Chapter 1
I was tutoring Ryan Parker when his mom burst through the door.
"You little vixen—think you can seduce my son?"
I glanced around—yep, I was the only girl even close to Ryan's age.
Wait, was she seriously talking about me?
Me? A straight-A student, the campus queen—trying to seduce this scrawny, acne-ridden senior who was flunking his third year?
*****
The woman, all worked up, thrust her phone right up to my face.
"Look at this! Her skirt's practically up to her ass. Total slut!" she yelled.
A chorus of women's voices erupted from the phone.
"She calls herself a teacher? Probably can't even add."
"Linda, good catch. Looks like Ryan hasn't become her prey yet."
One sighed, "Being a woman is hell. We can't control our husbands, fine—but our sons? We have to protect them."
Linda nodded vigorously.
When I didn't immediately run screaming, she shot me a death glare. "What are you waiting for? Want to stay and serve me coffee, you little slut?"
Her shrieking made my ears ring. I snapped back. "Lady, who the hell are you?
"You barge in here running your mouth—if you're that full of shit, save it for the toilet. Not here."
"You little bitch. Pretty tough, huh?" Linda snarled, baring her teeth. "I'll tear you apart."
I stood up and stepped aside.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryan sitting frozen at his desk, head down, trembling like a cornered animal.
Just then, William Parker walked in and looked freaked out at the scene.
"Linda, calm down," he said.
He stepped in front of me, trying to calm his wife as she began to lose it.
"Linda, she's just Ryan's tutor. I called in every favor I had to get her. Please, you've got this all wrong."
Linda's eyes landed on the fruit basket in William's hand. She crossed her arms and let out a snort.
"How nice. You'll splurge on this vixen, but I get nothing.
"You bent over backwards to send me on that trip, just to get me out of the way so you could bring this tramp here, right?
"That's why you've been ignoring my texts—too busy screwing around.
"Listen, William, do whatever you want, and I don't care, but if you drag Ryan into your mess, I'll destroy you!"
Her words made me nauseous.
For my eighteenth birthday, I got a villa and a limited-edition car
And she thought this cheapskate who price-checks fruit could be my sugar daddy?
Honestly, what was in it for me?
William's eyes dulled, his face exhausted.
He said, "Linda, can we ever just be a normal family?
"Ever since my promotion, you show up at my office unannounced, check my phone daily, and ban me from having female friends.
"I cut off everyone like you asked, hoping for some peace. And this is what I get..."
He looked ready to continue. I had zero interest in their drama and quickly cut him off. "Enough. I'm leaving."
William panicked, begging, "Charlotte, please. Don't hold this against Linda. Just help Ryan.
"Look at him—his mom's driving him insane. If he fails again, I'm terrified he'll do something desperate."
Ryan broke down at his words, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed.
His crying flipped a switch in Linda.
She suddenly went berserk, grabbing objects and hurling them across the room.
She screamed, "William, you want me to spell it out?
"I saw you making out with this girl on the security cameras!"
What kind of bullshit was this?
My face turned ice-cold as I snapped back. "That's a serious accusation. Show me proof right now, or I'm calling my lawyer."
Linda froze, then her face twisted with rage. "You think you can scare me, slut?