20

Since the night of the attempted rape, I've only slept in Kian's bed. I no longer felt comfortable alone. I kept my distance from him for the first two days, but with each of his attempts to get close, his closeness and his touch no longer scared me. We still haven't had sex, but my boyfriend didn't blame me. I snuggled up to him every evening and enjoyed his warmth. If he was home late at night, I would even wait until he came home. I couldn't sleep without him. It was like he was my light in the dark.

For two weeks I hardly went out and spent the days in the house. I practiced a lot on the pole dance pole and thus distracted my thoughts. I even suggested that Kian take my mother out to dinner. I had intended to cook myself. Whether I would succeed in the end was questionable...

He agreed, but wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it. I could only hope that the two would understand and get along. Kian was important to me and my mother was also important to me. Despite the fact that her actions had made my life difficult for me.

On the one hand I could be grateful to her, because without this job I would never have met Kian.

"I'll be back around noon," the dark-haired man said as he stood in front of me in his freshly dressed suit. I looked at him dreamily and bit my lower lip lightly. This sight was becoming a habit, but I still couldn't get enough of it. "Mom will be there around 3 p.m.," I let him know. Kian kissed me goodbye and disappeared through the door. I had about seven hours now before my mother showed up here.

I decided to do some exercise in Kian's gym. Then I took a long shower and then prepared the food. I looked for a recipe on the internet that I could easily cook. I chose potato and salmon gratin with a mixed salad and a Rocher dessert for dessert. I prepared canapés with various side dishes that you could eat in between.

Then I covered the table before I went upstairs and changed. I climbed into a light blue sheath dress that hung loosely from the hips down and put on golden strappy sandals. It was only my mother who came to visit, but I felt the need to dress smarter.

Downstairs, I heard the front door slam, letting me know Kian was back. Half an hour before we were supposed to start eating. I walked out of my room and met the handsome man in the hallway looking me up and down. »As always beautiful.« , he commented on my appearance with a smile. I was slowly learning to accept his compliments, but it still embarrassed me, which caused my cheeks to turn pink. "Thanks," I said shyly. »I'll go straighten up quickly, then I'll come downstairs too.« , he assured me before he gave me a kiss on the head and disappeared into the bathroom. My mother should also be there any moment.

I placed the warm food on the table and poured water into each glass. There was also a bouquet of fresh flowers with a vase in the middle, which gave the whole thing a calm atmosphere. At the same moment the doorbell rang, which I immediately opened and my mother stood in front of it. Unexpectedly, Owen was standing next to her. I hadn't expected his presence. I invited both of them into the house before we walked to the dining table together and took a seat. I got another plate and cutlery for Owen. Kian arrived minutes later in a crisp white shirt and black dress pants. He greeted my mother and Owen with a vigorous handshake and then sat down next to me.

It was quiet around us as I put the food on everyone's plates. Not particularly surprising. Together we began to devour this delicacy. "Did you cook that?" my mother then asked. I smiled at her and nodded, as everyone here seemed to like it. "Really tasty," said Owen, smiling. I thanked him politely. Every now and then my mother would throw odd looks at Kian, which I had noticed in passing. Somehow it didn't go quite as I had hoped. To loosen up the whole thing, I chose a conversation so that it wasn't quite so quiet. "And how are you, Mom?" I asked her, because I was really interested in how her health was at the moment.

But instead of her answering me, Owen spoke up. 'She's making good progress. The first few weeks were not easy for her. The withdrawal symptoms were an uphill battle. While it's still possible your mother could relapse, I'm responsible for that and keeping her busy with other things. So she doesn't think about the drugs quite as much.” It was really nice of him to tell me that, but it didn't answer my question. So I looked back at my mother and asked my question again. "And how do you feel? How are you doing with that?” She took a sip of the water before starting to speak. “There are good days, but there are also bad days. But I'll get through it willingly.” I nodded my understanding and took a sip from my glass as well.

Again there was an oppressive silence. Kian hadn't said a single word so far. He was unusually quiet and devoted himself entirely to the meal. My mother cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention except Kian. "Mr. Sheeren, right?” she looked at him questioningly, to which he only said yes. "Well, I do hope my daughter is in good hands." Her outspoken words made him look up at her now. A soft laugh escaped him, which is why he put his cutlery aside and clasped his hands together. "Mrs. Graves, it's nice that you're concerned about your daughter. But to reassure you, yes Saphira is happy here.' he insisted. I felt a little awkward about the whole thing as they acted like I wasn't there. "How exactly do you want to know that she is happy with you?" my mother asked and looked at Kian curiously. I prayed inwardly that it wouldn't escalate right away. I was imaginarily caught between two chairs, as if in the end I had to decide who I would choose.

