The Truthful Game

Chapter 12

"He told me he was in love with me, but then he crushed me until I was a complete emotional wreck. He was obsessively possessive and I was completely under his thumb. I had been this bubbly, strong and independent teenager. He destroyed me."

Scrolled down.

He sent Sapphire 18 red roses on her birthday and appeared at her class's leaving party. "My friends formed a protective ring around me and every time he came near, they spirited me away," she says. She left school and never saw him again. Two decades on, she feels fondness and sadness for him. "I think he was a vulnerable man," she said. "I vaguely worry that he remembers our relationship with pain. I hope he doesn't."

Elizabeth kept scrolling on every article on Internet that addressed teacher-student relationships. All these relationships come with consequences, she thought. Some just got charged and went to jail. Some just got away and never met them ever again. Some just hoped they would not remember them.

Heartbroken Elizabeth was. These people like herself did not have a choice. Love came to them naturally. Feelings between Richard and herself were something they knew it was totally wrong but again love conquered all. As what her church pastor always quoted from Proverbs 8:17, "I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me."

Indeed, Richard diligently seek Elizabeth and so does she.

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"Do you believe in what people say about teacher-student relationship?", Elizabeth asked.

"If you choose to believe it.", said Richard, gathering all the books needed for the consultation at his humble home.

It was a lovely Thursday afternoon for the couple. Elizabeth has made plans with Richard, who was free after school dismissal hours. There are upcoming examinations for the students including Elizabeth. Consultation date, shall we?, was what Richard texted.

"Okay, here are all the books you need.", he said. "Anything else you need, just call me. I will be upstairs."

Elizabeth nodded and buried her head into the books as the long hour revision began.

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Three books completed for the young flower as she managed to digest the information needed for the upcoming examinations. History, checked. Social Studies, checked. Chemistry, checked. Now, she was left with Physics, Mathematics, English and French.

While Elizabeth was finding the revision books for French, to her amusement, she found a book which did not belong to any subjects at all. Richard must have carelessly left it with the others. She carefully grabbed the book and flipped it open. What could he even hide here?

In the private book, Elizabeth found photos of Richard's journey to Europe dated 2010. He travelled to countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark and even home of the Union Jack. She continued to flip the pages of every dated pages until she stumbled across the year 2011.

Her eyes soon did not sparkled with curiosity like just now. She could not believe what she found. Richard's intimate photos with an unknown woman on the beach, in the park, restaurant and even tickets to watched The Artist in New York. Where have I seen her before?, Elizabeth studied the photo and carefully examined the woman.

After studying closely on the woman's hair, posture, clothing and everything, Elizabeth came to a shocking conclusion. That woman was unfortunately her mother who disappeared completely from her life when she grew older. How was her mother even acquaintance with Richard? Did she missed something?

"That woman was Amelia.", Richard said from behind. "She was the love of my life until something took her away from me." Love of my life? Elizabeth grew with fear, she then flipped the book again to saw a photo of her mother on bed, lying naked.

"That woman you loved was my Mom.", she said, tears rolled down her eyes.