Emma's face cycles through emotions like a slideshow. Shock. Disbelief. Then something that looks almost like vindictive satisfaction settles into her features, and my stomach drops straight through the floor with dread.
"Well," she says, her voice deadly calm. "This explains a lot."
I open my mouth but no sound comes out. What can I possibly say? There's no explanation that makes this look like anything other than what it is.
Emma's lips curve into a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "The mysterious Mia Wilson. Always so perfect in high school. Perfect grades, perfect reputation, perfect everything." Her voice drips with venom.
"Emma." Jack's voice cuts through the tension as he appears beside me, fully dressed now. "Let's talk about this privately."
"Privately?" Emma laughs, the sound sharp and bitter. "That's rich, Dad. Looks like privacy isn't really your thing anymore."
Jack steps forward, his broad shoulders filling the hallway. Even disheveled, he radiates protective energy. "Emma, my study. Now."
"Oh, I don't think so." Emma doesn't move. "I think we should all hear this. After all, we're practically family now, right?" She looks at Blake and Noah. "How long has this been going on? This little arrangement?"
"Emma." Jack's jaw tightens. "Study. Or you can leave."
Something in his tone finally penetrates Emma's anger. She glares at each of us in turn, her gaze lingering longest on me with pure hatred, then stalks toward the stairs.
Jack follows her down, and I hear the study door close with a sharp click.
The three of us stand frozen in the hallway. Blake moves first, pulling me against his side as he leads me down the steps, Noah following silently behind us. His warmth seeps through the thin shirt, and I realize I'm shaking.
"It's going to be okay," he murmurs against my hair.
"How?" My voice cracks. "She's going to tell everyone. My job, your jobs, everything we've built. It's all going to come crashing down."
Noah appears on my other side when we reach the bottom, his green eyes worried behind his glasses. "We don't know that yet. Let Jack talk to her."
I pull away from Blake, pacing the room. "She hates me. She's always hated me. This is like Christmas morning for her."
Blake catches my hand, stopping my frantic movement. "Hey. Look at me." His brown eyes are steady, calm. "We're a team, remember? Whatever happens, we face it together."
"Blake's right." Noah's voice is quiet but firm. "We knew this was risky. We knew eventually someone might find out."
"But Emma?" I shake my head. "Of all people, it had to be Emma Lewis?"
I glance up toward where the study is upstairs as I hear voices raised and angry. Emma's sharp and accusatory. Jack's deeper, trying to reason. The words are muffled but the anger is clear.
The voices rise in volume. Emma's voice cuts through, sharp and clear. "You're disgusting! She's young enough to be your daughter!"
My stomach twists. Blake's jaw tightens. Noah's hand drops from my shoulder.
"Maybe we should go," I whisper. "Give them space to talk."
"No." Blake's voice is firm. "We're not running. We're in this together, remember?"
"If Jack had wanted us to go, he would have said something," Noah adds.
"I don't care what you think of my choices," Jack says, his voice tight with controlled anger. "I'm an adult. Mia is an adult. What we do in private is none of your concern."
"None of my concern?" Emma's laugh is bitter. "You're the principal of a school, Dad. She works for you. They all work for you. This isn't just inappropriate, it's probably illegal."
"It's not illegal. We're all consenting adults."
"And what about Mom? What about your reputation? What about me?"
"Your mother and I have been divorced for years. My reputation is my own to manage. And you?" Jack's voice softens slightly. "Emma, I know this is hard to understand, but I'm happy. For the first time in years, I'm actually happy."