Chapter 130 At What Cost?
Mia's POV
I couldn't move. The paper in front of me felt like it carried something far more than just ink and signatures. My fingers rested on the edge of the desk, but they refused to reach for the pen.
"What are you waiting for, Mia?"
Mr. Rafael Alvarez's voice cut through the silence, sharp and impatient. It made my heart jump, but I still couldn't bring myself to look at him right away. My eyes remained fixed on the document, on the bold letters that seemed to blur the longer I stared at them.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself.
"Sign it," he continued, his tone colder now, more pressing. "That is the only thing you want from my son." He added making my chest tightened.
Only thing? His words echoed in my head, painful and accusing, as if everything I had ever felt and shared with his son meant nothing.
Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. There was no warmth in his eyes, no hesitation, just certainty. As if he had already decided who I was without even asking.
"Why do you look so shocked?" he added, his lips curling slightly in disbelief. "Stop pretending. This is what you've been waiting for, isn't it?"
I felt so hurt and insulted. My fingers curled into fists on my lap as I forced myself to breathe. I wanted to speak. I wanted to defend myself. But the words were stuck somewhere deep in my throat, buried under the weight of everything I was feeling.
I looked back at the paper, my vision slightly trembling, and for a moment, I wondered if signing it would really make everything easier, or if it would just break me completely.
My hands were trembling.
I could feel it, even as I tried to keep them still on my lap. My heart was beating so fast it almost drowned out everything else in the room. Standing in front of Liam's father felt like standing before someone who could destroy everything I had with a single word.
And maybe he already had.
But what hurt more than his presence... was what he thought of me.
I slowly lifted my head and met his gaze, even if it took everything in me to do it.
"With all due respect, Mr. Alcaraz," I began, my voice quiet at first, but steady, "I may be poor, and I may be living my life without my family to support me... but I am not that kind of person."
I swallowed hard, gathering the last bit of courage I had.
"I am not a social climber."
My fingers curled slightly, but I didn't look away.
"I love your son," I continued, my voice trembling for a second before I steadied it again. "And there is no amount of money in this world that could ever stop me from loving him."
For the first time, I let those words settle between us.
Because they were the truth.
"I fell in love with Liam not because he is your son," I added, my chest tightening as his name left my lips, "but because he is real. Because he is kind. Because he is a good person."
My eyes burned, but I refused to cry. Not here. Not in front of him.
"I never asked anything from him. I never wanted anything from his name, his wealth, or his position." My voice grew firmer now, stronger than I thought it could be. "I love him for who he is, inside and out. Nothing more. Nothing less."
My words only made him angrier. His expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he took a step closer, his presence suddenly more suffocating than before.
"How dare you speak to me like that," he said, his voice low but filled with fury, "as if you even understand what you're saying."
I felt my breath hitch, but I didn't step back.
Not this time.
"I know your kind," he continued, his voice rising, filled with open disgust. "So don't pretend otherwise."
"I just want to make one thing clear," he said, his voice cold and controlled, as if he was discussing something trivial instead of someone's life. "I will never allow my son to be in a relationship with someone like you."
My chest tightened, but I didn't move.
"His future has already been planned, Mia," he continued, taking a step closer, his presence heavy and suffocating. "Everything about his life has been decided long before you came along. You don't get to walk in and ruin it just by existing."
His words struck me one after another, sharp and unforgiving.
"You don't belong in our world," he added, his eyes scanning me as if I was something beneath him. "And you should accept my offer now while I'm still being generous. Don't misunderstand this as kindness. I will not raise the amount. And if you think I will, then you are foolish for even considering it."
Each word felt like an insult to my dignity. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. My hands trembled at my sides, and every part of me wanted to step back and disappear from his sight, just to escape the weight of his judgment. But I didn't. I stayed where I was.
Because no matter how scared I felt, no matter how small he was trying to make me feel, I refused to let him turn me into something I wasn't. Not when it came to Liam.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to steady my voice, even though my heart was breaking inside my chest.
"I may not belong in your world," I said quietly, my voice shaking but still holding on to what little strength I had left, "but that doesn't give you the right to decide what I am worth."
I lifted my gaze and met his eyes, even if it terrified me.
"I didn't come into Liam's life to ruin it. I didn't come into his life because of his name, his money, or his future." I took a breath, gathering the courage I didn't even know I had. "I came into his life because I love him."
My throat tightened, but I kept going.
"And whether you accept it or not... that's something you can't control." Silence filled the space between us, heavy and tense. Because for the first time, even if I was still afraid, I refused to back down.
"I'm sorry... but I won't sign this paper." I added as my voice trembled a little, but I forced myself to stay still, to stay strong. I slowly lifted my chin and met his cold, judging eyes. "And I want you to understand something, Mr. Alcaraz... I can't be bought."
The words felt heavy in my chest, but once they left my lips, I knew I meant every single one of them.
Without waiting for his response, I turned around. My hands were shaking, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else, but I refused to look back. I refused to show him how much his words had hurt me.
"You will regret this, Mia Villaruiz," he said, his voice sharp and filled with warning. "I will make sure of it."
I clenched my fists at my sides, but I didn't stop walking. I didn't answer him. I didn't even glance back.
Because if I did... I was afraid he would see everything I was trying so hard to hide.
Yes, I was poor. I didn't have a powerful name, a mansion, or a life filled with comfort like theirs. I struggled every day just to survive, juggling part time jobs, counting every peso, and sacrificing things I once dreamed of having.
But that didn't mean I had no pride and had no worth.
And it certainly didn't mean my love could be measured by money.
For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what would happen if I accepted his offer. Life would be easier. No more sleepless nights worrying about tuition, rent, or my next meal. No more exhaustion from working nonstop just to keep going.
Everything would be handed to me. But at what cost?
My dignity and my self respect. And Liam. The thought alone made my chest tighten painfully.
I would rather struggle every single day than live a life where I had to look at myself and know I gave up the one thing that truly mattered. I would rather be tired, hungry, and uncertain than lose myself completely.
And yet, what hurt the most wasn't even the money he offered. It was the way he looked at me, like I was exactly the kind of person who would sell her feelings for the right price.
I swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. I never expected his father to do something like that.
How could he judge me so easily? How could he believe that what I feel for Liam isn't real? Because if there was one thing I was absolutely certain of, it was this. No amount of money in this world could ever change how I feel for him.