'To get a more specific answer, you should ask your daughter. But I know it is because I've seen her smile more often than I have in the last few months." "You seem to have known her longer. Do I understand that correctly?” My mother looked back and forth between us skeptically. I too looked at Kian, who had taken a relaxed stance. Presumably this was an advantage of being a successful lawyer. Because this whole thing was starting to feel like a cross-examination. "As a matter of fact. I take it you don't know too much about Saphira.” “What's the point of this question?” There was a bit of confusion in her voice, which I didn't blame. After all, she still didn't know that I danced half-naked in a strip club to get money. Or dropped out of school.

'You know, Mrs Graves. If you'd given Saphira a thought over the years like you're doing now, your daughter wouldn't have to suffer so much,' blurted out Kian, who now had his arms crossed over his chest. "You're not to speak to me like that," my mother hissed at him. “I know I've made many mistakes. I want to make it up to you now.' , she defended herself. “I just don't understand that kind of relationship. Why a nineteen-year-old girl? Do you get excited that she's fresh young meat for you?!' I looked at my mother in horror. She couldn't be serious now, could she?

"Age is only a number. Saphira is clearly more mature and that's what I like about her. I can have a normal conversation with her and the conversations are also more profound. She knows what she wants and I appreciate that about her.« , he justified himself. He took my hand in his and now looked at me. »I fell in love with Saphira and nothing will ever change that. She also makes me happy, which I haven't been in recent years. She has a heart of gold and I want to protect that from evil.' His words warmed me inside. Feelings of happiness shot through my veins and my heart doubled in size. Every day he showed me why I loved him. Why I ever fell in love with him.

'Saphira, please. That can't be real.« , my mother interfered again and destroyed the beautiful moment between Kian and me. I exhaled heavily as her accusations got on my nerves. Why couldn't she just be happy for me? Didn't I deserve happiness? "Mom, that's enough. Kian is right, I'm happy with him. I feel comfortable and at home here. He got me out of my difficult times and overcame bad days with me.«

Now came the moment when I wanted to reveal to her what I had gone through because of her. She should finally understand that I had a hard and rocky path behind me, which finally led me to Kian, my savior. “I wanted to kill myself because I was bullied at school. I was an outsider who didn't have the latest clothes or looked neat. I starved almost every day and also lost weight. I dropped out of school and don't have a degree. To get money, I applied to numerous jobs, but they didn't want to take me. I ended up working at a strip club to earn our living, Mom.” She looked at me in shock, and regret also crossed her expression. Kian stroked my thigh encouragingly and thus signaled to me that

"So you danced naked in front of all the men?" That was probably the only thing that interested her. "I was wearing underwear, Mom," I defended the job. It wasn't as bad as she thought. I enjoyed the work and also got enough money together. 'For God's sake, Saphira. Why did you do this to yourself?' she said, looking at me with wide eyes. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously, was it? 'Mom, that question isn't valid.' 'How she is! There are other good-paying jobs that don't require this kind of activity.” “Did you even hear me? I had no other choice, and besides, I wasn't even required to go to work yet! Like everyone else, I wanted to get my degree, maybe even go to university. But I didn't have that opportunity thanks to YOU! "Towards the end I raised my voice a bit because I was fed up. I didn't want to continue listening to her accusations. It was all her fault and she knew it. “You didn't even ask how I was. You weren't even interested in what I was up to during that time. It was always about you, and it's still been to this day.” “That's not true,” my mother excused herself. A hysterical laugh escaped me as it grew ridiculous. my mother talked her way out of it. A hysterical laugh escaped me as it grew ridiculous. my mother talked her way out of it. A hysterical laugh escaped me as it grew ridiculous.

"I think it's time for you to go," Kian said to the two. "I'm in the middle of a conversation with my daughter right now." She determined and gave him a sour look. My mother had no right to approach him like that or to decide anything at all. "But the call is over for me," I let her know. Because I had nothing more to say. "But-" she started again, but I stopped her because it didn't make sense anymore. "You better walk now."

Owen was already up and whispering something to my mother that I couldn't hear. Apparently it did something as she stood up herself and picked up her bag. "I hope we can talk again sometime." was the last thing she said to me before Kian walked them to the door.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to speak to her in the near future. It was supposed to be a normal and quiet family meal, which went completely in the wrong direction. It seemed to me that my mother just didn't want to understand or accept that Kian was the one who could make me happy. He was there for me more in such a short time than my mother could ever be and she didn't seem to accept that.

I needed some distance and time to think before I could face my mother again. I realized that I had to make a decision unintentionally. And this should be well thought out...