The rest of our lunch was a disaster. Mrs. Coyle stopped talking to me and Mom. Dad and Mr. Coyle argued about their failed investment, blaming each other. Mr. and Mrs. Coyle left without even paying their share of their lunch.

"You invited us, so you should pay," Mr. Coyle blurted at Dad, "I even missed an important zoom meeting just to join you."

"We did not enjoy the food! This restaurant is terrible, serving raw meat and too spicy food!" Mrs. Coyle complained.

"Of course! This is a Korean Samgyupsal restaurant!" Mom exclaimed, and muttered how ignorant Mrs. Coyle was about Korea, she should watch Korean Dramas.

On our way home, I had a long lecture from dad. The moment we entered the car, he would not stop ranting. I pretended to sleep, having a food coma, and that made him stop.

I love my dad so much, but sometimes, I just wanted to get away from him. He irritated me by always controlling my life. He was treating me like a child, who could not make a decision. Being near him was not good for my mental health.

It was three in the afternoon when we arrived home. I cleaned the house, watered Mom's plants, then took a nap. I woke up at five and prepared for my date with Kristov. I took a shower right away, blow-dried my hair - keeping the long length fell on my back in soft waves, and applied some makeup.

I wore a blush pink spaghetti strap mini dress that Kimberly and I bought recently. I paired it with my black stilettos, the only decent shoes that I had.

The doorbell rang at six sharp. I ran downstairs to open the door, but Mom got there first. She opened the door, and met Kristov.

I gasped the moment I saw him. He looked so beautiful, hot and ravishing like a Greek God, standing there at our doorstep, wearing a tan brown jacket over his white shirt, and dark jeans. He was holding a lovely box of red roses and two large paper bags.

His dark eyes lit up the moment he saw me, but he got distracted when Mom almost yelled excitedly.

"Oh, it's you!" Mom was smiling so brightly, "I have a feeling that it's you, Mr. Stavrakos."

"Good evening, Mrs. Rosi, nice to see you again. You look lovelier than the last time I saw you," he greeted pleasantly, making Mom blushed, "and please, just call me Kristov."

"Thank you, Kristov. You're always gorgeous, I'm sure you know that. Just call me, Divine," Mom shamelessly touched his arm, "come in, come in. Oh! here's Pia," she chuckled happily. Finally she noticed me behind her.

Before I could go near Kristov, a hand grabbed my wrist from behind, gripping so tightly. I turned and saw Dad's monstrous expression.

"Dad! You're hurting me."

He let go of my wrist and walked towards Kristov. He looked so small standing in front of Kristov's very tall frame.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Stavrakos? It's my daughter's day off. She has no reason to see you," Dad attacked scornfully.

Kristov seemed unmoved. His expression remained pleasant and respectful as he greeted Dad with a gentle smile.

"Good evening, Mr. Rosi. It's a pleasure to see you," he extended his hand for a handshake, but Dad ignored it, making him drop his hand.

For the first time, I saw the very confident and composed Kristov Stavrakos stammering, looking so nervous and sweating hard.

He glanced at me briefly, took a deep breath, then answered Dad.

Um... I'm here to... to ask for your permission, to-to take Pia on a date."

"My answer is still no, Mr. Stavrakos," Dad uttered rudely, "and it won't change. You may be my employer, but in my own home, you are an ordinary person."

"I can assure you, Mr. Rosi, that's what I want to be treated like, to be ordinary," Kristov remained kind and polite.

"She's not going out with you now, or ever! Date or no date. So, STAY AWAY from her."

I could see the sadness and disappointment on Kristov's face. His shoulders dropped, looking so defeated.

Dad was too much and unreasonable. I could not tolerate his bad behavior anymore. He had no right to attack and embarrass Kristov.

I stepped between them, facing dad, and shielding Kristov, "stop it dad, we don't need your permission. We're adults."

"That's right," Mom interrupted, and scolded dad, "you're being an ass, Luis, and you're embarrassing our family with your filthy attitude! Just because your ex jilted you in the altar for a rich guy, you're hating every rich guy in the world who shows interest in your daughter!"

Mom dropping the bomb made Dad flushed with embarrassment. She surely put him in his place, since he stopped being so grumpy and stood silently in the corner.

Mom turned to me and Kristov, with a victorious smile, "I approve of you dating, so there's no problem with that. You're both consenting adults, you can decide for yourselves. In fact, I'm so happy for both of you."

"Thank you... um, Divine," Kristov was flushing, looking so shy like a teenage boy. Mom invited him in the living room and he relieved himself from the packages he was holding.

He gave me the box of red roses first. "I ordered this myself in the flower shop."

I smiled at him, appreciating his effort more, "thank you, they're very beautiful. I love it."

He looked so pleased, then he turned to Mom.

"I hope you'll like this, Divine," he gave the large orange paper bag to her, "I instructed my executive secretary to get the latest design."

Mom's eyes grew so big when she realized that it was an Hermes paper bag.

"My goodness! I never touched an Hermes paper bag before, how much more owning a bag!" Mom said shamelessly as she took the paper bag and opened it right away.

