Chapter 351: Dad, I Love You

Chapter 351: Dad, I Love You

Two hours later, the doorbell rang.

Mia, who was pressed against the floor-to-ceiling window by James about to try the third one, heard it and saw hope.

After two hours of this, she was really exhausted. Breathing heavily, she said, "James, wait... wait... the doorbell."

She thought she'd hear "can't wait."

Surprisingly, James actually let her go. He lifted her in his arms and carrying her back to the bed. "I'll get the door."

He put on a bathrobe, wrapped himself up properly, and went out. He was being so agreeable that Mia was a bit surprised.

The doorbell was the food delivery.

Mia was truly hungry, and the aroma made her feel even more famished. She immediately rolled out of bed.

The moment her legs touched the floor, they went numb, and she nearly fell.

James, coming back in, caught her just in time and pulled her into his arms. A soft laugh sounded above her head.

Mia was slightly annoyed. She looked up and glared at him fiercely, then raised her hand and pinched his waist hard. How dare he laugh.

James kissed her lips soothingly. "I'll carry you."

Not having to walk, Mia was happy to simply enjoy it. She wrapped her arms around James's neck as he lifted her by the waist and carried her to the dining table outside. The table was filled with her favorite foods.

Mia was starving. She never cared about appearances in front of James, she started eating heartily. After filling her stomach a bit, she began to slow down.

The two knew each other well. Knowing the doorbell was for food delivery, Mia already understood why James had been so agreeable and let her go first. It was simply to feed her first so she'd have energy to feed him tonight.

Mia began eating more slowly. James didn't rush her, he was also eating slowly with her.

Until all the food on the table had made its way into their stomachs. She couldn't delay any longer.

Mia had to put down her utensils. As soon as she did, James easily lifted her up and sat her on the dining table. He hooked her legs, pulled them back, and wrapped them around his waist. Leaning toward her, their bodies pressed intimately together again.

"James, I just ate!" Mia pressed her hands against James's chest, making excuses to delay.

"Perfect, some exercise will help you digest." James leaned forward, bringing them even closer.

"You shouldn't exercise vigorously after eating!" Mia shrank back, unwilling to cooperate.

"Then we'll just... go slow." When James said slow, he meant really slow. A post-meal workout began at an extremely slow pace.

At first, Mia enjoyed it. But gradually, she was teased until her heart itched unbearably and she couldn't stand it. Arms hanging on James's shoulders, she lightly bit his jaw and urged, "Faster."

"Didn't you say you shouldn't exercise vigorously after eating?" James was being mischievous, deliberately teasing Mia.

Mia met his gaze, then her lips suddenly moved down to his Adam's apple and bit gently. This bite added fuel to James's fire.

No longer in the mood to tease, he granted Mia's wish. Much later, the passion finally subsided. James was temporarily satisfied, his face full of contentment.

Mia was so tired she didn't want to move a finger. Three intense sessions had drained all her energy. When James lifted her from the dining table and carried her to the bedroom, she couldn't hold on anymore and fell asleep against his shoulder.

James listened to the even breathing in his arms, his eyes tender as he looked down and placed a gentle kiss on her eyelids.

"No more~"

Thinking James was going to keep going endlessly, Mia, not deeply asleep, unhappily pursed her lips and refused in a hoarse voice. This was how Mia used to be with him in private.

James felt his heart soften, his entire heart filled completely by her. Holding Mia, he adjusted her to her favorite position, closed his eyes, and fell asleep with her.

During the night, James, having recovered his energy, woke once. But seeing Mia sleeping soundly in his arms, he couldn't bear to disturb her.

He held her and quietly watched her until drowsiness crept in. Then he closed his eyes again and fell back asleep.

When they woke up, it was already eight o'clock.

There were still three hours before Pax returned to Imperial City. Time was plenty, yet neither of them had any mind for intimacy anymore. They both couldn't wait to see Pax.

After getting up, washing up, having breakfast, and changing clothes, James walked to the bed. He bent down to pick up the four items he had specially selected the night before but hadn’t used yet, and stuffed them in his pocket.

He walked toward Mia, pulled her into his arms, and said matter-of-factly in her ear, "Honey, you owe me four times."

Mia was utterly speechless.

Mia chose the mountaintop resort for her and James's wedding night partly for the scenery, but mainly because it was close to the highway exit.

After leaving the resort, they arrived at the highway toll booth half an hour later, more than an hour before Lily was due to arrive.

They didn't wait in the car. After getting out, James held Mia as they stood beside it, waiting eagerly, every second feeling like an eternity.

Finally, Lily's car came into view.

Her car was followed by two cars, one in front and one behind, carrying the guards Dennis had left to protect Pax.

To prevent accidents, Pax had been secretly protected wherever he went during this period.

