Chapter 105: I Do Not Agree to Divorce
He thought Mia couldn't leave him at all.
When Mia brought up divorce twice before, he never took it seriously.
He knew very well that Mia couldn't leave him.
With her wings clipped by him and having lost the ability to survive on her own, Mia had no way to make it independently in this world.
Not to mention, she was pregnant now, making it even harder to find work.
Even if she could find a job, how could she—pampered and sheltered, always treasured and protected by him—endure the hardships of working?
His previous anger and rage came from not being able to stand hearing her mention divorce. His fixed mindset made it impossible for him to accept Mia leaving him.
He never truly believed she would actually divorce him.
But this time, she directly sent him a divorce agreement with her signature on it.
Was she really going to divorce him?
Without him, how would she survive?
James's emotions grew more and more turbulent. He floored the gas pedal, the car speeding faster and faster toward Luxe Haven.
……
Mia hadn't closed her eyes for a day and a night. She was exhausted, completely drained.
The confrontation with Amelia had already left her mentally and physically spent.
She didn't refuse when Benjamin offered to drive her home.
After getting in the car, Benjamin turned on the car stereo and selected a piece of instrumental music that would help relax the nerves.
The soothing melody flowed slowly through the car, reaching her ears and unconsciously loosening her tense emotions.
Not long after the car started moving, Mia sat in the passenger seat, leaning lightly against the backrest, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside. Slowly, her eyes closed, and her breathing gradually became steady.
After she fell asleep, Benjamin eased his foot off the gas pedal, keeping the car at minimum speed.
Until the car reached Tranquil Meadows.
Benjamin gently applied the brake, and the car slowed down more and more.
The car continued slowly until it reached the entrance of Building 8 where Mia lived. He glanced at Mia sleeping soundly in the passenger seat and chose to pull over and park, not waking her up.
He leaned back in the driver's seat, turning his head to look at Mia.
His suit jacket was draped over her—he had put it on her while waiting at a red light after she fell asleep.
His gaze slowly moved to her face.
In sleep, the faint sadness between her brows became even more apparent.
She wasn't sleeping peacefully. Since falling asleep, her brows had been slightly furrowed, never relaxing.
Even in her dreams, she wasn't happy.
Time passed, and he didn't know what she was dreaming about, but a tear slowly slid from the corner of her eye, down her face toward him.
It trickled slowly down her cheek, pausing at her jaw, gathering into a droplet before falling.
Benjamin instinctively reached out to catch it.
The teardrop landed gently in his palm—so light, yet it struck heavily at his heart.
He stared at the dampness in his palm, slightly dazed.
Until the sun set. The sunset rays shone through the windshield ahead, piercingly bright.
Noticing this, Benjamin raised his hand without thinking, using his large palm to shield her from the sunlight.
His hand cast a shadow over her face. Benjamin noticed his thumb was positioned right at the corner of her eye. He moved it slightly in the air, gently wiping away her tears.
As his finger moved, light leaked through the gaps, projecting onto Mia's eyelids.
Mia, who wasn't sleeping deeply to begin with, stirred her eyelids and slowly opened her eyes.
After her vision cleared, Mia slowly sat up.
Seeing her wake, Benjamin withdrew his hand.
Having held the same position for too long, his blood circulation was poor. As he pulled his hand back, Benjamin frowned slightly in discomfort.
When he noticed Mia looking at him, his expression returned to normal. He spoke first, blocking her polite words, "You owe me another meal now."
"Okay."
Mia followed Benjamin's lead and swallowed back her polite words, nodding lightly in agreement.
After saying goodbye, she pushed open the car door and got out.
Just as she stepped out, a familiar black sedan appeared in her view from around the corner.
Mia remembered his violent behavior the last time he saw Benjamin.
She already felt bad about getting Benjamin involved last time.
"I'll head up now. Drive safe."
Without lingering, she turned and walked inside.
James only had eyes for Mia, spotting her figure immediately.
He floored the gas pedal, hit the brakes hard, and the car stopped downstairs. Grabbing the divorce agreement from the passenger seat, he took large strides, covering the distance in half the steps.
Hearing his footsteps following her, Mia walked into the elevator. Just as James caught up, the elevator doors closed right in front of him.
Inside and outside the doors.
One with a dark expression, one with a calm face.
A stark contrast.
……
When Mia returned home, the maid who had been anxiously waiting immediately came up to her. "Mrs. Smith, you must be hungry. Dinner isn't ready yet, but should I get you a bowl of soup first?"
"Yes, please bring it to my room."
After speaking, Mia went upstairs.
Soon the maid came out carrying a bowl of soup at just the right temperature and placed it in front of her. "Mrs. Smith, have this to tide you over. The food will be ready soon."
"Okay."
Mia nodded and sat by the bay window, sipping the soup in small mouthfuls.
After just a few sips, the door was forcefully pushed open from outside.
James appeared in the bedroom doorway. He hadn't even changed his shoes and strode in with large steps.
Looking at the calm Mia, he pressed the divorce agreement—already crumpled in his grip—right in front of her. His gaze burned into her face as he suppressed the surging emotions inside him. "What is this?"
From the office to home.
During this nearly half-hour journey, he had remained in a state of disbelief.
He truly didn't believe that Mia would actually divorce him.
Not just talking about it, but actually going to a lawyer to divorce him.
Mia ignored James's eyes that seemed ready to shoot flames. Only after finishing the last spoonful of soup did she put down the spoon, slowly raise her head to look at James, and say with a mocking tone, "James, you're a top student and you don't recognize this? Do you need me, a graduate from a third-rate university, to teach you?"
James was obviously taken aback.
Last time Mia treated divorce like a joke, constantly bringing it up. In a moment of extreme anger, he had spoken without thinking.
Now hearing her label herself this way, James felt very uncomfortable.
He sat down across from Mia and softened his tone. "Mia, we can talk this through properly..."
"James, I don't want to waste words with you. This isn't a discussion—it's a notification. I'm definitely getting this divorce."
Mia's haggard face was filled with determination.
By going directly to a lawyer and sending him divorce papers, she was showing her attitude toward divorce.
Between them, there was no room for compromise anymore.
This time, no matter what he said, she wouldn't believe a single word.
No matter what he did, she wouldn't change her decision.
No matter how difficult the road ahead, no matter how much pain, she would walk it herself.
This tainted man—she would absolutely never take him back!
Never!
James understood Mia too well. Meeting her firm and resolute gaze, his mind was in chaos.
At this moment, he finally clearly realized that Mia really was going to divorce him.
And she had truly made up her mind.
James suddenly stood up with great agitation, instinctively grabbing the divorce agreement from the small table. Without thinking, he tore it in half right in front of her. As if that wasn't enough, he tore it several more times, shredding it into small pieces, gripping them tightly, and said seriously, "I don't agree to divorce!"
Every word was squeezed out through clenched teeth.
Before he realized he loved her, he never thought about divorcing her.
Now that he had fallen in love with her, how could he possibly bear to divorce her?
"James, how can you have the nerve not to divorce?"