Chapter 231: Mia Loses Her Temper 1
Mia stood at the doorway, watching James in his self-destructive state in the bedroom, her heart clenching painfully.
He had really hurt himself badly.
Both hands were red and swollen from hitting.
This wasn't the first time she'd seen this scene.
When she rushed to the hospital after learning he had driven to block the danger to save her, she had witnessed it once before.
But seeing it again still made her heart ache unbearably, her eyes welling up with tears.
She knew he didn't want her to see him in such a mess.
So at the hospital, she had left first.
She thought his self-destructive behavior was because he'd just learned he was disabled, that someone as proud as James couldn't accept it right away.
But she never expected it to get worse.
His moods had become unpredictable, with no intention of pulling himself together.
This morning, when she got Robert's call, her heart felt like it was being fried in hot oil, the pain unbearable.
This was James!
How could he keep destroying himself like this?
Mia stood with her back to the light, so James couldn't see her expression clearly. He didn't know why she'd come back.
Would she say or do more things that would cut his heart like a knife?
His heart already hurt too much.
He couldn't take it anymore!
His hand instinctively reached to pull the blanket over his legs.
He grabbed nothing but air.
He tried hard to suppress his emotions, not wanting Mia to notice anything wrong with his legs.
When Mia appeared earlier, he'd just raised his hands but hadn't started hitting his legs yet.
Mia probably hadn't seen it.
As his thoughts raced, James pressed his lips tightly together.
Deep down, he was overjoyed.
His heart felt full because she hadn't left.
But beneath the joy was undeniable pain.
His emotions conflicted, his eyes full of struggle.
A moment later,
He forced down the joy.
James couldn't allow himself to be that selfish.
His face darkened, his gaze cold and his voice harsh: "Who gave you permission to come in? Get out."
Hadn't she clearly cut ties with him?
Who told her to come back?
The pressure from someone in power naturally made people nervous, especially when James was in a "rage."
James like this could make people genuinely afraid.
But what worked on others was completely useless on Mia.
Hearing his insincere words, Mia glanced at him and said calmly, “I won’t.”
She walked further in as she spoke.
The shorter distance allowed James to see her expression clearly.
Her face plainly declared: I’m not leaving. What are you going to do about it?
James was speechless.
"Mia—"
James watched as Mia approached his bed.
He had nothing left to throw, and could only try futilely to intimidate her with his presence.
To drive her away.
But he'd barely opened his mouth when Mia's voice cut him off: "James, stop bluffing and wasting your breath. I'm not leaving."
As she spoke, she bent down to pick up the blanket from the floor and covered his legs again, pulling it up until it reached his waist.
She could see the forced coldness on his face, trying desperately to hide it, but his exposed legs still made him uncomfortable.
The sudden disability.
Deep down, he couldn’t accept it. He didn’t want to face it.
She was protecting his dignity.
In her own way.
"What exactly do you want?"
With his legs covered, James gripped the blanket tightly, his gaze growing harsher.
Mia didn't answer.
She reached up to open the curtains.
James grabbed her outstretched hand: "Don't open them!"
From the hospital room to coming home, the curtains had always been closed.
He kept himself in darkness.
Without his legs, without Mia, his future life would sink back into a dark abyss.
There would be no more light.
"James, running away won't solve the problem."
He was the one who taught her this principle.
He had never run from difficulties, no matter how overwhelming they were.
James froze.
Mia pulled her hand back.
He was afraid of hurting her, so his grip wasn't tight.
She easily pulled her hand free.
She reached up and opened the curtains.
Sunlight poured in, filling the room with brightness.
James instinctively raised his hand to block the light.
He couldn't tell if it was because he hadn't seen such strong light in so long and couldn't handle the glare, or if he didn't want Mia to see him clearly.
To see how disheveled he had become.
After opening the curtains, Mia didn't stare at James. Instead, she stepped over the breakfast scattered on the floor and walked to the bathroom.
Soon, Mia came out.
She was carrying a wash basin with toiletries inside.
She walked to the bedside and set it down.
She pulled out the extendable table that Robert had arranged to have installed in advance.
After setting it up, she placed the basin on the small table.
She picked up the electric toothbrush, applied toothpaste, and held it out to him.
“Brush your teeth.”
Her tone left no room for refusal.
Her gaze fell calmly on James, perfectly hiding the turmoil in her heart.
Looking at James in the bright light made her heart ache even more.
When she had first met him, he had already been a golden boy
During their four-plus years together, he was always strategic, everything under his control.
When had he ever looked so defeated?
Unshaven. Thin. Haggard.
His hair was greasy and messy, plastered to his forehead.
He looked utterly unkempt.
If it were someone else, Mia might have been disgusted.
But this was James.
The only man she had ever truly loved.
The man she had never forgotten.
The man who would risk his life for her.
Seeing him like this, she felt nothing but heartache.
James kept his head lowered and didn’t notice.
He knew how terrible he looked.
Staring at the hand extended before him, James raised his own and pushed it away gently.
"Mia, we have nothing to do with each other anymore. Lavinia will be back soon to do this. You don't need to."
He'd cherished and protected her for years—how could he bear to have her serve and care for him?
He pushed her hand so lightly that the water in the cup barely rippled.
Mia was speechless.
If you're going to pretend, at least make it convincing.
With that little force, you're basically tickling me!
"Mia, can't you understand what I'm saying? I said—"
"James!"
Her expression darkened as she cut him off.
"I'm saying this for the last time: brush your teeth! You really stink!"
The words "you really stink" made James's face darken completely.
He lifted his head, his eyes locking onto hers. Dark emotions surged within them.
She actually said he stank.
If he weren't trying to drive her away,If she dared say that under different circumstances—
He would have pulled her into his arms, gripped her chin, and kissed her fiercely.
He would have stolen her breath.
Made her taste him.
Made her know exactly whether he stank or not.
But now, all he could do was glare at her coldly.
He could do nothing else.
His anger had no effect on Mia.
Their gazes clashed in midair.
One burned like fire.
The other remained calm as water.
The fire tried to rage, but the water steadily smothered it.
In the end, it was only bluster.
It looked frightening, but it had no power.
They stared at each other in silence.
Seeing that he still refused to move, Mia placed the toothbrush and cup directly on the small table in front of him.
“Hurry up and brush your teeth and wash your face. Stop stalling.”
James continued watching her, unable to read her calm expression.
There had been a time when he could easily grasp her emotions.
Now, when she chose to conceal them, he couldn’t understand her at all.
Mia didn't care what he was thinking.
Her stance was clear.
By now, he should understand that he couldn’t drive her away.
There was no point in trying.
After speaking, she withdrew her hand, turned around, and squatted down to clean the trash he had thrown across the floor.
James’s bloodshot eyes followed her slender figure.
Over the past six months, she had finally gained a little weight.
But she still looked thin.
Fragile.
And the sight of her like this made his heart ache.