Both James and Mia couldn't help but move forward, watching Lily’s car pass through the toll booth and drive toward them.

As soon as the car stopped, Lily leaned out of the open window and said softly to James, who was already moving quickly toward the back seat, "Pax is asleep."

Asleep?

No matter how anxious James was, he couldn't bear to wake Pax. Suppressing his excitement, he gently opened the car door.

Two car seats were placed in the back seat, with two little ones sitting one in front and one behind, both sleeping sweetly.

Pax sat in front. As soon as James opened the door, he saw Pax's sweet little face, rosy from sleep.

He couldn't help but lean forward and kiss his rosy little face. His eyes instantly reddened.

He thought back to half a month ago, before the explosion, when he was in the falling car and faintly heard Pax calling him daddy from behind.

At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind.

He couldn't give up. He had to survive.

He couldn't let Pax suffer the blow of loss just after accepting him as his father.

He couldn't bear to make Pax and Mia sad.

Before falling, he used all his strength to jump out through the smashed car window.

The moment he fell into the sea, he was dizzy.

But he did his best to let himself be swept up by the rising tide pulling him back, using it to carry himself away.

He was carried away from the explosion zone by the blast’s impact.

He wasn't blown to pieces but was knocked unconscious.

Fortunately, the heavens favored him.

Even though he was unconscious ,he was alive when he was rescued, it gave him the chance to return to their side again.

"Lily."

Mia hugged Lily. She didn't say thank you—everything was understood without words.

For the past half month, she had been helping James hold up the Smith Group.

Unable to spare the energy to take care of Pax, Lily had been helping her all along.

"Mia, I'm so happy for you and Pax."

Lily hugged Mia back.

They were all very happy that James could come back.

Mia watched as James gently and carefully lifted Pax out of the car, said goodbye to Lily, "We'll go first."

Lily nodded and bent down to get in the car.

Mia watched her get in and reminded her, "Drive safely."

Lily fastened her seatbelt, waved at her, and drove away.

James walked to Mia's side carrying Pax.

Mia reached out to hold Pax's little hand, leaned down to kiss his little face, and walked side by side with James toward the car.

At the car, she opened the door. James leaned in to place Pax in the back seat car seat and was helping him fasten his seatbelt when...

A car parked not far from theirs suddenly honked.

James reacted extremely quickly, instinctively covering Pax's ears first.

But it was too late—it still woke him up.

Pax raised his hand to rub his eyes and slowly opened them.

Seeing Pax open his eyes, James's whole body froze.

Time seemed to stand still. One big, one small, their eyes met.

Pax had just woken up, his eyes not yet focused. Looking at James, he had no reaction for a long while.

James's heart was surging with emotion. After waiting a few seconds without hearing Pax call him, he couldn't hold back anymore and couldn't help but reach out, wanting to touch Pax's little face.

As soon as he moved his hand, Pax suddenly shouted in panic, "Daddy, don't go!"

Pax shouted heart-wrenchingly, emotionally out of control as he threw himself into James's arms.

His two little hands tightly hugged his neck, crying out, "Daddy, don't go, don't leave me and Mommy."

"Daddy, I accepted you a long time ago. Please really come back and don't leave again, okay?"

Pax thought he was dreaming again, afraid that if he let go, James would suddenly disappear like before.

During this time, he had been very good.

Knowing Mia was very busy, he obediently stayed with Lily.

Waiting for James and Mia to come pick him up together.

Day after day.

He had dreamed several times that James came back and picked him up with Mia.

But when he opened his eyes, James was gone.

"I'm not leaving. I'm right here, not leaving."

James's heart was about to break from Pax's crying. He quickly reached out to lift Pax from the car seat and hold him in his arms.

His large hand gently wiped the tears and snot from his face, constantly kissing his little face, responding to him.

"Baby."

This feeling, Mia understood all too well.

What you think about during the day, you dream about at night.

Like Pax, she had dreamed countless nights that James came back, and when she woke to find it was just a dream, that empty, uncomfortable feeling.

She wiped away the tears she shed from feeling sorry for Pax and held his little hand.

Hearing this, Pax looked at Mia, his eyes brimming with tears, his voice hoarse and soft as he called, "Mommy~"

"Baby, it's not a dream. Touch him—Daddy is warm. Daddy really came back."

Mia guided his little hand to touch James's face with one hand while wiping his tears with the other.

Pax went from passively to actively touching James's face.

Gradually, Pax realized this wasn't his dream. This was real.

James really came back.

Pax was overjoyed, excitedly hugging James's neck, repeating like a broken record in his ear, "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

"I love you, Daddy!"

He had said that as long as James came back, he would call him Daddy and tell James that he loved him very much!