Chapter 129 I Am Nothing
Mia’s POV
“You better go to sleep now,” Liam whispered softly as we lay in bed together.
My head rested on his chest while his hand slowly moved up and down my back in a gentle, soothing rhythm. I could hear the steady beating of his heart beneath my ear, calm and strong, and somehow that simple sound made my own heart race even faster.
I lifted my face slightly and smiled at him. How could I possibly sleep when he was right beside me? Every part of me was aware of him. His familiar scent wrapped around me like a warm blanket. The heat of his body pressed against mine, making me feel safe and nervous at the same time. My heart was beating so loudly inside my chest that I was sure he could hear it.
No matter how much I tried to calm myself, it refused to slow down.
“I just want to stay awake,” I murmured quietly. “I want to remember this moment and keep it in my heart forever.”
Liam looked down at me, his dark eyes softening in a way that made my stomach flutter.
“Mia,” he whispered gently. “I promised you, we will be together.” His words made my chest tighten with warmth and hope.
Before I could say anything, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against my lips. The kiss was slow and tender, yet it sent a strange, sweet electricity through my body that made my toes curl beneath the blanket.
When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead lightly against mine.
“Good night,” he said softly.
I saw something flicker in his eyes, something warm and playful.
“I know you’re tired, Mia,” he continued quietly. “Believe me, I want to stay up with you too. I want to talk all night, kiss you, hold you, and not let you go. But it’s already late, and I want you to sleep well.”
His voice carried both affection and restraint, and somehow that made my heart melt even more.
“Good night,” I whispered back.
I snuggled closer against his chest, feeling his arms wrap around me protectively. The steady rise and fall of his breathing slowly lulled me into sleep. For the first time in a long while, I fell asleep with a wide smile on my face. It felt like a dream.
But when I woke up the next morning, Liam was already gone. For a moment, I thought I had imagined everything. The bed beside me was empty, the room quiet and still. Then I noticed a small folded note resting on the pillow.
My heart skipped as I quickly picked it up and opened it.
Mia,
I didn’t wake you because you were sleeping like an angel.
See you later in our secret place at school.
Love,
Liam
I read the note again. And then again. A soft smile slowly spread across my face. Carefully, I pressed the paper against my chest as if it were something precious.
Because somehow, it was. And in that quiet moment, I felt my heart fill with a happiness so warm and fragile that I wanted to protect it forever.
I was on my way to the bus stop that morning, walking along the quiet road that led away from the apartment. The air was still cool, and I was thinking about my classes for the day when the sudden sound of tires stopping beside me made me freeze.
A black van had pulled up abruptly on the side of the road, blocking my path.
My steps slowly came to a halt as my heart began to beat faster. I stared at the vehicle, confused and a little nervous, wondering if they had mistaken me for someone else.
The door of the van opened.
A man stepped out, dressed in a neat black suit. He looked serious and professional, the kind of person you would expect to see working for someone powerful.
He walked toward me with calm, confident steps.
“Mia Villaruiz?” he asked.
For a moment, I hesitated.
My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag as a strange feeling crept into my chest. No one I knew would be looking for me like this.
Slowly, I nodded.
“Yes… that’s me.”
The man gave a small, respectful nod.
“I am Roger De Luna,” he said. “Assistant of Mr. Rafael Alcaraz.”
The moment I heard the name, it felt like the air had suddenly disappeared from my lungs. Rafael Alcaraz. Liam’s father.
My heart began to pound loudly in my chest, and a cold shiver ran through my entire body. I had never met him before, but I knew enough about him to understand how powerful he was.
Why would someone like him want to see me?
“You better come with me to his office,” Roger continued calmly, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
Seeing the hesitation on my face, he spoke again in a calm voice, as if he had already expected my reaction.
“Don’t worry about your classes,” he said. “Everything has already been taken care of. The Academy has been informed, so you will not be marked late or absent.”
I blinked in surprise. How could they arrange something like that so easily?
