Are you sure that you want this, Mom...?

"This place is perfect!" Oliver smiled and stepped inside, inspecting the cave. It was dark and cold, but otherwise safe enough.

Mia followed him in as well. Once she made sure that there wasn't anything to worry about, she sat down on the ground. "Finally... We're safe... It feels so good to relax after everything that's happened."

Oliver nodded in agreement, sitting down next to his mother. He laid his hand on her shoulder and pulled her in, leaning her head on his chest as he caressed her hair lovingly. "Indeed it is, Mom... Thank goodness we both survived."

"Mhm... Thank goodness indeed." Mia murmured before adding, "However, it was you who protected me... Oliver, you risked your life for me and saved my life multiple times already. I should be the one to take care of you, but it seems that you took over that role for yourself..."

"Hey... What are you saying, Mom? It's my job as the man to take charge and protect the woman I love and hold dear!" Oliver responded, tightening his arms around his mother's shoulders, pulling her even closer. "Don't be so hard on yourself. We're together and safe now. That's all that matters..."

Mia didn't reply at first as she stared at his face. There was a faint blush on her cheeks as she whispered, "Not just a man but my man."

Oliver felt his heart skip a beat at that. His mother had never expressed herself like this before. Sure, she was affectionate with him, and they did a lot of sexual acts already, but it was different, somehow.

"Huh...? Isn't that role reserved for Dad?" Oliver questioned in confusion, staring at Mia with wide eyes, surprised by his mother's words.

She shook her head before looking at her son's eyes again. "I told you before we came to this world, didn't I? You are more important to me than anyone else, even more important than your father. And now that we're here in this unknown world, there's nobody else I feel safe around except for you..."

Her hand reached up towards his cheek, caressing it gently with her fingertips. "You'll step up and become my man, right? Oliver?"

His heart almost jumped out of his chest with how fast it started pounding against his rib cage as soon as he realized the implication behind her words. His breath caught in his throat at the same time while he felt shivers going up and down his spine. "Are you sure that you want this, Mom...? Don't you want to try to get back home...? And we might be able to do that if we try!" He said while trying to buy some time to compose himself.

Mia's reply came right away; there wasn't a trace of doubt or hesitation in her voice as she declared, "Yes, Oliver... I have made up my mind. There's no guarantee that we could get back home. Besides, even if there is a way, who knows how long that may take? Who knows how difficult and dangerous it is... Just think about the goblins. We barely survived the encounter with them. There might be even worse monsters out there... I don't want to risk losing you, Oliver. It was fortunate we survived, but what if things become worse?"

Mia took a deep breath before continuing to speak, "I don't know why or how we ended up here, but I want to be with you in this new world and try to make the best of it. I want to start anew here and build our lives together."

Oliver looked at his mother for a long while after she finished saying what was on her mind. It wasn't because he disagreed with anything she said; far from it. He understood perfectly well the reasoning behind her decision.

He could see the sadness in her blue eyes, but also hope and determination too.

It took him a moment to recover from the emotional turmoil within him and then to muster enough courage to admit the truth he had been suppressing for so long. "Mom, I want to be with you too! You're my world, my life!" Oliver paused for a moment, still unsure whether he should say more and decided to do it. "Mom, I love you. I love you so much that I want you to be my woman from now on. I want to make you happy and live happily together as lovers."

Mia couldn't help but giggle as soon as she heard Oliver say that, "I think that we're already past the stage of 'lovers.'" She couldn't stop herself from laughing more when she noticed her son's puzzled expression. "The things we've been doing... That's the kind of act only lovers do to one another, don't you think? What I want us to have is even more intimate, but with greater meaning behind it. I want to be your wife, Oliver..."

"My wife..." Oliver repeated. The word sounded foreign coming out of his mouth but not unpleasant. "I'd like that too, Mom, to have you as my wife!"

The two lovers smiled and stared into each other's eyes with unwavering resolve reflected in them, and soon, their faces drew closer together until their lips met, connecting their hearts, bodies, and minds in a passionate kiss.

Their tongues met, exploring one another's mouths. They shared breaths and caresses. Everything happened naturally as they poured their emotions into the kiss.

Once it ended, they gazed deeply at each other once more before speaking at the same time.

"I love you."

[ A/N: Subscribe on SubscribeStar to read 25+ Advance Chapters. ]