Page 38 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 11

"I'm not sure I could possibly be unhappy as long as I have you,” I said. But New York was my home. And I had this feeling in my gut that my friends needed me. For once I wanted to be there for them. I was stable enough to help them now. When the roles were reversed, they’d been there to help me.

I owed them. But if we didn’t move there, we could still visit.

As long as I had Penny, everything was going to be okay.

Penny was quiet for a few seconds. "I think we should go to New York then."

I laughed because I wasn’t expecting her to say those words. Especially because we hadn’t talked about her main issue with NYC. "I thought you didn't like the city?"

"I liked it with you."

Yeah. Me too. I wouldn’t have considered going back originally.

But when we’d visited together? It felt like it used to when I was back in high school.

Before everything broke. I put my hand on the center console and she quickly grabbed it.

I ran my thumb across her knuckles. "Is that really what you want to do? "

"NYCU has a beautiful campus. And it's only a 15-minute subway ride from Manhattan."

I smiled and turned toward her. "You've been thinking about this for a while?"

She shrugged. "I did a little research. And wouldn't it be easier to start a company there? With all your connections and stuff?"

"Connections and stuff?" I laughed. "I don't need investors. I can start it anywhere. I was starting it here. But yes, I probably would have had to go to New York every now and then."

"So let's just go permanently."

I couldn’t even hide my smile. "Is that really what you want to do?"

"Yes." She squeezed my hand.

"You're sure?" I was kind of waiting for her to say, “Just kidding.”

"I'm positive."

I pulled to a stop outside my apartment building and leaned over and kissed her.

I knew she was doing this for me. I’d tried to play it cool, but I was sure it was all over my face.

She knew I wanted to move back to the city.

And I needed to do something for her first. "So how about we tell the reporters what really happened? "

They were already rushing over to my car.

"You don't care about making Joe mad?" she asked.

"Nope. I care about making you happy." I kissed her again before stepping out of the car.

She opened up the door to follow me.

"James! Are the allegations true? Have you seduced several students at the University of New Castle?" A woman's microphone was already waving in front of my face.

God I hated these people. "No." I looked over at Penny and held out my hand.

She grabbed it and I pulled her beside me.

"Just Penny." I smiled down at her.

"How did your affair start?"

"It isn't an affair. I filed for divorce last year.

My ex-wife and I have been separated since then.

" I tucked a loose strand of hair behind Penny’s ear.

We were in front of dozens of cameras, but it somehow seemed like we were alone.

Penny had once told me that she was used to being invisible.

But she really was the only person I ever saw in a crowd.

"How long has this been going on?"

"We met right before classes started."

"You met outside of class?" The woman looked surprised.

Penny turned toward the reporter. "Yes, we met in a coffee shop.

Actually, we didn't really meet so much as he bumped into me and spilled coffee all over my shirt.

He was really sweet; he let me borrow his sweater so I wouldn't have to walk around campus with a big coffee stain down the front of me.

I thought he was just another student. I was shocked when I went to class the next day and found out he was a professor. "

The woman smiled at us.

Another reporter stepped up with a microphone. "How many students did you have relationships with before Penny?" He was gruff and didn't seem touched at all by the story of how we met.

"None. Just Penny."

"And what about Blive Tech International? Did you make a habit of sleeping with your employees? Maybe your young interns?"

What the fuck? "No. All of my relationships at Blive Tech International were purely professional. I don't even think I ever met any of the interns."

"So what made you be unprofessional in your current position? What made you break the code of conduct at the University of New Castle?"

Do your research, asshole. "We didn't break any rules.

Student-professor relationships aren't mentioned in the handbook.

Given the fact that we didn't do anything wrong, I think we've both suffered enough backlash.

I'm appalled by how the university has handled this situation.

And I'm greatly disturbed by how the entire campus has reacted.

By harassing Penny and me instead of trying to find the truth. "

"Of course there's been backlash. Because the university has found the truth. There's evidence that you've had sexual relationships with several students in addition to her."

"Which isn't true. I get it, okay? It's their word against mine.

But every girl that came forward was failing or almost failing one of my classes.

With their testimony, their classes were canceled and they got As.

They must have known what would happen. I don't think their motive could be any more obvious.

The university should be punishing them, not us.

Or at least trying to get to the bottom of what happened instead of pretending lies are the truth. "

"Three young, innocent women with no priors are definitely trusted over a rich bachelor who didn't even need this job. Why did you even start teaching here? Was it just so you could sleep with your students?"

It was good that Penny was holding my hand, because I really wanted to punch this guy. "I was trying to give back to the community. And it's just one student. Just Penny. I had no idea when I accepted this job that I was going to fall in love."

"She's eight years younger than you."

"She's only seven years younger than me. You should really get your facts straight."

The reporter frowned.

"What made you pursue this relationship?" the first reporter asked, pushing herself back in front of the surly one. "Even when you knew what might happen if people found out?"

"Something happened to me when I met Penny.” When she fell into my arms, it felt like I could breathe for the first time in years.

“Everything just...nothing was..." My voice trailed off.

"What no one seems to understand is that we're just two normal people who fell in love.

Yes, the circumstances weren't ideal. But what we have is.

I don't really care what people say about me.

Spread all the rumors that you want. All I care about is Penny. All I care about is what we have."

"If you aren't guilty then why did you resign?" the rude reporter asked.

"I resigned because the dean told me that I couldn't keep working here if I continued my relationship with Penny. That was never an option. Like you said, I don't need this job. But I do need her."

"Did he sexually harass you, Penny? Did he force..."

"No.” Penny stared at him like he was insane.

“Haven't you been listening at all? Absolutely not.

He resigned so he could be with me. Because he loves me.

James is sweet and thoughtful. He's smart and kind and charming.

He's always been such a gentleman. He never forced me to do anything.

I'm so in love with him. I don't understand why you're choosing to vilify him.

And I agree with James completely. Make up whatever you want about us.

We're not going to let you affect our relationship.

We're not going to let all this toxicity hurt us.

That's why I'm done here. I'm not going to finish school at a university that clearly doesn't want me. "

"Are you moving? Are you transferring to a different school?" the nicer reporter asked.

"Look, you're all going to need to find a new hobby," I said.

"Because we're not going to be here for much longer.

We don't want to be associated with a community that is filled with hate.

I expected more from the students around campus.

And I definitely expected more from the other professors at this institution.

Maybe that's a story you should be chasing.

Penny and I are going to try our luck somewhere else. "

"Where are you moving?"

I did not want them following us to our new place.

"We don't have any more comments at this time.

" I pulled Penny back to the car and opened the door for her.

I walked around the back of the car to avoid the reporters and climbed into the driver's side.

I took a deep breath. "You were right. That was a good idea.

It was nice to finally say something bad about this ridiculous university. "

"Yeah. Fuck them."

I laughed. "You're right. Fuck them."