Chapter 235: James, I'm Pregnant
James's first reaction when Lavinia grabbed his hand was to pull away.
Mia minded. She didn't like it.
Even though Lavinia was just a sister figure, he still felt uncomfortable.
The moment his hand moved, he felt the grip on his hand tighten.
A silent reminder.
To achieve his goal, he had to be ruthless.
Precisely because Mia minded, he had to do it.
The smile on James's lips grew even gentler as he turned his palm and actively held Lavinia's hand back.
When Mia saw this, her smile instantly disappeared from her lips, which trembled almost imperceptibly.
"James, do you know what you're doing?"
Her tone was noticeably several degrees colder when she spoke.
Her gaze stayed fixed on James's face, never once looking at Lavinia, not even giving her a glance.
In her eyes, Lavinia was just an extra person.
James's hand holding Lavinia's tightened, but he still didn't let go.
With one hand holding Lavinia and the other controlling his wheelchair, he backed up slightly, avoiding Mia's hand on his shoulder.
Looking up at Mia with calm eyes and a steady tone, he said, "Mia, I know exactly what I'm doing."
He was doing this to make Mia understand that from the moment his legs became disabled, there could no longer be anything between them.
He knew there could be nothing more between him and Mia.
And he had made his decision, which couldn't be changed. So he wanted to make Mia understand his determination to cut ties with her. So she should leave.
Don't force him to do more things in front of her that he didn't want to do, things that would hurt her to see.
Mia just looked at James like that.
The sadness in her heart was unconcealed as it passed through her eyes to him.
She knew what James's purpose was.
She was angry at him, and even more heartbroken that he chose this way to push her away.
Torturing himself and torturing her.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
The two just looked at each other, gazing into the deepest parts of each other's eyes.
Each holding firm.
Neither willing to back down.
He was determined to push her away.
She was determined not to be pushed away.
Lavinia stood beside James, and in this three-person drama, she suddenly felt like she was the extra one.
Even though James was holding her hand, she was supposed to be the female lead.
This Mia was really stealing the show!
James had expressed himself so clearly, how could she still have the nerve to stay here.
Jealousy made Lavinia's face twist slightly.
She clenched her hand hanging at her side, digging her nails deep into her flesh to calm herself down.
She couldn't lose her composure.
The more critical the moment, the calmer she needed to be.
James had already decided he didn't want her, so clinging on was useless.
A sweet smile appeared even brighter on her lips, and just as she was about to speak to break this painful scene.
Mia spoke first, saying softly, "Good that you're clear about it."
As she stood up, James visibly relaxed.
So, he won, right?
But the next second—
Mia, who should have been provoked into leaving, changed her expression and returned to calm.
"Lavinia, your cooking looks pretty good."
Mia smiled graciously, "You wouldn't mind letting me try your cooking, would you?"
Lavinia's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
How shameless!
Of course she minded!
What she thought was one thing, but she couldn't show it on her face.
She couldn't let James see her true thoughts.
Having grown up in a prominent family surrounded by smart people, Lavinia was skilled at saying one thing while thinking another. She responded just as graciously, "Mia, I don't mind—"
But sorry, I only made enough for two.
However, Mia didn't give her a chance to finish.
She directly cut her off, "If you don't mind, I won't be polite then."
Not giving her a chance to perform, she finished speaking and pulled out a chair to sit down.
She took the portion of food in front of James and started eating.
Lavinia had deliberately only made enough for two, never planning to let Mia stay for dinner.
Mia saw through her thoughts but pretended not to understand.
Saying she wouldn't be polite, she really wasn't polite, and started eating right away.
Eating everything she had made for James.
Her appetite had recovered a lot from James taking care of her recently.
Plus, given her special situation now, eating the portion meant for two people wasn't a problem for her.
She got hungry quickly now.
Afraid James would be hungry, she rushed to the restaurant to get food right after work and hurried here.
She hadn't even had time to eat something first to fill her stomach.
She ate quickly, wolfing it down.
Her lowered eyelids hid all the emotions in her heart.
James had gotten into a car accident to save her.
He survived, but his legs were disabled.
It wasn't that she didn't feel guilty or sad.
She just didn't allow herself to be sad.
She wasn't without guilt, but guilt couldn't change what had already happened.
From seeing James in the hospital, self-destructive and emotionally broken, passing out and waking up again.
She had already made her decision.
She couldn't fall apart.
James needed her.
So she had to eat well, she needed nutrition, she needed to take care of her health.
Only with good health could she help James get through his unwillingness to face reality.
Lavinia watched in shock, stunned.
Looking in disbelief as Mia fed herself piece after piece of the meat she had specially made for James.
Until only a few pieces of the small portion of meat remained, she snapped back to reality, "Mia!"
