Page 89 of Jain

“He was your English teacher. Yet he’s your ex,” Julian said slowly, speaking to me as though I was having difficulty understanding him. “Which means that you must’ve been seeing him when you last lived back here, correct?”

I felt dizzy, knowing exactly where he was going with this.

“Unless you developed a long-distance thing?”

“I don’t understand why this is relevant,” I whispered, as a triumphant grin spread over his face.

“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? He fucked his student.”

I stared at him for a spell before sipping my latte.

“We didn’t develop a relationship until I left school—”

“But you left town instantly. You didn’t stay. According to your story about Lee, the fictional ex,” he drawled, “he died before your course started.”

“For fucks sake, Julian. Where are you going with this?”

He fixed me with a stare before drumming his fingers on the table. “Well, for a start, the man is a paedophile.”

A laugh escaped me as he continued his assault.

“Who really shouldn’t be allowed to work with children. You’re a teacher too. It doesn’t exactly look good on you either, does it?”

“Are you threatening me, Julian?” I whispered as he sipped his coffee agonisingly slowly.

“I just think it would be a shame if everyone were to find out. There would be an investigation—Oh! Wait!” Julian cried out, making me jump. “There will be. Because my cousin was working there and can quite clearly recall the many times you and Mr Silver were alone in that classroom.”

My mouth dried.Fucking Vada.

“You can’t proveanything.”

“After school tutorials, wasn’t it? Did your motherreallynot know Jain?” Julian tutted before draining his coffee.

“We aren’t here to talk about that.” I snapped, my hand trembling as I lifted my latte to my lips.

“Oh, my apologies. Did you think I was going to just give you the logistics?”

“I’m sorry you feel screwed over. I’m sorry I did this to you.”

Julian glared at me, his eyes drifting down to my bare ring finger before he shook his head in disbelief.

“Are you ever honest, Jain? Could you not just admit you don’t give a shit?”

I went to speak, but he leaned forward, his hand suddenly on mine.

“Are you that fucking stupid?”

I blinked in surprise at his tone before instinctively moving my hand back. Julian smiled before shaking his head, sitting back in his chair.

“Maybe you are. If you think I have poured all mytime and money into this relationship for you tofuck it up,you are sorely mistaken. I will see to it that neither of you work in education again. Do you not think he will go to prison, Jain?”

This couldn’t happen again.

“You can’t blackmail me,” I hissed when he chuckled softly.

“I just did.”

The blood rushed in my ears as I stood up angrily, pushing past him to walk out of the café.