Chapter 36

Riley stood about half a meter away from Vivian, her pulse quickening as Vivian turned sharply, crossing her arms as she walked toward her.

“I’m giving you both a chance, Riley,” Vivian began, her voice firm, “but once my husband, Sienna’s father, finds out about the two of you… I don’t know what will happen.” Her gaze bore into Riley, carrying a weight of both warning and reluctant approval.

Riley held Vivian’s intense gaze. “Thank you, Ma’am,” she said, bowing her head respectfully.

“Oh dear, don’t thank me yet,” Vivian replied, her tone edged with skepticism. “I’m still not convinced this relationship of yours can work. But if it’s what my daughter wants, I’m giving her my approval—reluctantly.”

Vivian took a step back, her expression hardening. “But remember, this kind of relationship rarely survives, especially when the people around you won’t agree.”

With that, Vivian turned and walked to her car, pausing for a moment to glance back at Riley. She waved dismissively, signaling for Riley to return inside. “I’m leaving now. Go on, get back inside.”

Riley nodded, bowing once more. “Have a safe trip, Ma’am.”

As Vivian drove away, Riley let out a deep breath, a small smile tugging at her lips. She headed back toward her unit, but her steps faltered as she reached her door, her gaze drifting to Sienna’s. After a brief hesitation, she sighed and walked over, raising her hand to knock.

“Rile…” Sienna’s voice, thick with emotion, came from behind. Riley turned quickly, her heart sinking as she saw Sienna standing there, her eyes red and swollen from tears.

“Sien,” Riley whispered, closing the distance between them in an instant. She wrapped her arms tightly around Sienna, pulling her close as Sienna buried her face in Riley’s shoulder. Gently, Riley stroked her hair, offering comfort in the quiet warmth of the embrace.

Sienna sobbed softly, her grip tightening around Riley, as if holding on for dear life. Without breaking the hug, Riley guided her inside, closing the door behind them and leaning back against it. She pressed soft kisses to the top of Sienna’s head, her voice low and soothing. “What’s wrong, love?”

Sienna shook her head, saying nothing, but her arms tightened around Riley, clinging to her as the tears continued to flow.

Riley sighed softly, her breath warm against Sienna’s hair. "Everything's fine, don’t worry," she whispered, her voice calm and reassuring as she continued to gently stroke Sienna’s hair. The rhythm of her touch was steady, like a quiet promise that she was there to stay, no matter what.

Sienna sniffled, her tears slowly subsiding, though she still clung tightly to Riley. The weight of her worries seemed to lessen, if only slightly, under the comfort of Riley’s embrace.

"I’ve got you," Riley murmured, her fingers weaving through Sienna’s hair, grounding her in the moment. "I’m here."

Sienna hugged her knees, leaning against the headboard of Riley’s bed. She buried her face in her arms, remaining still. Riley glanced over and sighed, towel in hand, as she finished drying her hair after her shower. Sitting beside Sienna, she gently poked her in the waist.

Sienna lifted her head slightly and turned to face Riley, her red, swollen eyes meeting hers. “I talked to your mom,” Riley said, still using the towel to dry her damp hair.

Sienna sat up straighter, a flash of anxiety crossing her face. “What? What did she say? Did she—did she tell you to break up with me? Are you going to—”

Before Sienna could finish, Riley leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, stopping her mid-sentence. “Relax, love,” Riley whispered with a quiet laugh, leaning back against the headboard, arms crossed and legs stretched out. “It’s not that.”

She sighed before adding, “Just like I suspected, your parents still believe Harriet is responsible for Sophie’s death.”

Sienna bit her lip, fidgeting with her fingers. “But I told her, Harriet isn’t a criminal,” Riley continued. “We shouldn’t be judged for what happened between Harriet and Sophie. I made it clear that, at the very least, I want them to accept our relationship and not stand in the way.”

Sienna leaned her head on Riley’s shoulder. “What did she say?” she asked quietly.

Riley wrapped an arm around Sienna’s waist, pulling her closer. “That we’re just kids,” she said with a bitter chuckle. “Parents always say that, don’t they? It’s their way of saying we don’t understand how the world works.”

Sienna toyed with Riley’s fingers. “I told her she should be the one to understand you, to accept you—not judge you for loving me. Not for loving another girl.”

Sienna let out a heavy sigh. “She must’ve been furious.”

Riley placed a gentle kiss on Sienna’s forehead. “She told me something else, though.”

Sienna pulled back slightly, her curiosity piqued. “What? Don’t tell me she gave you some kind of ultimatum—”

“No, nothing like that,” Riley interrupted. “She said she’s giving us her approval, but only because it’s what you want. Even then, she’s still reluctant. She doesn’t think this kind of relationship—us—can last.”

Sienna stared at Riley in disbelief. “She actually said that?”

“Yep. Loud and clear,” Riley replied, nodding.

“Approval?” Sienna scoffed, shaking her head. “What the hell is going on?”

Riley laughed softly. “Maybe it’s because I’m too cute to resist. That’s probably why she agreed.”

Sienna couldn’t help but smile at Riley’s playful tone, though she was still processing everything. She leaned in closer, resting her head on Riley’s shoulder. “I can’t believe she actually gave approval. Even if it’s reluctant…”

Riley shrugged, still holding Sienna close. “It’s not a full victory, but it’s a start. She’s giving us a chance, even if she’s skeptical. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting her to budge at all.”

Sienna sighed, fidgeting with Riley’s fingers. “It feels... surreal. After everything that’s happened with Sophie, I didn’t think she’d ever let us be together. She still thinks Harriet’s to blame. I don’t know how I’m supposed to get past that.”

Riley looked down at Sienna, her expression softening. “We’ll get through it, Sien. I told your mom the truth—Harriet isn’t a criminal, and we’re not responsible for the choices they made in the past. What matters is now, and I love you. That’s what I told her.”

Sienna smiled faintly, though her thoughts were still a whirlwind. “Do you really think she’ll leave us alone?”

Riley chuckled, pressing a kiss to Sienna’s forehead. “Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. She might keep an eye on us, but for now, we have her reluctant approval. That’s better than nothing.”

Sienna sighed again, her fingers still tracing the lines of Riley’s hand. “It’s just… I don’t want to spend my life fighting to justify loving you.”

Riley tilted her head to meet Sienna’s gaze, her expression turning serious. “We don’t need to justify it to anyone. We love each other—that’s all that matters. Your mom’s doubts don’t change how I feel about you.”

Sienna’s heart softened at Riley’s words, and she leaned in to kiss her softly. “You’re right. We’ll make this work, no matter what.”

Riley smiled against Sienna’s lips. “That’s the spirit. And don’t worry, I’ll charm your mom into full approval eventually. Just give me time.”

Sienna laughed, shaking her head. “You really think you can charm her?”

Riley grinned. “I’m cute, remember? That’s half the battle won.”