"What?"
Mia had a piece of meat in her mouth, chewing.
Her words were unclear and muffled, with a hint of dismissiveness.
So dismissive she didn't even bother to look at her.
Lavinia was so angry she almost choked.
Watching her heartfelt effort feed the wrong person.
Desperately suppressing her inner rage, looking at Mia's terrible table manners.
She sneered inwardly.
How crude.
Such a crude woman who didn't care about her image, James would definitely find her disgusting.
Lavinia glanced at James from the corner of her eye.
She saw that not only was there no disgust in his eyes, but actually affection.
Because Mia was focused on eating, he let his true emotions show freely, without hiding them.
This scene was very upsetting to Lavinia.
That affectionate look—James had looked at her the same way just now.
Her heart had even raced because of it.
But comparing them now, she realized.
When James looked at her earlier, he was seeing Mia through her.
That's why he looked so affectionate and gentle!
This realization made Lavinia dig her nails even deeper into her palm.
"The taste is really good."
Mia didn't care about Lavinia or James, and ate almost all the food in front of her before stopping.
Looking up at Lavinia, she commented, "The taste is really good."
All the food on the table had gone into her stomach.
She put down her utensils and said with apparent "regret," "Lavinia, I'm really sorry, your cooking was so delicious, I couldn't control myself—"
"Luckily, I brought takeout. You two can make do with it?"
Mia said she was sorry, but there wasn't a hint of apology on her face.
She opened the takeout she brought and pushed it toward Lavinia.
Lavinia's face looked terrible.
Gritting her back teeth, she said, "It's fine."
She pulled out a chair and sat down, opening the takeout Mia had brought one by one, saying gently, "James, let's make do with takeout today. I'll cook for you again tomorrow."
Lavinia smiled with a gentle expression.
Want to upset her? No way.
"Okay."
From the moment Mia looked up, James had hidden all his exposed emotions.
He gave Lavinia a slight smile.
Lavinia smiled even sweeter.
As long as James cooperated, she had plenty of ways to upset Mia.
After sitting down, Lavinia thought about how to take the opportunity to get close to James.
She wasn't really doing this to help James.
She agreed only because she wanted to openly get close to James.
To make him get used to her closeness.
To truly replace Mia.
James lowered his head to eat. He no longer repeated words about making Mia leave.
The two had a tacit understanding.
He had made up his mind this time to drive Mia away.
By any means necessary.
And he wouldn't soften his heart anymore.
Better a short pain than a long one.
James tightened his grip on the utensils.
Mia sat to the side, her gaze constantly on James.
When she saw him get distracted and accidentally get sauce on the corner of his mouth.
Mia saw it. The napkin was right beside her hand. She reached for it and handed it toward James.
This was their natural understanding from being together.
James's hand moved, about to reach out and take it.
Lavinia leaned toward him first, "James, you're so careless."
She intimately raised her hand to wipe the sauce from the corner of his mouth.
Extremely suggestive.
The moment she got close, James only tightened his grip on the utensils but didn't push her away or resist her closeness.
Lavinia felt triumphant inside.
Feeling like she'd scored a point.
When James wasn't looking, she shot Mia a provocative glance.
But Mia didn't look at her, her gaze still on James's face.
That look seemed to pierce right through him.
James gave no response.
Mia silently withdrew her hand that had been holding the napkin in mid-air, slowly lowering it to rest between her thigh and abdomen.
Her hand slowly clenched.
Her fingertips began to tremble uncontrollably.
James was playing a game with her.
She couldn't lose this game.
She didn't believe James could really be intimate with another woman.
Trying to drive her away like this—impossible!
She wouldn't abandon him.
Mia's fingertips rested on her abdomen, as if recharging herself.
She could do this!
Mia quickly adjusted her emotions. When she looked up again, her eyes had returned to calm.
That casual glance at Lavinia made Lavinia even more frustrated!
This woman was really difficult to deal with.
One move hadn't worked, but Lavinia wasn't giving up.
She didn't believe Mia could stay so composed.
Today she had to provoke Mia into leaving, to make her stop appearing in front of James.
Last time she had already witnessed how petty Mia could be.
She couldn't even handle James peeling a shrimp for her.
Today, she wanted to see how long she could hold out.
As long as she really got angry and left James.
She could stay by James's side to take care of him.
Being with him when he was emotionally vulnerable.
He would definitely be moved and fall in love with her.
Lavinia was making her calculations, barely eating, keeping her attention on James.
When she saw James eating meat, he took a bite, leaving half still on the fork.
This time Lavinia moved even faster, leaning close again and putting the half-eaten piece of meat James had bitten into her mouth.
Sweetly saying, "It tastes so good."
