Chapter 77: Belated Concern
As the distance closed, Mia saw Amelia leaning against James, shooting her a smug look.
It was the look of a winner.
Amelia was showing off to her.
Mia's advancing steps suddenly stopped.
As if she had suddenly woken up.
What was she doing?
Standing there, tears blurring her vision as she watched the two people still in each other's arms.
Even though James had already seen her, he didn't let go of Amelia.
Mia's heart ached terribly, a bitter smile appearing at the corners of her lips.
Now that he knew he couldn't hide it from her anymore, he couldn't even be bothered to cover it up.
Mia, oh Mia, what would rushing over accomplish?
What's the point of confronting them?
Isn't his choice obvious enough?
What is there left for you to fight for?
Going forward would only humiliate yourself.
Just making a fool of yourself in front of even more people!
Unloved as she was, the only thing that could give her confidence in front of Amelia, his true love, was James choosing her.
Once he clearly chose Amelia.
She would be nothing!
Though she was less than ten steps away from James, it felt like a gap she could never cross in this lifetime.
She had lost.
Lost completely!
From the moment she learned he had never loved her, she should have admitted defeat.
Why bother hoping, why bother fighting?
Before her tears could fall, Mia suddenly turned around.
In a few quick steps, she rushed back to her car, pulled open the door and got in.
Without even bothering to fasten her seatbelt, she floored the gas pedal and the car shot forward.
Before driving off, Mia couldn't help but glance at the rearview mirror.
James didn't chase after her.
That last glance showed him still holding Amelia.
Of course, her leg was injured, without someone supporting her, standing would make her wound hurt.
Amelia was the person he liked, how could he bear to see her in pain?
Of course he had to hold her.
But, James, my heart is bleeding too.
I'm in so much pain too!
Why can't you see that? How can you be so heartless and not care at all?
The more she thought about it, the sadder she became.
Tears kept pouring from her eyes, blurring her vision.
Before her emotions completely broke down, Mia drove into a parking garage at a mall not far from the Smith Group.
As soon as the car stopped, she couldn't hold it in anymore. She buried her face in the steering wheel and broke down crying.
She felt so miserable.
Tears rolled down freely, falling in big drops.
In the small space, she was alone, freely releasing the pain in her heart.
Just as she was heartbroken, Mia suddenly felt a distinct cramping pain in her lower abdomen.
The baby.
Mia's breath caught.
Her tear-stained cheeks lost all color from fear.
She had almost forgotten about the baby again because of James.
Mia immediately sat up straight, one hand on her belly, the other messily wiping away the tears and snot on her face with the back of her hand.
"Baby, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'll stop crying, please don't scare me."
Whether or not the baby in her belly heard her words, once she stopped crying and suppressed her emotions, that cramping pain didn't return.
Mia let out a long breath of relief.
She pulled out tissues to wipe away the tears and snot on her hands, pulling herself together.
So what if she was back to square one?
After all, three months wasn't far away.
Fastening her seatbelt, Mia drove the car out of the garage.
She had wanted to go home, but still feeling uneasy, she turned the steering wheel and headed to the hospital.
...
The nearest hospital happened to be the one she had visited yesterday.
Mia parked the car and had just gotten out when she heard someone call her name, "Mia."
Mia looked up.
It was Benjamin.
He was wearing blue and white striped hospital clothes, standing in the sunlight, looking at her with a gentle smile.
He was holding a phone, covering the receiver. Seeing her look over, he gestured to her: wait a moment.
After that, he released the receiver and continued his phone call.
Mia didn't want to interrupt his call, so she could only stand there waiting for him.
Even though she tried hard to adjust, her mood was still very low, staring at her toes in a daze.
Suddenly—
"I want results, not to hear you talking nonsense."
A cold voice rang in her ears. Mia looked up in shock at Benjamin, who wasn't avoiding her.
At work, he seemed like a completely different person.
His gentle temperament was gone, replaced by sharpness. His extremely handsome features in the sunlight somehow made people feel a chill.
Though the words weren't directed at her, she inexplicably felt the pressure that only someone in power has.
This feeling—the last person who gave her this was James.
"Remember, I don't keep useless people under me. If you can't do it, get lost immediately."
Benjamin hung up right after saying that.
The moment he turned around, the harsh winter instantly became warm spring.
"Did I scare you?"
Benjamin looked at the stunned Mia and asked with a light laugh.
Mia shook her head.
Not scared exactly.
Just—a bit surprised.
Benjamin walked up to Mia. He was about the same height as James.
Standing in front of Mia, there was a sense of looking down from above.
Before speaking, he suddenly crouched down halfway, keeping his eyes level with hers, and said in a low voice: "Let me tell you a secret—actually, I'm faking it. If I don't act this way, I can't keep people in line."
Mia looked at Benjamin in front of her, seriously talking nonsense, and couldn't help but laugh, playing along with his act, "Yes, yes, yes, you're faking it."
In her view, everyone has several faces.
Just like James—
Didn't he also say one thing and do another?
Thinking of James's deception, Mia's heart couldn't help but clench, her expression very unpleasant.
Her hand reflexively moved to her belly.
Benjamin's all-seeing eyes fell on her face, "Are you feeling unwell? Should we go in for a checkup first?"
"Okay."
Mia nodded and walked inside.
Benjamin didn't listen to Mia's refusal and accompanied her through the examination.
Half an hour later, walking out of the doctor's office, the two walked side by side.
Mia kept her head down, feeling very guilty inside.
She thought about what the doctor said, trying hard to adjust her mood and cheer herself up.
But it was really so hard.
Benjamin looked at the very downcast Mia and suddenly spoke: "Mia, does what you said in the car yesterday still count?"
Lost in her own thoughts, Mia's reaction was a bit slow, "What?"
"That you'd thank me properly."
"Of course it counts."
"Then I won't be polite. Come with me."
Mia wanted to say maybe in a couple of days, she wasn't in the mood right now, but looking at Benjamin, she finally nodded, "Okay."
She thought it would be in the hospital, but unexpectedly, Benjamin led her out of the hospital.
"Can you leave the hospital with your injury?"
She had only heard James say Benjamin was fine, but she didn't know the exact extent of his injuries.
"I came down to handle the discharge procedures."
Mia was about to ask more when her phone rang again.
Seeing "James" flashing on the screen.
Seeing Mia staring sadly at her phone without hanging up, clearly struggling.
Benjamin took the initiative to open the car door to get out and give her space.
Mia reached out and stopped him, "It's not an important call."
After saying that, she hung up again and turned off her phone once more. She tossed the phone into the back seat, ignoring it, and turned to look at Benjamin, "Where are we going?"
Too little, too late!
She didn't need it!