absolutely not, Dean Blanchard.” Mairi wished there was a way she could say the words more vehemently. “I’m happily married to my husband and will be soforever.I’m in love with him, head over heels, and he’s a dream boat and—-” She stopped with a gasp, realizing she had let her tongue run away...in front of the vice dean.
“A dream boat, you say?”
Mairi was surprised but relieved to hear the amusement in Dean Blanchard’s voice, but she still felt compelled to apologize. “I’m sorry, Dean.” She fought against turning red as she did but she failed on that, too.
The older woman chuckled. “You’re so refreshingly honest, Professor Leventis. It’s been a while since I had someone as interesting as you in our staff. Although many of our students have always led rather colorful lives, I’m afraid I can’t say the same for the faculty. It’s been quite boring, actually.”
“Umm...” Mairi no longer knew what to think.
“What I’m saying is, I believe you. The university believes in you. However, we also think it’s prudent to issue a warning and for you to be extra careful when interacting with your students. Whatever may happen tomorrow, we will stand behind you.”
Mairi’s knees were shaking badly by the time she left the university. She couldn’t help remembering the last time she had been in a dean’s office. She had been applying for a job that time, but instead she had found herself sexually assaulted.
Thank God this time it hadn’t ended the same way.
Another thought occurred to her, of Damen’s call, and now she knew why he had wanted to talk to her. Forcing her limbs to work, Mairi went to the fire exit, where she could have privacy.
****
DAMEN WAS IN THE MIDDLEof a meeting with his security team when his secretary interrupted him. “Mrs. Leventis is on the line, sir.”
Damen nodded and turning to his team, he said curtly, “Excuse me for a moment.” Walking out of the conference room, he answered the call in his office, picking up the wireless receiver. “Mairi?” He walked towards the en-suite bar and poured himself a shot.
“I just came from a meeting with the university’s vice dean.”
Damen stiffened, the rather high-pitched tone of his wife’s words worrying him. “And?”
“You know, don’t you?” Mairi sat down on one of the steps. She had a feeling her knees would give way any second if she didn’t. “That’s why you wanted to talk to me?”
“About my mother’s plans to discredit you?” He spoke the word ‘mother’ with unabashed revulsion. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Mairi took a deep breath at Damen’s confirmation. “Tomorrow...how bad will it be?”
“Not as bad as she hopes,” he answered grimly. “I’ve put the word out that I won’t hesitate to sue, but I can’t stop the media from reporting facts. And the facts are that tomorrow, a number of students would be made to withdraw from Christopoulos University and their respective parents will explain that they’ve done so because they don’t want their students to be corrupted.”