Chapter 24

After almost an hour, Tian stopped in front of a huge building, then he opened the door for Taria and held her hand after giving the key to the door man to park the car. Tian and Taria walked on a red carpet all the way to the restaurant main hall that was so huge and bright. The waiter led them to their table, while everyone else was looking at them, giving Taria a bad feeling, so she pressed on Tian's arm unintentionally.

Tian realized that Taria felt uncomfortable with all the eyes on her and him, so he put his other hand above her hand that was holding his arm, and said "I was going to book the whole place, but you felt uncomfortable when I did that last time. We can change the place if you hate it here"

"No, no need", Taria said after Tian's warm words made her at ease, then Tian helped her to sit down, while the waiter went away without taking their order as Tian did that before. Not long after that, the food got placed on the table, including many types that Taria hasn't seen in her life.

"I ordered everything I thought would suit your taste. No onions, no mushroom, and no mayonnaise", Tian said with boasting look

"How did you know that?" Taria said, astonished that he knew she hated those three things the most

"you never add onions when you cook, I saw you getting rid of the mushroom while eating pizza, and for mayonnaise, you once said that you hate it", Tian said while eating, forcing a smile on Taria's face as she never expected he would pay close attention to what she say or do. She felt happy, very happy to the point she forgot everyone else around her and saw Tian only, as if the world included just the two of them.

Taria stood up, leaning towards Tian to take the salt, and forcing him to see the necklace she was wearing again. A snap of photos flashed in Tian's mind once he saw the necklace hanging from her neck, leading the food he was eating to stuck in his throat, so he started coughing.

"Are you ok?" Taria asked with a concerned look in her eyes while pouring some water for him, and he nodded as he couldn't say a word. He looked at the necklace again, however, he felt nothing this time, yet the heavy feeling was still surrounding his chest.

"Taria, where did you get that necklace from?" Tian said, but she stood up nervously, with a look that Tian couldn't understand in her eyes. She started breathing fast which was evident from the rapid movement of her chest, and her eyes got wider as if she was staring at a ghost. Tian turned around to see what she was looking at, yet he only saw a normal old man eating with a young lady, so he turned around again, but Taria was already running out of the restaurant.

Taria felt shocked as if lightning struck her when her eyes witnessed the people on the table behind Tian. Her body stood up without her permission, and before she could realize it, she was running out of the restaurant. She wasn't able to breathe properly, and the skinny dress and heels she was wearing made it even harder, so she took her black heels off and kept running barefoot.

Taria was drowning in her thoughts to the point she didn't feel her tears running down her chin, nor hear Tian's voice calling her from behind. She kept running, not knowing where she was heading, and not caring about the direction as long as it would take her away, then, her leg twisted, and she fell down.

Tian approached her after she fell. He held her arm trying to help her stand up, but she shouted "don't touch me" just after his fingertips touched her skin. He felt like he was in a maze, not knowing where the entrance or the exit was, but after seeing Taria's face covered in tears like he never saw before, he knew that she is not in a condition where he can help.

Taria's body was shaking crazily, her knees were wounded as well as her arms and feet, and she wasn't able to cry as if she was trying to hold all her feelings inside her heart that wasn't wide enough to take them all. Tian took off his jacket and put it on Taria's shoulder, trying not to touch her body, and he stayed beside her silently while she was laying on the ground, not able to get up and not willing to be helped.

Taria looked at Tian who was waiting beside her not knowing what to do or say. She rose up and hugged him tightly, and she could finally cry her heart out. He stood up, carrying her in his arms, then he sat her on a chair and sat beside her. She held his jacket that she was wearing tight, trying to hide herself in it, and she stayed silent while her tears kept falling down as raindrops. After a while, Taria loosened her fist that was holding the jacket, and she looked at the full moon, trying to stop her tears from flowing so she would be able to speak.

"After my mother died.. My father took me in as the only blood related person left to me, sniff, he treated me worse than a maid, forcing me to work day and night and hitting me badly whenever he saw me. I, sniff, thought that it was ok as long as he didn't see me, but he would call me out, and hit me badly. Hic, one night, hic, one night his friends came, and I had to serve them. One of his friends forced me to drink something, then, sniff, I fell down unconscious after drinking it. Hic, when I woke up, hic, I was tied to a bed, and that friend came and… and.. he raped me. I was only twelve years old back then, and I broke an arm and a leg, and many other bones I never even knew existed, but do you know what the worst part is? The man who is supposed to be my father said (why would that concern me?) after I told him what happened, taking a deep breath, I ran away after realizing that I was living in hell with the devil himself, a twelve years old girl with broken bones, and I fainted on the street. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a warm house, and I knew later that an old man took me in and treated my wounds while I stayed unconscious for five days. That man became my new family, but he died two years after that, leaving me all alone again", Taria said, fighting her tears and cries to stay inside, but she lost control again, then she said "isn't life so cruel? everyone precious to me die fast, and everyone bad keep on living, and I always have to move on alone"

Tian felt like he was thrown from a high edge after listening to Taria's words, but he knew that Taria needed him to stay strong, so he pulled her hand gently, and put it on his chest so she would feel her necklace he was wearing as well as his heartbeats, which was enough for Taria to get a hold on herself again. She wiped her tears and took a deep breath, then she stood up, strongly and bravely as if she wasn't broken at all, and drew a smile on her lips.

"Let's go home, Tian", Taria said, then he held her hand and carried her home.