Chapter 156: Have You Really Forgiven Me?
The affectionate "James" was like a tear gas bomb, causing more hot liquid to pour from James's eyes.
It had been so long, so long since she'd called him that way.
The words that followed—"I forgive you"—made him choke up audibly, his face buried in the crook of her neck. "Honey..."
The happiness came so suddenly, it left James dizzy.
Even though he'd heard it clearly, it was just too sudden—so sudden that it felt unreal.
Really?
Had Mia really forgiven him?
James turned Mia's body very gently and carefully, so gently—as if this beautiful moment before him was a bubble.
He was afraid that if he moved too roughly, it would shatter.
Once they were face to face, his hands trembled slightly as he cupped her face, looking at Mia with tears streaking down her cheeks.
His fingertips gently wiped away the tears on her face. Looking into her tear-filled eyes, he asked cautiously, "Mia, have you really forgiven me?"
Mia looked at James.
During this time, he'd also been tormented by her cold treatment.
The carefulness in his eyes still stung her heart a little.
This man, the most important man in her life.
Actually, she'd lied that day.
She'd said the biggest regret of her life was meeting him.
But actually, she didn't regret it.
Because he really had brought her so much joy and happiness.
But if she could do it all over again, she wouldn't want to meet him.
It hurt too much. The pain was too deep.
Under his expectant gaze, she nodded gently. "Yes, James, I forgive you."
Mia's voice was soft but firm.
Getting this definite answer, James was so excited that his hands holding her face wouldn't stop trembling. "Honey."
He was too happy, too excited.
His whole body was shaking.
Mia had forgiven him.
Really forgiven him.
They could start over!
He had so much he wanted to say, but at this moment, a thousand words merged into one deeply felt "honey."
Mia was embraced again. She raised her hands, but not to hug James back—instead, they landed on his arms, and with the same firmness as when she'd said she forgave him, she pushed him away.
James's body clearly stiffened.
Like a super slow-motion scene in a movie, James was pushed away by Mia bit by bit, creating distance between them.
Her tears had stopped. By the moonlight from the window, her gaze rested quietly on James.
The calmness in her eyes was like a powerful coolant meeting James's boiling excitement, rapidly cooling it down.
His fingertips, still resting on her shoulders, trembled slightly. His lips opened and closed, and unease spread through his heart.
"James, actually from the moment Amelia returned to the country and Luxe Hideaway organized that gathering, we'd already fallen into her trap."
"Getting to where we are today—yes, she deliberately schemed and sabotaged us, but if you'd been firm enough, if I'd trusted enough, Amelia wouldn't have had a chance to come between us."
"This marriage reaching this irreparable point—we're both at fault."
"I'm willing to forgive you, willing to let go of all the resentment because I really don't want us to torture each other anymore, and I don't want to hate you anymore—hate the only man I've ever truly loved."
"Hate a man who was once really, really good to me."
"I don't want to completely exhaust the last bit of feeling between us. James, I want to let you go, and let myself go too."
James's eyes were full of refusal, every cell in his body screaming with pleading.
Mia held the hands he had on her shoulders and slowly pulled them down.
Her voice grew even softer...
"James, we really can't go back."
"Some hurtful things have already been done, hurtful words have been said. Those things, those words—they're like water that's been spilled, impossible to take back."
"My heart is riddled with holes, covered in scars. I really have no way, and no strength left to start over."
"This whole time has been like a nightmare. I haven't been happy for a single second. I'm really tired."
Every sentence Mia spoke carried wounds that couldn't be mended.
Her eyes were red, but she didn't cry anymore.
She looked at James, whose tears flowed freely because of her words, and raised her hand to gently wipe away his tears, murmuring softly, "James, if you really love me like you say you do, will you let go?"
As soon as she raised her hand, James grabbed it tightly.
Scalding tears burned her palm.
James's eyes were full of reluctance.
His heart sank to the bottom with Mia's words.
He understood.
He got what she meant.
She'd forgiven him.
But she wouldn't start over with him.
She didn't hate him anymore.
But she couldn't forget the hurt he'd caused her, and didn't want to keep loving him.
All her words expressed just one thing.
She still wanted a divorce. She wanted to leave him.
James's heart ached to the extreme. For a moment, he lost his words.
He could only grip Mia's hand tightly, as if doing so would let him hold onto her.
"Give me a way out. Can we get divorced?"
She really didn't want to torture him or herself anymore.
Mia tried hard to pull her hand back, but James held it too tightly. He looked at her, unable to bear it, and reached out to embrace her again.
"I can't let go!"
If he could, he would have let go long ago.
He really couldn't!
"Honey, I really can't let go!"
He tightened his arms with force, wishing he could merge Mia into his own body.
"Since you're willing to forgive me, can we try again? Please?"
James's lips pressed against her ear, constantly begging her.
Mia was locked in his embrace. Hearing his words, she didn't even want to struggle anymore.
"Honey, as long as we don't divorce, I'll do whatever you say!"
"But all I want is a divorce."
She just wanted to break free from this cage, to end this suffocating marriage.
That's why she was trying to let go, trying to forgive—just seeking a way out, a chance to start a new life.
But...
Mia felt the force on her back tightening more and more, and closed her eyes wearily.
Her whole being was surrounded by helplessness.
She'd already said this much, yet he still wouldn't let go.
...
On the other side, Alice hadn't slept well because she was worried about Mia.
She slept until almost ten o'clock before getting up.
After changing clothes, she went downstairs.
As soon as she appeared at the top of the stairs, two men sitting downstairs stood up at the same time.
One was her fiancé Ivan, and the other—not exactly surprising—was Mia's husband, James.
She'd only learned Ivan's true identity when he suddenly wanted to elope with her.
Turns out he was the head of the Franklin Family, one of Imperial City's five major families, and also James's friend.
Because of her ordinary background, the Franklin Family didn't approve of them being together and tried to force them apart. Ivan simply abandoned everything and eloped with her.
They'd been hiding for months, until she got pregnant unexpectedly—
"What do you want to eat?"
Ivan strode upstairs, put his arm around her, and asked warmly.
As he spoke, he helped her down the stairs.
Alice didn't move.
Because of Mia, she found James very unpleasant to look at right now.
Although Mia hadn't said anything, besides James, who else had the "ability" to make Mia like this?
She didn't give Ivan face, her expression cooling as she brushed off the arm around her waist, not wanting to see James.
"James came specifically to see you."
Ivan good-naturedly pulled her back into his arms, explaining James's purpose.
"To see me?"
Alice was somewhat surprised.
Ivan walked her downstairs, and after she sat down, he got up to tell the kitchen to prepare lunch for Alice.
James looked at Alice. Gone was the cold distance from their previous meetings—for the first time, he positioned himself very humbly before her.
Not because she was Ivan's woman, but because she was Mia's best friend.
When he learned Ivan had returned and that his fiancée was Alice, he—already at his wit's end—felt like he'd grasped a thread of hope.
He placed his last hope on her.
She was Mia's best friend, the person Mia trusted most besides himself.
At this moment, Alice was the only person who could speak on his behalf.
James didn't beat around the bush. With a sincere attitude, he pleaded, "Please, help me."