She looked so happy, and leaped with joy when she saw the handbag.

"Thank you so much, Kristov. I only dream of owning one Louis Vuitton handbag, and having this Hermes Birkin, is beyond my imagination. My goodness, this must have cost you a fortune!"

"Actually no," he answered, "If you like, I'll have the store deliver all their designs here tomorrow..."

"Kristov!" I interrupted him. He would spoil Mom if he'd give her whatever she wanted, "we have to go now, right?"

"We still have plenty of time, but we can go now if you like," he lifted the green paper bag he was holding, "um... this is for you, Mr. Rosi."

"You can't bribe me with expensive things, Mr. Stavrakos. My opinion still won't change," Dad said bluntly.

Humiliated, Kristov answered politely, "I assure you, that's far from my mind. But I understand you, Mr. Rosi, and I appreciate your honesty."

"Luis! That's a Rolex watch for heaven's sake. It's your dream to have one," Mom said to Dad, then she turned to Kristov and took the green paper bag, "he's a very proud man, but I'm sure he appreciates your gift. Thank you for this."

I looked at Kristov, feeling embarrassed of my parents.

Later, when we were inside his white Lamborghini, I apologized for my parents' behavior and told him that he shouldn't have brought gifts, they were not necessary.

"I would be embarrassed if I didn't bring anything."

"You're going to spoil them."

"Well, it would be my pleasure to pamper them. I want to win not only your heart, but theirs too."

"Money is not the best way to do that. You have to spend time with them, so they'll get to know you better."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. That's how you'll gain their trust."

"I'll keep that in mind," he smiled and held my hand, his eyes gleamed wickedly, "you look so beautiful tonight. I'm dying to kiss you now, but your parents are watching through the window."

"You better not, unless you want Dad to follow us," I replied, trying to calm myself. If he only knew how I ached for his touch and kisses, the moment I saw him.

"I won't take the risk," he chuckled deeply, then started the car.

I drank the comfort of his nearness, loving the smell of his wonderful male scent and the touch of his warm hand lacing mine. I felt my heart lurched with excitement and all my insides swirled and leaped with joy.

Then I remembered something that made me curious to ask.

"Are Jack and your other bodyguards following us?"

A flicker of worry suddenly showed on his face, "do you mind? I told them to stay as far as they could, and keep them out of our sight."

"I see," I nodded right away, "of course I don't mind. They have to do their job too."

He sighed with relief, and gave me a very sweet tantalizing smile.

I had to accept him for what he was, completely. He was not an ordinary man, but someone very rich and powerful. He needed protection for his safety... and mine too when we were together.

It's true that we were like poles of magnets, living at opposite ends. But despite his world revolving differently from mine, he never made me feel inferior or left out. We were the same - like equals when we were together.

Humility, that was what he possessed, and something I admired in him.

"Where are we going to have dinner?"

"In Diamond Palace Restaurant at the Stavrakos Hotel. I have the area overlooking the sea, closed for our privacy," he answered.

"Hmm... is that where you take all your dates?"

I asked, and when he did not answer, I gave him a disappointed look.

"Great!" I muttered.

"Not all," he assured me, "just a few. Maybe three or four."

"Let me guess... a candlelight romantic dinner with an orchestra at the side, playing love songs."

I saw him stiffened from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Pia. But it's the only place where we can have privacy."

"I don't want to go there," I gave him an impatient shrug.

 He pulled his car to a stop at the side of a children's park.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"I don't know. Somewhere you've never brought your girlfriends before."

"I never had a girlfriend before."

"Seriously? You've got to be kidding me," my lips curled, not believing him, "I saw your photos on the internet, with different girls clinging to your arm. The tabloids said that thousands of girls are lining up to marry you."

He held up his hand, defending himself, "don't believe everything you see and read. They're all made up by the press for money. Yes, I dated, but not too many... and I swear, I never had any girlfriend before. You're my first."

My lashes flew up, I stared at him, shocked, "you considered me as your girlfriend?"

"Aren't you?" His dark brows shot up in surprise.

"Um... no," I answered honestly, "I don't remember you asking."

"We agreed to date exclusively. Isn't that implied already?"

"Of course not. It's imperative that you ask me first, if I want to be your girlfriend."

"I really don't know how it works," he gave me a confused expression, "this is so new to me."

I saw the struggle on his face. I understood him more now, that he lacked love and affection. The feelings were so foreign to him that he did not know how to express and convey them properly to someone. 

I shifted my position on the seat, turning to him fully. I held his eyes and said.

"Just say what's in your heart."

He took my hands with his, drawing me closer to him, "all I know is that I like you so much, Pia. You're the only girl that I want. You'll make me the happiest man in the whole universe if you say yes to being my girlfriend. What do you think?"

If I'm going to say yes now, tomorrow, next week or next month... would it make any difference? My decision would still be the same. Do I need to torture him a little, in waiting for my decision? If I do that, I would be torturing myself too. I am an adult and I know what I want.

"Yes, I would love to," I answered, then he pulled me in his arms and kissed me passionately. 

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