Page 4 of She will Always be Mine

Pushing open the door to my bedroom, I go and sit on the edge of the bed while I impatiently wait for my mom, and stare hard at the open door, willing her to hurry and praying she gives me a chance to explain.

Every second that ticks by puts me on edge and drives my anxiety up a notch. The silence lets my imagination run wild, each thought more horrific than the last.

Is this the end? It sure feels like it.

Will I never see Riaan again?

Am I going to be miserable and alone for the rest of my life?

When I came here tonight, I only had one single thought. To end it with Riaan before it got messy and our lives became entangled more than they already were.

I always knew a time would come when he and I would have to part ways, but it was supposed to be on our terms. I hate that the decision was cruelly stolen from me because of someone holding my secret as leverage over my head.

I was cornered, forced, and blackmailed.

An invisible gun was being pointed at my back.

Even though I gave them what they wanted, the feeling of being trapped doesn’t go away. If I ever want to get rid of it, I need to find the person behind all of this.

Because when it comes to the monsters hiding in the shadows… they always come back for more.

I foolishly thought that maybe I could find out who the person blackmailing me is and then figure out how to ask Riaan for his forgiveness. I was praying it would give us a fighting chance to be together, but that was before my mom caught us red-handed.

The way she reacted gave me my answer that even if I was successful, there is no happily ever after for us. It’s just like what Zain said—and now, I hate him even more.

However, even if I’m so angry with my brother right now, I can’t think about anything except for confronting my mother. As if willed by my imagination, the door slams open as she briskly walks in, her face a mask of shame and anger and just below the surface, something close to dread.

It breaks my little heart to see her like this, knowing I’m the one who caused this, even if Zain is partly to be blamed.

“I’m taking you back home,” she announces while nodding to herself, agreeing with whatever thought just crossed her mind. Yet, she doesn’t meet my eyes as she continues, “Tomorrow, we’ll go pack your bags from the dorm and take the next flight far away from here.”

“Mom!”

Her gaze finally cuts to me and she pauses her pacing. Now that she’s looking at me intently, the words are all jumbled in my head and I don’t know what to say.

I’m pretty sure my eyes are puffy and red, burning with unshed tears. But instead of taking me in her arms—the way she always did whenever I cried—she remains standing away from me.

“I knew it was a mistake sending you here all alone.” She shakes her head in disgust. “Now look at what happened. Kissing your older cousin... Don’t you have any shame, Nyra?”

My chin drops and silent tears fall down my cheeks. “I-I am so sorry, Mom.”

Suddenly, she’s in my face, holding my shoulders back, and demands, “Did he force you? He brainwashed you into thinking it was okay, didn’t he?”

“Wha— No, Mom.” I push her away and stand up. “He’s not a predator. He never forced me, okay! We love each other.”

I gasp when my head snaps to the right, registering the fact that my mom—who has never raised a hand on me—slapped me across the face.

Shock and pain has me motionless against the onslaught of emotions I feel in the moment. Guilt like never before slams into me at the fact that I pushed my mom so hard that I lowered her to do this.

“This better be the last time you ever whisper those words out loud, Nyra.”

When my gaze slips back to her, her face pales and it’s not just anger in her eyes that stares back at me, but fear and panic that sears me to my core.

Yet I can’t find it in me to back down because no matter the harsh consequences, there’s one promise I’ll never break to Riaan and that’s not letting anyone taint our love for each other, even if it led to us being apart.

“It’s the truth,” I darkly growl. “I love him more than life and not even you can convince me otherwise. Hit me, hide me, or kill me but I’ll never stop loving him.”

I expect another slap when I watch her hand clench into a tight fist but she holds herself back and sucks in a breath.

---