Chapter 25: A good looking professor

Iris woke up early and went to college to get everything prepared, since classes would begin the following day.

It was while she was there that she received an email from Gerald Hawthorne, the college’s principal, asking to speak with her about her evaluation.

Iris read it three times and took a deep breath before replying. Then she shifted her gaze slightly and closed one more button on her blouse.

Her breasts were so large that trying to avoid any cleavage would usually look rather ridiculous, with the fabric stretched tightly across her chest. Or it would make her look fat. Because of that, she usually had to leave at least a small glimpse of cleavage.

Once she was ready, she sent her reply. He read it almost immediately and then asked her to come meet with him.

At first glance, Gerald Hawthorne was the kind of man people described as "warm." His office walls were covered in framed photos of student graduations, faculty awards, and community outreach programs.

A small framed quote near the door read: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." And he even kept a bowl of butterscotch candies on his desk for students nervous about exams.

He had thinning gray hair neatly combed to one side and round, wire-framed glasses that made him look more like a grandfather than an administrator. The man was well into his sixties and looked every bit his age, perhaps even a little older.

"Come in, come in!" Hawthorne stood from his desk. "Sit, please. Can I offer you a coffee? Maybe some tea?"

"No, thank you, Principal Hawthorne."

"Gerald, please. We’re not in a lecture hall." He sat back, his eyes immediately falling from Iris’s face and drifting lower. "Iris. I’ll be honest I asked you here because your mid-probation review came across my desk, and I wanted to discuss it with you directly. I think you deserve that courtesy."

"Of course." Iris sat straight-backed, hands folded in her lap.

The old man opened a manila folder and glanced at its contents. "Your student feedback scores are excellent. 4.7 out of 5. The department head, Professor Daly, wrote that you’ve demonstrated a great deal of knowledge in your subject."

As good as those words sounded, the way he spoke, and the simple fact that he had called her in, made Iris flinch slightly. She waited anxiously for the inevitable but.

"And your last paper, I’m told the peer review feedback was remarkably strong. You should be proud of that."

"Thank you. That means a lot." Iris allowed herself a small smile. Maybe this was going to be a good conversation after all.

Hawthorne closed the folder slowly, and his expression shifted as his lips curled into a creepy smile, the kind Iris had never seen him show in public. It always made her uncomfortable.

"I do have some concerns, though. And I think we should discuss them."

Iris’s stomach tightened. "Of course."

"You see, the college has a... let’s call it a holistic approach to hiring decisions. Academic excellence is the baseline, it’s expected. But when it comes to converting a probationary position into a permanent appointment, the committee looks at the full picture. Research trajectory, faculty integration, institutional fit..." He paused, adjusting his glasses. "Long-term potential."

"I understand."

"Do you?" Gerald smiled, and his eyes fell on her cleavage for much longer than anyone would consider appropriate. "I must be direct, your portfolio is thin. You don’t have many publications, especially for a 38-year-old teacher. The committee may wonder why you’re... arriving late to the table."

Iris swallowed. "I completed my doctorate later than most, so my numbers are still above average for my years of career."

"Of course, of course... And you look much younger than your age. With your publications and your looks, everyone would believe it if I told them you were a 25-year-old doctor."

Iris nodded with a forced smile, having no answer for the insult disguised as a compliment.

"For me to approve you, I need something to work with." He got up, pulled a chair over, and sat beside her. "Listen, Iris, I want to put in a good word for you..."

His words lingered, just as his stare lingered on her body. The old man looked at her far longer than was appropriate, but he never actually touched her, aside from briefly taking her hand. He stayed well within the realm of plausible deniability.

"What exactly do you mean, Gerald?"

He leaned back, giving her some space to breathe, as his smile became creepy once again. She could feel him eating her with his eyes.

"I’m saying I would be your ally, but I’d like to see you go above and beyond to prove you want to dedicate yourself to this institution. Even with no strong portfolio, if we see a strong future in you, then you will get approved."

"I’ve been working closely with Professor Daly and the department," she said carefully. "I’ve covered lectures, graded senior papers, attended every faculty meeting..." she listed.

"Yes, yes. You’ve been helpful." Hawthorne’s tone was gentle, almost paternal. "But helpful is... janitorial, Iris. Anyone can grade papers. What I’m talking about is something more... personal. I want you to go beyond the job description."

Iris could tell he was being careful with his words, trying to avoid any charges.

"You are a very beautiful teacher," he complimented and looked at her tits once again, leaving his intentions clear. "Maybe you could help by being the face of our institution. You could receive extra for image rights, I would ensure the payment."

Iris almost snapped. Not only was he blackmailing her into sex, but he was also pretending to use the university’s money to pay for it, if she was willing.

"My answer is no."

"That’s quite a loss..." He let out a sigh. "But maybe the suggestion of an old man doesn’t appeal to you. Still, I consulted other influential professors, they may be willing to help you."

Iris shivered at the idea. So if she wasn’t willing to put up with Gerald, maybe she could whore herself out to some influential teacher?

"I would especially appreciate it if you could show your support for Dr. Markus. He is a great teacher; however, he has been courted by other universities. Losing him would be terrible, but maybe you could convince him to stay."

At that point, Iris found the conversation ridiculous. Did he really believe Markus would waste an opportunity for a better job just to fuck her?

"How exactly could I even convince him? We’re from completely different departments. I know nothing about math..."

"You’re young, Iris. You’re attractive. You’re bright. These are assets." He shamelessly looked at her very big boobs while stressing the word. "There’s no shame in using them."

Iris stood and almost punched Gerald, but she held herself back. "I came here to discuss my evaluation."

"And we did," Hawthorne said mildly, already shuffling papers. "I hope it was helpful. Think about what I said. The committee meets at the end of this semester, so we have time."

"Thank you," she said with a fake smile and left the room as soon as she could.

As she walked through the college corridor, her mind was a hurricane of thoughts. She was going to be fired simply because she wasn’t willing to sell herself out.

She almost punched the wall in anger, but stopped herself, remembering how she had ended up in the hospital the last time she had done that.

As usual, men only seemed interested in her when sex was involved. It wasn’t as though anyone was genuinely interested in getting to know her, much less in marrying her.

She sat down near the college entrance, fighting back tears.

"Maybe I’m like some exotic dish," Iris whispered, staring at her distorted reflection in the glass doors. "Everyone wants to taste it once..."

She was tall, taller than almost any woman, with really massive tits. So big that she was accused of dressing too provocatively by merely showing cleavage. And she still drew side stares even when wearing clothes with not an ounce of cleavage.

Thanks to that, she could surely turn heads. She knew men wanted her body, but they never seemed to want to know her.

After years of being desired without being chosen, Iris had begun to wonder whether anyone would ever want her.

And to make matters worse, she now felt like her career was about to come crashing down. She felt completely hopeless, as though she had hit rock bottom.

And it was at that exact moment that Arthur happened to walk past her. He had come to the college to deliver some documents, but he immediately stopped when he noticed her red eyes and the tears she was desperately trying to hold back.

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking at her with genuine concern. His eyes met hers directly, almost as if he could see straight into her soul.