Chapter 233: Nausea
After Mia finished speaking, she took the dirty mouthwash cup and toothbrush back into the bathroom, cleaned them, squeezed fresh toothpaste, and filled the cup with water before coming back out.
She placed them on the small table in front of James. "Brush your teeth and wash your face."
"I'll go get your breakfast."
Earlier when Lavinia was there, the reason she left was because she saw him throw all his breakfast on the floor.
She went out to buy him new breakfast.
Seeing James reach for the cup and toothbrush and cooperate with brushing his teeth, Mia quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
She squatted down and quickly cleaned up the bedroom.
After tidying up, she brought water for James to wash his face.
While he was washing his face, Mia went from the bedroom to the kitchen.
She silently plated the breakfast.
Her movements were slow.
Thinking about James in the bedroom, who until now was still trying hard to push her away, her nose tingled.
Her eyes reddened, and her vision slowly became blurry.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Heartbroken, tears kept rolling out from her eyes.
Mia bit her lip hard, crying silently so James wouldn't hear.
'James I know you don't want to be a burden to me, but I don't want to abandon you either.'
'Even if your legs weren't disabled because of saving me, I still wouldn't abandon you.'
'Because...'
'I love you.'
'This love has never changed or disappeared.'
After plating the breakfast, Mia raised her hand to wipe away the remaining tears from her eyes.
She pulled herself together, as if the loss of control just now had never happened, and carried the breakfast to the bedroom.
In the bedroom, James had already finished washing up.
Mia helped him clean up, then placed the breakfast on the table and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Just as she sat down, James naturally reached for the soy milk, inserted the straw, and handed it to her. "Be careful, it's hot."
His hand stopped in mid-air. It was too late to take it back.
Taking care of her had become his habit.
But the way he was now, he wouldn't be able to take care of her anymore.
Mia acted as if she didn't notice his awkwardness, reached out to take it, and lowered her eyes while sipping the milk in small mouthfuls.
James slowly withdrew his hand, his fingers gradually tightening.
He took his portion of porridge and also began eating silently.
She said that as long as he showed her he could take care of himself, she would leave.
He knew what he needed to do now.
Mia usually liked drinking milk, but today after just two sips, she found it hard to swallow.
She hadn't noticed before, but today the milky smell felt so strong it made her a bit nauseous.
She forced herself to drink two more sips, but really couldn't swallow anymore.
"James, I don't feel like drinking milk today."
She pushed the milk toward James. When he looked up, she glanced at his porridge, which was still half full.
Her meaning was obvious.
Even before they got together, he often ate what she left behind.
Every time they had a meal together, he would watch her eat heartily with great appetite.
Only after she was full would he eat a little.
He was clearly someone with a cleanliness obsession, yet he didn't mind at all eating what she left behind.
After they got together, she would often eat half of something and stuff it in his mouth.
She'd say it was to let him taste it.
But nine times out of ten, it was because she didn't want to eat anymore but didn't want to waste it, so she'd feed it to him.
He could clearly afford to waste it.
But every time she fed it to his mouth, he would still cooperate and eat it.
At this moment, looking at the milk she had taken a few sips from, now pushed in front of him.
James pressed his thin lips tightly together.
He shouldn't show any more doting behavior.
But—
At this time normally, Mia would have already finished breakfast.
He had just heard her stomach growling.
He couldn't bear to let her go hungry.
His hand was completely out of his control as he pushed his porridge toward her, exchanging it with her milk.
After finishing breakfast, while Mia was cleaning up, James called Robert.
In front of her, he instructed: "Have the caregiver come back."
When he was discharged from the hospital, Robert had already arranged for a caregiver, but he had sent them away.
The caregiver arrived quickly.
Mia opened the door.
"Hello, I'm Mr. Smith's caregiver, Hawk."
A middle-aged man in his forties stood at the door.
"Hello."
Mia nodded slightly and stepped aside to let him in.
After Hawk entered, he didn't dare go directly into the bedroom. He stood outside, his attitude respectful and cautious. "Mr. Smith."
James was already scary enough normally.
Not to mention now, when his emotions were unpredictable and he was easily angered.
Until James spoke, he didn't dare go in.
"Come in."
Only when James spoke did Hawk walk in.
Mia didn't follow. She was giving James time to adjust.
After a while, the bedroom door opened again.
James sat in his wheelchair, being pushed out by Hawk.
He looked like a different person.
Wearing casual home clothes, his stubble shaved, clean all over, the scruffiness gone, his handsome and clean appearance restored.
His hair was washed but not dried, slightly messy, covering his full forehead.
He looked at Mia with calm eyes. "You can leave now."
It was what she had just said—as long as she was sure he could take care of himself, she would leave and not appear again.
He had now called the caregiver back, cleaned himself up, and would have him stay to take care of him from now on.
He had done it.
"Okay."
Mia nodded gently.
"I'm leaving."
Seeing James had cleaned himself up, she grabbed her bag from the side and left directly.
So decisively that none of the words James had prepared while cleaning himself up could be used.
The door closed gently.
This time, she really left.
Her decisiveness still stung James.
Sitting in the wheelchair, his hands gripped the armrests tightly.
His gaze fell on the door, not moving for a long time.
Hawk stood behind James, watching him the moment the door closed, no longer hiding his expression.
His eyes looked like he desperately wanted to pull Mia back immediately.
Clearly reluctant to let her go.
Yet deliberately saying not to let her come.
Who says women are the ones who say one thing and mean another?
Some men are even worse than women.
Saying no with their mouths, but their body's reaction is too honest.
...
In the afternoon, after James had eaten, he was in the study handling company documents that Robert had sent over.
Suddenly he heard Hawk outside calling: "Ms. Wilson."
His hand paused while signing documents, thinking he was hearing things.
He hadn't heard the doorbell.
He put down his pen, pressed the wheelchair button, and as he came out of the study, his gaze met Mia's standing in the living room.
Didn't she leave with peace of mind?
Mia looked away and said to Hawk: "Hawk, could you please go buy something for me?"
Buying something was an excuse; sending him away was the real purpose.
She had something to say to James.
Hawk had been a caregiver for many years and was naturally good at reading situations.
From James's sudden change this morning, Hawk smartly knew that listening to Ms. Wilson was the right choice.
Without waiting for James to speak, he left.
Only the two of them remained in the house.
"Mia—"
"James!"
Before he could put on another act, Mia interrupted him first.
"I know what you want to say. I remember what I said this morning."
Under his gaze, she walked toward him as she spoke.
She walked right up to him, half-squatted down so their eyes were level, and suddenly changed direction: "But..."