Chapter 160: Divorce Certificate
As soon as she got out of the car, James came over and took her hand.
Feeling his grip, Mia glanced at him but didn't pull away in the end. She let him hold her hand as they walked inside.
"Until he went to take a number, Mia finally tugged at him."
"Didn't you say everything was arranged?"
James reached out to take the number." then turned to look at Mia. "Don't worry, I won't back out this time."
Mia looked at the barely concealed sadness in his eyes.
She wanted to say she wasn't doubting him.
She was just confused.
But there was no point explaining now.
She really did want to get divorced quickly.
In the end, under his gaze, she accepted his assumption and softly replied, "Okay."
James held Mia's hand as they slowly walked inside. He could have arranged everything directly, but in the end, he chose to wait in line.
Every second before the divorce was final, she was still his wife.
He wanted every extra second he could get.
After they sat down, their hands were still clasped together.
To others watching, they wouldn't think these two were here for a divorce.
They'd just assume this couple getting married weren't the smiley type.
There was only one empty seat next to them when another couple came over.
The man sat right down and reached out to pull the girl onto his lap.
The girl was shy and didn't want to.
She looked at Mia and asked, "Miss, could you maybe move a little closer to your husband—"
Mia looked up at the voice and saw a very young face, full of energy.
Her eyes were bright and lively, her smile so radiant it was almost blinding, making Mia momentarily dazed.
She had once smiled like that too.
Looking at the brilliant smile on the girl's face, as if one smile could chase away all worries.
Watching her, Mia felt like she was seeing her former self.
Just as she was about to speak, the man had already pulled the girl possessively onto his lap.
The girl tried to get up, but the man's large hand held her waist firmly, his voice dropping lower, "Sit still."
"We haven't even gotten our certificate yet and you're already being mean to me. I don't want to get married to you anymore!"
The girl puffed out her cheeks in his arms.
The man's eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dropping even lower, "Say that again?"
"Honey."
The girl knew she'd said the wrong thing and immediately acted cute, leaning on his shoulder and whispering sweetly, "I was wrong, okay? I really, really want to get our certificate, I really want to marry you."
As her voice softened, the hard lines on the man's face softened too, his large hand affectionately ruffling her hair.
The girl nestled against his neck, her smile especially sweet.
From the corner of her eye, Mia watched the happiness and sweetness filling the girl's eyes, and her own eyes couldn't help but redden.
They really were like her and James used to be.
She used to be pampered like that too. James used to give in whenever she acted cute.
Suddenly her waist tightened as James pulled Mia's slender body into his arms.
Like that girl, she fell against his neck.
She tried to get up, but James held her tight.
His large hand cradling her head, he whispered in her ear, "Wife, let me hold you one last time."
The couple beside them reminded not only Mia of the past, but James too.
Their number was getting closer and closer.
Once they were called and got their divorce certificate, Mia wouldn't let him hold her this intimately anymore.
"Number 99 to window 5..."
The first time, no one got up.
They started calling a second time.
The girl who got her number after Mia and James—she was number 100—quietly asked, "Miss, what number are you?"
She really wanted her turn to come quickly.
"99."
After Mia answered, she heard them calling their number.
Getting up from James's arms, "It's our turn."
The girl looked at Mia with envy, "I'm so jealous of you guys, I don't even want to wait in line anymore."
Mia didn't respond and headed straight to window 5.
Before James followed, he turned back and gave the girl a cold look.
His eyes were terrifying.
Just one look and the girl immediately pulled her neck back in, leaning back into the man's arms, complaining with a wronged expression, "Why did that man glare at me?"
"What do you think?"
The man helplessly held the girl in his arms.
"How would I know why? I was being nice! Aren't people getting married usually really eager? I reminded him and that was wrong?"
With the man backing her up, the girl looked indignant.
But the next second, when the girl saw clearly that window 5 was for divorces, she stuck out her tongue.
She immediately turned and buried her face in the man's chest.
The man helplessly held her close.
He really didn't know what to do with her.
...
James had made arrangements in advance.
The paperwork went quickly.
James and Mia finally exchanged their marriage certificate for a divorce certificate.
The moment they stood up, their hands touched.
James's fingers moved slightly, but he didn't take Mia's hand.
From the moment they got the divorce certificate, he could no longer hold her hand whenever and wherever he wanted.
His gaze on her hand couldn't hide the lingering sadness.
The two walked out one after the other.
Mia walked ahead, James following a step behind.
From the dim interior, they slowly walked toward the light.
Mia stood in the sunlight and slowly turned around, looking at James standing one step away from her.
She could no longer smile carelessly like before.
But in this moment.
Mia still tried hard to curve her lips at James, giving him the smile he had desperately tried to win back.
After they got their divorce certificate, she finally gave him what he wanted.
In the sunlight, James looked at the long-absent smile on Mia's face.
His eyes slowly reddened, bloodshot. His large hand gripping the divorce certificate, his fingertips pressed so hard they turned white.
The two looked at each other quietly. Mia's smile was faint and light as she said sincerely to James, "James, thank you for divorcing me."
Thank you for giving her a way out before she completely withered away.
So they finally didn't have to keep torturing each other.
So she could still bask in the sunlight and continue to grow toward the sun.
From now on, they would part ways and each find their own peace.
James looked at Mia without responding. His arms moved, clearly wanting to hug her.
But he didn't dare raise them.
Mia saw.
She stepped forward, opened her arms and hugged him, pressing her face against his chest one last time, listening to his heartbeat, and said from the bottom of her heart, "James, I wish you happiness."
It was just a brief embrace.
James had just started to hug her back when Mia gently pushed him away and waved at him.
Without hesitation, she turned and left.
James couldn't help but step forward. He didn't reach out to pull her back, but said urgently, "Let me give you a ride."
"No need, it's not on the way."
Mia didn't turn back, just replied softly.
"Not on the way."
She was telling James that from now on, they would each take their own path, with no more intersections.
James stood there, watching Mia's back, watching her slowly walk away until she finally disappeared from his sight.
His heart felt as empty as barren land.
He stood there, clutching the divorce certificate, slowly crouching down, burying his face in his hands.
Warm liquid uncontrollably spilled from his eyes, seeping through his fingers and falling onto the dry ground, slowly spreading...