The Deepest End of Love (The Brightest Light #3)

by Lisina Coney

“This picture isn’t what you think it is,”

“We saw each other by chance. I was there with my friends, and she was with hers. We didn’t meet up. Someone tripped and pushed Lila; I was only holding her upright so she wouldn’t fall.”

“It’s not just this picture that has landed in my inbox, Dr. Abner,” she says solemnly. A few clicks later, she shows us three more. Reed and I getting in his car after leaving the youth center together. Reed with his arm around me as I held Ginny the day we found her. Reed walking me out of his house the morning after I spent the night with him and Ginny.

“I’m sure you understand why this is concerning,” Dean

“These pictures don’t showcase a traditional relationship between a student and her academic supervisor. It gives me the impression that your relationship may go beyond strict professionalism. For that reason, the department has decided that Miss Callaghan will have to retake her internship module next semester, just to make sure her results are true and fair, thus postponing her graduation until further notice.”

“No.” Reed’s firm voice echoes in the room. “Absolutely not. These are baseless accusations. You’re relying on pictures with no context behind them—any academic board woul...

“I’ll admit it’s our fault for not considering your relationship with Miss Callaghan’s mother before accepting her internship request, but t...

“My working relationship with her mother has nothing to do with Lila...

“You’re familiar with her academic accomplishments long before I started collaborating with this university. You can’t po...

“All I’m saying is, these pictures suggest Miss Callaghan may have had some…advantages in her internship. Possibly. We’re asking her to retake her module with someone else just to make sure. You know how important it is for this university to offer every student the same advantages. We’re doing you both a favor by sweeping these pictures under the rug as long as you agree to our demands. I’m su...

“Dr. Abner keeps all the reports I’ve worked on during my internship, as well as recordings of all sessions I’ve participated in,”

“Anyone can go over them and decide whether I deserve to fail my internship. As for those pictures, they don’t prove an explicit affair between us. Any lawyer would agree with me.”

I really hate pulling the lawyer card, but what else can I do? Dean Russo wasn’t expecting that turn of events, if the surprise in her eyes is any indication. It’s as if she exp...

“Despite what you may be thinking, I don’t want to be the bad guy here. Dr. Abner, you know your work with us over the past three years has been invaluable, and your reputation precedes you. Miss Callaghan, your reputation as a student is also remarkable. You’re a top performer at this university, and I know how important it is for you to graduate as soon as possible.”

“But I can’t ignore these pictures. Students and professors shouldn’t spend time together outside campus, let alone at a professor’s home. I understand this was an internship, so you had to spend some time together, but this behavior is… It doesn’t look appropriate. I have to ask you, and I expect full honesty so we can take care of the situation in a way that benefits us all. Are these pictures true? Have you ever been romantically involved?”

“Yes,” he admits.

“Just to clarify, Dr. Abner. Have you and Miss Callaghan ever been involved romantically? Or are you currently?” “Yes,”

“Not when those pictures were taken, but lines have been crossed recently.”

this consensual, Miss Callaghan?” “One hu...

“This isn’t an ideal situation, as you can imagine. The pictures I’ve been sent may not depict a romantic relationship at the time, but the point is that you were involved at some point; perhaps you still are, and that is an issue.”

“I’ll send my resignation letter by the end of the week.”

“Now, Dr. Abner—” “I would never want to taint this university’s reputation,” Reed continues. “I was aware of the risks when I decided to get involved with a student. I’ll be happy to resign as long as you consider having an external committee review her internship grade.” “Reed—” I start.

“Thank you both for your honesty,” she dismisses us. “I will bring this information forward to the board and let you know when we reach a satisfactory decision.”

“I promised myself I wouldn’t let a man ruin my life again. But I was careless, thinking nothing would happen because I felt safe with you. I made an exception for you because I…” Because I fell in love with you. “Lila.”

“I’m not even mad at you,”

“I’m angry at myself for having such low self-worth. I should’ve

known better than to get involved with a professor and jeopardize ...

“Don’t resign,” I grit out. “Don’t do it for me. You resigning won’t make me graduate on time; you don’t need to be the hero.” “I’m resigning because it’s the right thing to do,” he argues back. “You failing your internship because of me isn’t right. That’s what I’m fighting for.”

“I don’t want you to fight for me.”

“Don’t you get it, Reed? Nothing good will ever come out of us being together. Nothing. We are a mistake. I… I can’t do this anymore.”

“All right,” he says, his voice quieter than I’ve ever heard it.

My ex is as good as dead right now. “I’m coming, I’m coming. Holy shit.”

“Lila? What are you doing here?” he asks with such confusion that I almost think it’s genuine. “I came to ask you what the fuck you think you’re doing,”

“Taking pictures of us, Oliver? Really? And emailing them to the dean with false accusations? Are you kidding me right now?” He blinks once, twice. “Are you…okay?” My hands start trembling. “Answer me.”

“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. Why did you just bang on my door like that?”

“The pictures. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” “I really don’t.”

“Oliver. Be honest with me, just once. The last time I was here, you accused me of sleeping with my professor, Reed Abner. Remember?” He rolls his eyes. “Yeah.” “You warned me that rumors spread quickly on campus,”

“And now you’re telling me you have nothing to do with the fact that Dean Russo has just failed my internship because someone sent ...

“What do you mean, you failed your internship? You really fucked that guy?” I groan into my hands. “Did you do it or not, Oliver?” “What? Of course not. I have nothing to do with this.” “You li...

“Why should I believe you now?” “...

“You said someone emailed the pictures to Russo, correct? Here are all my email accounts. Feel free to check my messages—even the deleted ones.”

“You could’ve deleted the emails from the bin,” I suggest, thinking out loud. He shrugs. “Search my camera roll, too. I have nothing to hide.”

“Look, I know I said some pretty harsh things the last time we saw each other, but I was high and angry and sad, and I didn’t mean any of it. I’m in therapy now, and I’m doing better. Despite what happened last year, I wouldn’t do this to you. I don’t have that much free time now with my job, and I also don’t care what you do in your personal life anymore. No offense.”

I’ve learned to trust my gut—and it’s telling me Oliver didn’t send those pictures. But if he didn’t do it, who the hell did?

“All right, Li. Relax. That vein in your forehead is about to pop.”

“Riah, don’t you get it? My career is over.”

“Those are some intense words,” Mariah says. “I won’t deny that the situation you’re in sucks, and I understand why you’re freaking out, but your career is far from over. It hasn’t even started.” “And now it won’t.”

“Lila,” my best friend starts, far calmer than I am right now. “You may have fooled around with him a little bit—a brush of the lips hardly counts—but you certainly didn’t do it for a grade.” I didn’t. I did it because I was falling in love with him. Because I still am.

“When they find out about this on campus, I’ll be done for. I can’t even graduate.” “Yes, you can.”

“You may not graduate this month, but you will next year. How’s that the end of the world?” “My parents will be so disappointed,” I mutter, feeling my lower lip tremble.