Chapter 234: Smell of Gunpowder
At some point, Mia had learned the art of controlling people's hearts pretty well.
With just one "but," she had James on the edge of his seat.
But after saying "but," she suddenly stopped.
Just quietly looking at him, looking deep into his eyes.
Their eyes met.
In the end, James couldn't hold back and spoke first, "But what?"
Mia gently placed her hand on his legs, smiling playfully, "I changed my mind."
"Mia!"
James got annoyed, frustrated, "How can you go back on your word?"
"Why can't I?"
Mia shrugged lightly, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I'm a woman. Women are emotional and unpredictable—isn't that totally normal?"
James was speechless.
So he deserved to be jerked around by her like he was on a roller coaster.
His heart going up and down.
Mia looked at the deflated James, got a bit more serious, and said to him earnestly, "James, I went back and thought it over carefully."
"You're right. Amelia is your problem, and I got dragged into this innocently."
"But she was trying to hit me with her car. If you hadn't driven over to block it for me, I might have—"
Before she could finish, James cut her off sharply, "Mia!"
Even though it was all in the past, time couldn't turn back, and the "what if" she mentioned would never happen.
But hearing her say it still terrified him.
Just thinking about that scene that day made his heart tremble.
He didn't dare imagine what would have happened if he hadn't gone to find her that day...
No, there were no "what ifs"!
And he didn't want to hear her mention such "what ifs" again!
Mia looked at James, who was scolding her over an impossible "what if," and felt her heart soften.
She stated her position to him clearly and simply, "James, no matter what, your legs ended up like this because you saved me. I can't just ignore it with a clear conscience."
"So unless your legs get better, I won't leave you alone. I'll stay by your side and take care of you."
"That's my position. Whether you accept it or not, I've already decided."
James's hands on the wheelchair armrests clenched tighter and tighter.
His legs get better?
Did she know that his legs would never get better in this lifetime?
She would have to take care of him for life.
Be dragged down by him for life.
Even if she was willing, he wasn't.
No matter how much he wanted to be with her, he couldn't ruin the rest of her life.
His eyelids slowly lowered, his eyes full of sorrow.
Mia had said one thing right back then—the biggest regret of her life was meeting him.
...
The next day, a workday, evening.
After work, Mia first went to the restaurant to pick up the food she'd ordered that afternoon, then took a cab to Brookside Gardens.
When she got to James's place, she entered the password directly to open the door.
As the door opened, the whole house smelled amazing.
She stood in the entryway, slightly stunned.
While she was in a daze, she heard a familiar voice from the kitchen.
It was Lavinia's sweet cry, "So hot, so hot."
In the dining room, Lavinia brought the freshly stewed meat from the kitchen to the table.
Hearing the door open, she immediately picked up the utensils, took a piece of meat, brought it to James's mouth, and said coquettishly, "James, try this."
James was clearly startled.
He instinctively turned his head to avoid it.
Just as he was about to move, he heard Lavinia say in a low voice, "Don't move!"
She lowered her voice and reminded him quietly, "James, don't you want to push Mia away?"
Yes!
He did!
And he'd already made the decision!
This time, no matter what, he had to push Mia away, by any means necessary!
"You were too soft-hearted before—that won't work!"
"Listen to me, cooperate with me like I said this afternoon. You need to act very close to me!"
James didn't respond.
He heard the familiar footsteps behind him—it was Mia walking this way. He opened his mouth and ate the meat that was brought to his lips.
"How does it taste?"
Lavinia looked at James nervously and expectantly, perfectly expressing that subtle emotion of waiting for praise from the man she loved.
Any observer could tell from her expression that she loved the James she was looking at.
"I don't care, even if it's not good, you have to say it's good. I spent all afternoon making this specially for you."
Lavinia pouted and acted cute again before James could speak.
James smiled at the corners of his mouth, his face gentle, his eyes full of affection, "It's good."
He poured all the affection he couldn't express to Mia now into this act.
The person in front of him was clearly Lavinia, but after she entered his vision, Mia's face appeared in his mind.
His tenderness, his affection, would only be for her.
Watching James's gentle and affectionate smile, even knowing it was an act, Lavinia still got lost in it.
Some acts, when you keep performing them, become real.
This was her best chance.
When James was determined to push Mia away—
Her heartbeat sped up uncontrollably.
Beating faster and faster.
The little deer carefully hidden deep in her heart seemed drunk on James's gaze, wildly running amok.
Lavinia's cheeks flushed red as she looked at James with tender feelings.
Because it was "acting."
She finally didn't have to hide the love she'd kept deep in her heart for him.
He'd always treated her like a sister because of Louis.
But from the first moment she saw him, she never wanted to just treat him like a brother!
Mia stood behind them holding takeout, watching the two "exchange loving glances."
Lavinia's feelings for James.
The previous two times they met, she hadn't been sure.
But yesterday morning, she'd seen it clearly.
Lavinia's performance was sincere because she was playing herself.
But James—
Yesterday afternoon after she stated her position, he didn't object, just silently went back to his study to continue working.
She thought he'd accepted it by default.
She really didn't expect this was waiting for her!
Mia knew James was acting.
She knew he was trying to make her angry enough to leave.
He deliberately brought Lavinia over, escalating his attempts to drive her away.
Even though she knew this, but—
Watching James look at another woman with affectionate eyes.
She still felt terrible.
Lavinia, praised, beamed with joy. Ignoring everyone else, she immediately picked up another piece to feed James.
"Really? Then try another piece!"
This time, before it reached James's mouth, Mia strode forward, walked behind James.
She intimately placed one hand on his shoulder, leaned forward, and ate the meat herself.
After chewing a few times and swallowing, she praised with a cold smile, "The taste is pretty good."
"Lavinia, thanks for your hard work."
Lavinia smiled back, "Mia, you're too polite. Taking care of James is what I should do."
"I don't find it hard at all—in fact, I enjoy it."
She said this while looking at James.
As she spoke, she reached out and held his hand.