Chapter 55

Cyrus had a great day with Riella. He didn't even need to pretend that he enjoyed talking to her, he was genuinely intrigued and curious to know more about her and hear her stories.

He loved watching her glow underneath the chandelier light and seeing her flushed cheeks as she regaled him with some embarrassing stories that she had lived through with Maya.

"I don't think I would ever have the face to go back there the next day after the humiliation," Cyrus commented as Riella covered her face.

"We had no choice, they had free food and that was what we set our eyes on. We had to do it. Oh, those days." She said shaking her head in remembrance as Cyrus reached for her hand and held it softly to say to her,

"You do know that you have nothing to worry about now, that you don't need to do anything for food or clothing. You understand that right?" He said caressing her palm with a gentle touch.

Riella’s eyes turned very red as she nodded her head, facing down at the table.

"I do know that