Chapter 201: Jealousy
She hadn't forgotten him.
She still remembered him.
He had been so afraid that after being unconscious for so long, Mia would forget him.
"Mia, I'll be able to return home in a while. Remember to welcome me back."
"Okay, I'll treat you to a big meal."
"Street food again?"
Uri teased.
He remembered Mia's last day as a tutor. After getting paid, to thank him for taking her back to school rain or shine, she treated him to street food.
He ordered a few extra dishes, and Mia felt bad about the money but was too embarrassed to say anything. That conflicted little expression on her face.
Until he secretly signaled the owner to give them a discount with some excuse, and when Mia heard it was 50% off, her face finally lit up with joy.
Mia was totally speechless.
Those memories were too embarrassing to recall.
Back then she was saving for college tuition and really short on money, so she had no choice.
"I have a job and money now. I can treat you to a real feast, the kind that costs thousands of dollars a meal."
In front of Uri, she was like a little sister showing off to her big brother, with a hint of pride, seeking praise.
"You've become so amazing!"
"Of course!"
Uri listened to Mia's proud voice. He didn't want to hang up.
He really wanted to talk more with Mia, to hear her voice, but his strength wouldn't allow it.
"Mia, I have some things to handle here. Gotta go. Wait for me."
Those words "wait for me" carried deeper meaning.
He didn't ask about her relationship status.
To him, it didn't matter.
As long as he returned to Imperial City, she would definitely be his.
"Okay, I'll wait for you."
Mia didn't catch the deeper meaning. She just thought he meant to wait for him to come back so she could welcome him home.
She agreed with a smile and hung up, completely immersed in the joy of reconnecting with Uri.
Back when exams ended, Uri had called her to meet up and told her to wait for him.
But she sat at the meeting spot and waited the entire day without seeing him.
His phone stayed off no matter how many times she called. He just vanished like that.
……
In Marigoldia, Uri hung up and dialed another number.
At the Smith Villa, in a side building farthest from the main house.
At the back of the side building was a chapel. A plainly dressed woman knelt on the ground, holding a cross, praying.
The door behind her was forcefully pushed open from outside.
A gust of wind swept in as James's mother Clea walked in with graceful steps.
Looking down at the kneeling woman, she laughed lightly, "Congratulations, Uri finally woke up. I'm so happy for you."
Happy?
Of course she was happy.
But what made her happy wasn't that Uri woke up, but that even awake, he was a useless person who would never get out of bed for the rest of his life.
A useless person, even awake, couldn't threaten James's position.
Beatrix seemed to be in a trance, maintaining her prayer position.
As if the person who woke up wasn't her son at all.
She had come to watch Beatrix's disappointment, but seeing her like this, she lost interest.
How boring.
The Beatrix who used to act so superior in front of her could now only obediently stay in this small chapel.
Living at her mercy.
Clea walked away elegantly in her high heels.
Only after the sound of high heels faded did Ingrid, the maid who had been taking care of her, close the door.
Beatrix's fingers moved faster and faster over the cross.
Using too much force, the cross fell to the ground.
Ingrid knelt beside Beatrix, looking at her reddened eyes and trembling body.
She reached out and held her cold hand. "Mrs. Smith."
"Uri, he finally woke up."
Beatrix took a deep breath, not letting her emotions spiral out of control.
She gripped Ingrid's hand tightly in return.
"Mrs. Smith, should we...?"
"Wait until Uri comes back."
Beatrix shook her head slightly.
"Go get me a new cross."
"Yes, Mrs. Smith."
When Ingrid returned with a new cross, Beatrix had regained her calm appearance.
……
In Mia's apartment complex, in the kitchen, James wore an apron, cheerfully cooking for his beloved.
His movements were skilled. It was hard to imagine that not long ago, he couldn't even identify all the seasonings.
Even he himself hadn't expected that one day he would learn to cook for a woman.
And find it sweet.
When he was learning, he didn't know if he'd ever get the chance to use it, but he just wanted to learn, thinking that maybe one day he could win Mia's heart through her stomach.
As he finished cooking the shrimp and turned to plate it, he saw Mia sitting on the sofa, talking on the phone with a sweet smile.
Smiling so sweetly?
Who was it?
James felt jealousy rising in his heart. He quickly plated the food, opened the door, and brought the dish out.
Seeing that Mia had hung up but hadn't noticed him, still sitting on the sofa with a silly smile.
James was very jealous.
He put down the dish, strode over to the sofa, and pressed her down on it.
Suppressing his jealousy, he asked casually, "Whose call made you so happy?"
"A friend."
Mia glanced at him and deliberately gave a vague answer.
"What friend?"
James immediately pressed further.
"You're being too nosy."
Mia reached up and pinched James's jaw, which was tight with concern.
Looking at the deliberate Mia, his heart was sour, but there was nothing he could do.
He couldn't just grab her phone and check who it was.
Mia saw James looking at her with a frustrated expression.
She found it amusing. Still holding his jaw, she gave his pressed lips a light, soothing kiss.
"Alright, I'm hungry. Go make dinner."
James immediately tried to deepen the kiss, but Mia nimbly dodged, using her eyes to signal that she was really hungry.
James had no choice but to get up and return to the kitchen to cook.
He had been in a good mood earlier, but now he clearly carried a hint of resentment.
Mia watched for a while, then got up from the sofa and walked toward the kitchen.
She glanced at James cooking with a stern face, then scanned the food that had just been prepared.
She knew that since she walked in, although James hadn't said anything, his peripheral vision had been on her the whole time.
Mia pretended not to notice and reached out to sneak a bite.
She picked up a piece of meat and quickly put it in her mouth.
Just as she stuffed it in, James had already turned around.
Mia pressed her lips together, looking at him with innocent eyes.
That look immediately broke James, who already had little self-control around her.
Unable to hold back, he pressed her against the counter and leaned down to kiss her.