Ambiguous words.
Full of suggestion.
This was a move James used to do with her often.
Mia tried hard not to care, but her hand resting on her abdomen clenched tighter and tighter.
Even though it wasn't James initiating it.
Still, her heart hurt so much.
From the corner of his eye, James saw Mia's lips trembling.
He knew her too well.
Lavinia couldn't detect it, but he could.
She minded.
But she stubbornly refused to back down.
He had already said this was his own doing, it had nothing to do with her.
Why did she have to be so stubborn and insist.
She still had a bright future ahead, why did she have to insist on wasting it on him.
Knowing he was a burden!
...
After dinner, Lavinia stayed close to James's side the whole time.
After Mia went to the bathroom, she whispered in James's ear.
"James, looking at Mia's attitude, if we don't do something else, it won't work."
Soon, Mia came out of the bathroom and ran into James, with Lavinia pushing him.
"Lavinia, help me bathe."
He had been treating Mia as invisible since dinner started.
"Okay."
Lavinia blushed and pushed James into the bathroom.
Though she had seen a lot abroad.
But facing the man she loved, she still felt shy.
Lavinia pushed James into the bathroom and closed the door in front of Mia, locking it.
Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Mia stood outside. She couldn't see inside the bathroom, so she didn't know what was happening in there.
Time passed second by second.
Each second felt like a year.
A voice in her heart said James wouldn't.
He couldn't really let Lavinia help him bathe.
But Mia looked at the tightly closed door, and because she couldn't see, her mind couldn't help but conjure up some suggestive images.
What if James really did this?
Finally, Mia couldn't hold back.
She turned to get the key and opened the door.
When the door opened and she saw James still fully clothed inside.
Mia's heart, which had been in her throat, quietly settled.
"Mia, I need to bathe!"
James growled.
Was she really going to force him?
He had never planned to really let Lavinia bathe him, just wanted to fake it to provoke her.
But now, she was standing here, and he was stuck.
Mia leaned against the bathroom door, not stopping them, just looking at James who was finally talking to her again, "Go ahead and bathe, I'm not stopping you."
Their gazes collided in the air.
James was frustrated.
He ruthlessly looked away.
"James, let me help you undress."
Seeing James ignore Mia, Lavinia reached her hand toward him.
Mia's appearance actually helped her.
Just now when they came in, James absolutely refused to let her undress him.
Because Mia couldn't see.
But now, she was here.
So there was a reason to undress him.
Having spent years abroad, Lavinia didn't mind being watched.
Just pretending to be shy, she went to unbutton James's casual shirt.
The first button—
The second button—
The third button—
The fourth button—
James's hands gripping the wheelchair clenched tighter and tighter.
Mia leaned against the bathroom door, appearing calm on the surface, but her emotions were turbulent inside.
Until James's shirt was unbuttoned.
Lavinia seemed proper, but while unbuttoning, her hands inevitably brushed against his skin.
James's body grew more and more tense.
He was trying hard to endure.
Just one more step.
James kept forcing himself to be ruthless in his heart.
Mia's hands clenched tighter and tighter.
Until Lavinia's hand touched James's belt.
That clear sound snapped both their nerves.
Just as Mia was about to rush forward, James moved his wheelchair back a step first.
Lavinia's hand froze in mid-air. She looked at James who couldn't go through with it at the last moment, using her eyes to signal him to be ruthless.
James directly ignored her look and said to her, "Lavinia, go back first."
"James, I still need to take care of you."
"Go back."
His tone was already beyond question.
Lavinia could only withdraw her hand. As she walked out past Mia, she shot her a fierce glare.
Mia had no time to pay attention to Lavinia.
Her clenched hands slowly relaxed the moment James called a stop.
Until Lavinia left the bathroom and the door closed again.
She had won.
"Done making a scene?"
Mia softened her voice and stepped toward James.
Just as she reached him, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap, making her sit directly in his embrace.
"You want to serve people so badly, shouldn't I satisfy you?"
Mia's chin was grabbed, and overwhelming kisses fell directly.
He kissed her fiercely.
It seemed like humiliation, but he lingered greedily on her lips and teeth, taking in her breath.
His large hand gripped her waist tightly, going straight to the point.
"James, don't!"
Mia was kissed until her whole body went soft. When James was about to force himself on her, she struggled to get off his lap.
Her legs were weak, and she couldn't stand up for a long time.
Seeing her frightened, James didn't stop. His large hand firmly gripped her waist and pulled her toward him.
"What are you hiding from? Didn't you want to serve and take care of me?"
Just as she avoided him, she was pulled back. Mia saw she couldn't escape.
Her eyes turned red with urgency.
At the last moment, she shouted at James urgently, "You can't, James, I'm pregnant."