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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 MIDDLE of 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.”
“By me?”
“By you.”
“Corrupted in what way?”
“Apparently, your presence could serve to influence female students into thinking it’s alright to be a gold-digger.” There was also Leon Arlotta possibly becoming an issue, if the media got wind of it, but Damen decided against warning her about it directly. If it was still something she wanted to solve on her own, then he trusted her to do it.
“Mairi?”
“Mm?”
“You still don’t want to ask for my help about whatever it is that may be troubling you?”
It took her a long time to answer. “No,” she said finally. “But I think...you’re already helping me in a way.”
He knew exactly what she was referring to and he smirked.
Mairi rolled her eyes. “It’s a really big hickey, Damen.” But she couldn’t help smiling as she pointed it out.
“Is it?” he drawled.
“It is, and you know it. And,” she added with a shake of her head, “you deliberately didn’t tell me about it!”
“If I had, you’d have thought of covering it up.”
“But—-”
“Admit it, my love. Am I not right?”
She grumbled, “Yes.” She gulped, afraid to ask the next question but knowing she had to. “How much do you know about...my problem?”
“Nothing specific,” he said readily. “I want you to tell me when you’re ready.”
“What if I’m not ready?”
He was exasperated. “Mairi.”
“But what if I’m not? You’ll let it be? You’ll just tell me you forgive me, right?”
“Are you a five-year-old kid?”
She changed the subject. “You know I love you, right? So you know I’ll never do anything to hurt you and that—-”
“I love you, too, matakia mou, but you will not get off that lightly.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I’m just really afraid you’ll hate me if I tell you,” she whispered.
He sobered. “Do you still love me?”
“I won’t ever stop,” she said simply.
“And whatever it was – or is, did it happen because you meant to hurt me?”
“No!”
“Then it won’t keep us apart,” he finished just as simply. “I love you, Mairi. I mean it in every sense.” He let it sink in before saying briskly, “I may be flying to Greece tonight. I’d like to take care of Esther once and for all.” When she started to protest, he said in a hard voice, “No more.”
She quieted, realizing Damen was more furious than he had let on.
“I’ve let her off the hook because you asked me to, Mairi. But you see now, don’t you? She won’t stop until I take everything away.”
