On the Otherside of Town

Reality Hits Hard

Chapter Fourteen:

Micah's POV

The meeting ended in disaster, just like I knew it would. My parents stormed out of Ms. Holloway’s office, their faces unreadable, leaving me scrambling to keep up. Aurora stayed behind, probably crying again, but I didn’t dare look back. Whatever sympathy I might’ve felt was buried under the growing weight of my own problems.

I followed my parents out to the parking lot in silence. The moment the car doors slammed shut, the storm hit.

“What the hell were you thinking?” my father snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut glass. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. “You’re throwing away everything we’ve built for some… girl from the other side of town?”

“Dad, I—” I started, but he cut me off.

“Don’t you dare try to explain this,” he hissed, his eyes flashing in the rearview mirror. “Do you have any idea what this could do to our family? To the company?”

“She’s lying,” I said quickly, my voice rising. “I told Ms. Holloway—it’s not mine.”

My mother turned in her seat, her gaze icy. “Are you sure about that, Micah?” she asked, her voice cold and calm. Too calm. “Because you didn’t exactly deny sleeping with her in that meeting.”

My throat tightened, and I looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “It’s not mine,” I muttered again, but it sounded weaker this time.

My father let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Unbelievable. You had every option, every opportunity to keep your head down and focus on your future, and instead, you decide to risk it all for some… trashy girl.”

“She’s not—” I started, but the words died in my throat. He was right. Aurora was trash, wasn’t she? That’s what everyone thought, and I couldn’t argue. Not without admitting things I didn’t even want to admit to myself.

“Do you have any idea what this would look like if it got out?” my father continued, his voice growing louder. “The press would have a field day. ‘Future CEO of James Enterprises linked to scandal with trailer park girl.’ Investors would pull out. Our reputation would be ruined.”

“Dad, I didn’t ask for this!” I shot back, my frustration boiling over. “She’s the one spreading rumors! She’s the one trying to trap me.”

“She’s desperate,” my mother said coolly, leaning back in her seat. “And girls like her will do anything for a leg up. You were stupid to get involved in the first place.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “I didn’t—It wasn’t like that.”

“Then what was it?” my father barked. “Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you were reckless and careless, and now we’re all paying the price.”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. The truth was, I didn’t know what it was. Aurora wasn’t supposed to mean anything. She was just a distraction, something exciting and forbidden. But now, she was a problem I didn’t know how to fix.

My mother sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “This ends now, Micah. Whatever… relationship you had with her, it’s over. Do you understand me?”

“I already told her it’s over,” I muttered. “She knows.”

“Good,” my father said, his tone clipped. “Then make sure she keeps her mouth shut. Pay her off if you have to. But if she keeps spreading lies—”

“She’s not spreading lies!” I blurted out before I could stop myself. The car went silent, and I felt my parents’ eyes on me, cold and calculating. My chest tightened as I realized what I’d just said.

“I mean… she is lying,” I stammered, trying to backtrack. “But she’s not… she’s not talking to anyone about it. It’s just between us.”

“That had better be true,” my father said, his voice low and dangerous. “Because if she ruins this family’s reputation, Micah, I will ruin her life. Do you understand?”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “I’ll handle it.”

“You’d better,” my mother said, her voice laced with disdain. “Because if this gets any worse, you’re on your own.”

The car ride home was silent after that, the tension so thick I could barely breathe. When we pulled into the driveway, I bolted out of the car, desperate to get away from their judgmental stares. But as I headed for my room, my father’s voice stopped me.

“Micah.”

I froze, my hand on the banister.

“We’ll be keeping a closer eye on you from now on,” he said, his tone sharp. “No more distractions. No more… mistakes.”

I didn’t look back. I just nodded and went upstairs, slamming the door behind me. My heart was pounding, my mind racing. They didn’t believe me. Not really. And if this got out… if the school found out, or worse, the press…

I couldn’t let that happen.

But as I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor, I couldn’t stop thinking about Aurora. The way she looked in Ms. Holloway’s office, her face pale and tear-streaked. The way she’d flinched when I spoke to her, like she was bracing for a hit.

Maybe she was lying. Maybe she was trying to trap me.

But what if she wasn’t?

I sat on the edge of my bed, my head in my hands. The walls of my room felt like they were closing in, the silence pressing down on me. My parents’ words rang in my ears, cold and sharp: If she ruins this family’s reputation, I will ruin her life. They meant it, too. Dad wouldn’t think twice about crushing someone like Aurora—she’d disappear before anyone could ask questions.

But that wasn’t the solution I wanted. Not really. I wasn’t a monster, despite what everyone thought. I didn’t want to hurt her. I just wanted this… problem to go away. Quietly. Cleanly. Without anyone else finding out.

How do I shut her up without bringing attention to this?

Aurora wasn’t the kind of girl who wanted fame or money. That would’ve been easy. A check, a contract, a promise to stay quiet, and we’d both walk away. But she wasn’t like that. She didn’t care about my world, my reputation, my family’s power. She was too proud, too stubborn to be bought off.

Still, everyone has a price, right? Maybe hers wasn’t money, but there had to be something she wanted. Stability? A future? I could promise her that. Offer to pay for her college, or help her get out of that miserable trailer park. That’s all girls like her dream about, isn’t it? Escaping the pit they were born into? If I gave her that, maybe she’d keep quiet and leave me alone.

But then, what if she didn’t take it? What if she used it against me? Turned it into proof that I was guilty? I’d be handing her the ammunition to destroy me.

Think, Micah. Think.

There was always the other option. I could deny everything. Call her a liar, drag her name through the mud if I had to. The school would believe me over her. They’d always believe the rich, golden boy before they’d believe the girl from the wrong side of town. But that felt… messy. Ugly. And it wouldn’t stop the rumors from spreading.

My parents wouldn’t just sit back and let me handle it, either. Dad would get involved, and his version of “fixing” things always left destruction in its wake. Aurora might think she’s tough, but she doesn’t know what he’s capable of. What my family is capable of.

And maybe that’s the answer. Maybe I just have to scare her enough to make her stay quiet. She’s already terrified of me—she flinches every time I’m near her. If I make it clear what’ll happen if she talks, she won’t dare open her mouth.

But even as the thought crossed my mind, a knot formed in my stomach. I wasn’t sure if it was guilt or something else, but it sat there, heavy and unrelenting.

I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. God, I don’t know how to handle this. I just want it to go away. I just want to go back to normal.



But there was no going back. Not now.