Roger continued, his tone polite but firm. “There is no need for you to worry. This meeting will not take long, and after that we will personally drive you to school.”
His words were reassuring, yet they only made my heart beat faster. It meant this was something important. Something serious enough for Liam’s father to arrange everything in advance just to see me.
And suddenly, standing there in front of that black van, with Liam’s father summoning me to his office, I felt a deep sense of dread slowly spreading through my chest.
“Get inside now, Mia,” Roger said, his voice filled with urgency as he opened the van door and gestured for me to climb in. His tone sounded worried, and it made my stomach tighten with unease. Before stepping inside, I hesitated.
“Is Liam okay?” I asked quickly, the fear slipping out of my voice before I could stop it.
If his father had sent someone to pick me up like this, then something must have happened. Roger shook his head almost immediately.
“Yes, he is perfectly fine,” he answered calmly. “He was already on his way to school.”
I let out a quiet breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding. At least Liam was safe. Still, the uneasiness in my chest refused to disappear. After a moment of hesitation, I slowly climbed inside the van.
The door closed behind me with a heavy sound that made my heart jump. During the entire ride, I held my backpack tightly against my chest, hugging it as if it were the only thing keeping me steady. My thoughts were running everywhere, and no matter how hard I tried to calm myself, the nervousness only grew stronger.
Why did Liam’s father want to see me? And why did it feel like something terrible was about to happen?
The van finally stopped in front of the towering glass building that dominated the business district.
The Alcaraz Tower. Just looking at it made my chest tighten.
It was huge, elegant, and intimidating, the kind of place where powerful people made decisions that could change lives.
Roger stepped out first and opened the door for me.
“Come with me,” he said politely.
I nodded silently and followed him inside the building.
The moment we entered, the luxurious interior made me feel even smaller. The marble floors shined beneath the bright lights, and the people walking around looked important and confident. I suddenly felt very out of place. Roger led me straight toward the private elevators. No one stopped us. It was as if everyone already knew who he was.
Inside the elevator, my knees began to tremble as the doors closed and the numbers started climbing higher and higher. Each floor we passed made my heart pound harder. I kept telling myself to stay calm. But my heart refused to listen. Soon the elevator reached the top floor.
Roger guided me through a quiet hallway until we stopped in front of two large wooden doors. He pushed them open.
“This way,” he said. I stepped inside slowly.
The office was massive. For a moment my eyes wandered around the room, taking in the expensive furniture, the large windows that overlooked the entire city, and the intimidating atmosphere that seemed to fill every corner.
Then I heard a deep voice. “Leave us alone, Roger.” My attention immediately snapped forward.
Roger gave a respectful nod and left the room without another word, the doors closing behind him with a soft click.
Suddenly, the huge office felt even more silent.
And I was alone with him. I swallowed nervously and forced myself to speak.
“Good morning, Mr. Alcaraz.” But he didn’t answer my greeting. Instead, he slowly stood up from behind his desk and began walking toward me.
When he finally stopped in front of me, his sharp eyes studied me from head to toe with clear displeasure.
“Mia Villaruiz,” he said coldly. “I called you here today to personally ask you to leave my son alone.” My entire body stiffened.
“I believe one million dollars should be enough to buy your worth,” he continued, his voice filled with contempt. “After all, you are nothing in this world. But despite that, you have become a nuisance.” His words felt like knives stabbing into my chest.
“I hate people like you,” he went on. “Social climbers who try to trap wealthy men. Someone like you has no place in my son’s life. And certainly no place in our family.” My hands slowly curled into fists at my sides. Fear rushed through me. But so did anger.
I stared at the man in front of me, my heart pounding wildly inside my chest. And then he reached into his desk drawer, pulled out something, and placed it on the table between us.
“Sign it,” he said coldly. My breath caught in my throat as I looked down. It was a document. But when I saw the title written on the top page, my entire world seemed to stop. Because it wasn’t just a contract. It was something far worse.