Chapter 139: Negotiating Terms
Mia looked at the man she hadn't seen in a long time.
Her father, Zaid.
He looked older than the last time she'd seen him.
Time had left deeper marks on his face.
He gripped her hand tightly, pleading softly, "Mia, can you help me? Please, I'm begging you."
Mia's nose suddenly stung.
How long had it been since she'd heard him speak to her in this tone?
So long ago, it felt like another lifetime.
Ever since Mom abandoned them, Zaid started drinking heavily and got hooked on gambling. The man who once treasured her like a precious jewel disappeared.
Avoiding Zaid's pleading eyes, Mia said coldly, "I don't have any money. I can't help you."
She pulled her hand back and turned to leave.
Zaid blocked her way again, saying urgently, "Mia, you can do this!"
"James cares about you so much. As long as you don't fight with him, just act sweet, and he won't come after me for this money."
"All these years he's been taking care of me because of you. If it weren't for you, why would he bother with me, right?"
"James is such a good man. Listen to me, stop fighting with him, okay?"
Three years ago, when he lost money and couldn't pay his gambling debts, he had no one else to turn to except Mia.
James stopped him.
He transferred money directly to his account and told him never to bother Mia again.
He took the money and wrote him an IOU as a formality.
Once started, it kept happening.
The IOUs piled up.
He knew clearly that as long as Mia went back to James, James wouldn't care about these few million dollars.
But if Mia didn't go back to him—
"Mia, I promise you, this is the last time. I'll never gamble again. You're my precious daughter. You won't abandon me, right?"
Zaid held Mia's hand tightly and wouldn't let go.
Mia bit her lip hard, pulled forcefully, and yanked her hand back. "I told you, I can't help you!"
The force made Zaid stumble backward, almost falling.
"Mia!"
Zaid steadied himself and watched Mia ignore him. His expression suddenly changed.
"So you don't care if I live or die, is that it? Fine, I'm dead either way. Rather than being driven to death by debt, I might as well die right in front of you now."
"Mia, you could solve this with just one word, but you insist on pushing me to the edge. If you drive me to my death, let's see how you sleep for the rest of your life!"
After saying this, Zaid turned and rushed forward.
In front of the office building, there was heavy traffic.
Zaid threw himself recklessly into the traffic.
"Mia, you are the product of your mom and dad's love, you're our precious baby. Mom and Dad will always love you."
Countless times, Zaid had held her in one arm, held Mom's hand with the other, and said this to her.
Back then, Zaid's eyes were full of love. Back then, Mom's face was full of happiness. Back then, she was the happiest child, Mom and Dad's precious baby.
"Daddy, I want a piggyback ride."
"Daddy, I want to paint."
Zaid bought her paintbrushes, but she wanted to paint on his face.
Mom pretended to be angry and tried to stop her, but Zaid hugged Mom and coaxed her.
Finally, under Mom's helpless gaze, she successfully painted on Zaid's face.
All those loving memories played out before her eyes.
Back then, their family of three was truly happy.
Mia's vision slowly blurred.
"Dad!"
Mia rushed forward and grabbed Zaid, pulling him back!
She couldn't just watch him die!
"Mia, does this mean you agree?"
Zaid grabbed Mia's hand in return.
"Yes." Mia looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. "Zaid, consider the money you owe James as me repaying you for raising me. From now on, I don't owe you anything, and don't come looking for me again."
With that, she shook off Zaid's hand, turned, and walked away.
"Mia—"
Zaid reached out to grab her but caught only air.
Mia walked straight ahead without looking back at Zaid once.
Finding a quiet corner, she took out her phone and called James.
Mia didn't waste words and got straight to the point. "James, back off."
"Why should I?" James sat in his office, his voice cold.
"Because you were the one who cheated first. You have no right to go after Benjamin! This is between you and me. What kind of man takes it out on someone else?"
"You've been scheming all along just to keep torturing me, right? Fine, I'll give you what you want. I won't divorce you!"
"I have to get to work now. Whatever you want to say, we'll talk tonight when we get back to Luxe Haven!"
"James, I'm telling you, this job is more important to me than my life!"
With that, she hung up.
She was telling him that if he dared make her lose this job, he'd be pushing her to her death!
……
After hanging up on James, Mia took the initiative to call Benjamin.
"Benjamin, I'm so sorry. Because of me, the company got dragged into this."
"It's just normal business competition. It won't cause any major losses to the company. Don't worry about it."
This kind of business attack wasn't the first from James.
Mia knew Benjamin was just trying to keep her from feeling guilty. "Don't worry, I'll handle things with James. I won't disturb your lunch break anymore. Goodbye."
With that, she hung up.
Leaning against the wall, head down, she stayed there for a long time before walking back to the company.
……
Luxe Haven
Zaid didn't dare disturb James during work hours. He waited until James got home to call him.
"James, Mia has been stubborn since she was little, very headstrong. You're a few years older than her, so please be patient with her."
"Okay."
James's attitude was cold.
He hadn't always treated Zaid this way.
He knew that although Mia rarely mentioned her family, deep down she cared a lot about family ties.
Love me, love my family.
After getting together with her, he naturally took responsibility for her family.
The money Zaid asked him for, he never thought twice about.
He knew that the actual gambling debts were at most a few thousand dollars. The rest went to support the household.
That money bought him their promise not to bother Mia or hurt her feelings, which seemed worth it to him.
But last time, Zaid crossed his line.
He completely enraged him.
The day he and Mia were getting divorced, he never expected Zaid to go to the casino and gamble big, losing three million dollars in one go.
He couldn't pay it back, and they were going to cut off his hand.
He called James for help. The situation was urgent, and Mia wouldn't listen to his explanation.
After hanging up, he rushed over immediately.
He paid off the debt and handled the situation.
After getting him out, the first thing he did was make him write an IOU.
He didn't really intend to make him pay it back, just wanted to warn him. If there was a next time, not only would he have to repay all the money transferred to him over the years, but James wouldn't save him again.
"Never again, never again."
Toward James, he felt both fear and gratitude.
"Dad, don't forget what I told you."
Before hanging up, James coldly reminded him once more.
"I won't, I won't. I'll never play the stock market again..."
Stock market?
Why bring up stocks?
He never played stocks. Why would he suddenly start buying stocks?
Just as he was about to ask, he heard the sound of the door opening.
Mia was back.
James hung up the phone, and Mia's figure appeared in his line of sight at the same time.
She changed her shoes and walked to the sofa, sitting down on a separate single seat.
She looked calmly at James, who was leaning on the sofa, and asked, "James, no matter what I say, you've made up your mind not to let me go and won't divorce me, right?"
James didn't answer, but his actions and expression had already made his attitude clear.
"Fine, then I won't waste my breath. I won't bring up divorce again for now!"
Since that's how it is, she won't waste words either.
If he won't divorce, then they won't divorce!
If he insists on torturing her this way.
Then she'll see who ends up torturing whom.
Mia looked at James with eyes devoid of any warmth. "Since you won't divorce, let's talk about conditions."