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I pause for a moment as a thought hits me, a truth I had acknowledged in therapy but never fully appreciated, or truly felt, until this moment.

Mum lied to protect what she had. With Lars. With Dad. With us as a family.

It doesn’t change what she did. It doesn’t make it right. It was a horrible betrayal and devastated my father. It nearly destroyed my family. But I see how the lies began in her head.

Just like they have begun with me.

I pick up my phone, seeing Mason’s name on the screen. And I realise I can’t go down this same path. I’ve got to be stronger and braver to do better.

And I am.

I turn and look at Mum. “It’s not a girls’ message group. It’s Mason Clark.”

She stares at me, trying to comprehend. My heart slams against my ribs. Not out of fear of what she’s going to say. But I’m afraid Mason is going to be pissed off because I didn’t tell him I was going to do this first.

“You’re messaging Mason?” Mum asks, furrowing her brow. “About work?”

“No,” I say, looking her straight in the eyes. “I didn’t tell you the truth earlier. But I want to be honest with you. I’m messaging with Mason because we’ve just started seeing each other.”

Mum stares at me, a stunned, uncomprehending look passing over her features. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. We’re going out. But we’re not openly telling people, Mum. We’re keeping it private for now so we can get to know each other with no added pressure. So this stays between us.”

Her eyes instantly grow wide with alarm. “Oh, Catherine, you can’t do this! He’s the worst person you could ever date!”

“Mum. I didn’t tell you so I could get your thoughts or approval. I’m telling you because I don’t want to start building something with Mason on a foundation of lies.”

“Thank you for throwing my past in my face,” she says angrily.

An exasperated groan escapes me. “I’m not throwing anything in your face. This is how I feel. I don’t want to start with a lie. So I told you. I’ll tell Dad, and then I’m not telling anyone else as we see where this could go.”

“Oh my God, Catherine! Do you realise what a circus you are going to create for the tabloids?” Mum counters.

I angrily brush past her and enter the bedroom. She follows me as I pick up my earrings from the dresser. “I will handle it,” I say simply, slipping a diamond hoop earring in one ear.

“They are going to bring up everything about Lars and me!” Mum cries, and I hear panic rising in her voice. “All of that rubbish is going to be dragged up all over again! It’s finally buried, and people have moved on, but this will put me right back on all the gossip websites. They will draw comparisons between you and me. They’ll say history is repeating itself, and they’ll run all those damn pictures again! I can’t bear this, Catherine!”

I stare at her in disbelief. She’s not worried about me. She’s worried about herself.

“And what about your grandfather? He is going to be furious at Mason!” Mom spits.

Whilst I realise Mum is bringing up Grandfather to get to me, I know that’s the reality, and I feel sick when she says what I know is true. But I also know I will go to my grandfather when the time is right and fight for what I want.

Because Mason is worth it.

There’s a knock on the door. “It’s Caleb and Isla,” my brother’s deep voice calls out.

Mum looks like she’s on the verge of tears. She turns to me. “Please don’t do this to me, Catherine. Please. I’m begging you.”

I’m seeing a side of Mum I haven’t seen since I was a teenager. She’s vulnerable. Weak. Terrified.

And she’s willing to ask me to sacrifice my own happiness to save her own.

I fight the bile that’s rising in my throat. I don’t want to drag all of this up again. I hate the idea of putting my family and Collings Motors through another gossipy news cycle.

My phone buzzes again as Caleb raps on the door a second time. I stare at the name Mason Clark on my screen, and I know what I need to do.

For some women, that would mean telling Mason this is a bad idea. That, as attracted as I am to him, I can’t do this to my mum, the company, and my family.