Chapter 240: Falling Short
Brad hit me up with a ton of messages to keep me chill. He knew I’d had it easy growing up, never really had to handle stuff on my own, so yeah, I was freaking out.
In his texts, he kept telling me to put Mia first in everything and not to go rogue. If things went south, Mia would be the one regretting it big time.
While keeping an eye on Mia, I was texting Brad. His advice and comforting words helped calm me down a bit.
When it was my turn to crash, Brad was wiped out too, so I told him to get some rest.
The night was creepy quiet, and the darkness made me miss Brad like crazy—his big hugs, his smell, and the way he looked at me with so much love.
To me, Brad was way more than just a boyfriend. Sometimes, he felt like a dad, a brother, a friend, and a husband all rolled into one. His deep love made me feel safe, like he was every role a guy could be in a lifetime.
Lying on the caregiver's bed, my head was pounding, and I couldn’t sleep. Every time I shut my eyes, I saw Mia lying in that pool of blood, and it hurt so bad I could hardly breathe.
Because of this, I hated Benjamin even more.
I couldn’t help but think back to when they were together. They were the perfect couple, always needing each other. Everyone at school was jealous of them.
Five years later, that once-envied couple was done for, and their love story ended in a mess.
If even their epic love couldn’t last, could any love be trusted?
I thought of Brad again. He should be asleep by now, right? Where was he sleeping? Was he, like me, lying on a hospital caregiver's bed waiting for dawn?
The sky started to lighten up, but it took me forever to feel a bit sleepy. It felt like I had just dozed off when the noise in the hallway woke me up.
Sitting up, I saw Mia was already awake. She lay there with a blank look, staring out the window, her hands on her stomach like she was protecting her baby.
Seeing this broke my heart, and I couldn’t bear to look anymore. Yancy pretended not to notice and tried to get her to drink some water.
When the doctor came around, he said her bleeding had stopped and she could go home to rest. The hospital wasn’t quiet enough for recovery, and we could discharge her once the morning procedures were done.
While washing up, I saw my tired face in the mirror—dark circles, dull skin, and a face full of worry.
In just one night, everything had changed.
Then Brad called. He was shocked by how I looked and told me not to stress too much. He said he had booked a flight back yesterday afternoon and wasn’t going to do any more sightseeing.
I felt a bit better. It was awesome that Brad was coming back today; I’d have someone to talk things over with and lean on.
It was nearly eleven by the time the treatment was done. Luna brought the nutritious meals she had prepared, carefully laying out each dish. She said they were good for nourishing blood and energy and urged Mia to eat more.
Mia was super down and had no appetite. Luna and I took turns trying to get her to eat. Despite our coaxing and feeding, she only managed to drink a small bowl of porridge.
After lunch, Yancy went out for some reason. Mia lay there quietly, like a lifeless doll, so fragile she seemed like she might break at a touch.
I sat by her side, watching her closely. Her cheeks were sunken, and the once plump girl had turned into a skeleton because of one person. Her lifeless eyes told me she had lost the will to live.
Mia had been hanging on because of the baby in her belly; it was her last bit of hope. Now that the baby was gone, she looked completely shattered.
Seeing her so lifeless, I was scared out of my mind that she might follow the baby.
"Mia, no one is worth this. If they don't cherish you, then you gotta learn to cherish yourself," I tried to comfort her.
"Have you thought about your parents? They raised you, and you can't just leave them to deal with your loss. Imagine how heartbroken they must be. If they knew what you were going through, it would kill them. Are you planning to give up? Do you want your parents to bury their child? Your baby is gone, and you want your parents' child to be gone too? Mia, you're so smart; how come you haven't figured this out?"
"If your mom knew you were struggling, she'd definitely confront Benjamin and take you back home. Your parents are just regular folks; the Davis family is tough to deal with. Can you bear to see your parents lose their jobs and stability because of you?"
"And that jerk, can you really not let him go? I know he loves you, and you love him too. But love is supposed to be pure; once it's mixed with interests, it loses its value. He might love you, but he loves his family fortune and status more. Otherwise, he wouldn't have married another woman and started a family while knowing how deeply you loved him. To him, you'll always be the second choice."
"Mia, pull yourself together. What's gone is gone; the future is what matters. You're only in your twenties; there's so much ahead of you. Giving up your whole life because of one bad guy is just a waste. Remember when John came looking for me? You knew you couldn't beat him, but you still stood up with me. Where's that brave Mia? How did you become so scared that you can't even face yourself?"
"Mia, do you know? I miss the Mia who stood in front of me, even though she was trembling with fear. Come back, okay? Without Benjamin, you still have your parents, me, Isabella, and even Yancy. We all love you. I want to see the strong and brave Mia again."
After what felt like forever, just when I thought she might not speak, she finally did. But before she could say anything, tears started streaming down her face, breaking my heart.
"Jane, I left my home for him, gave him everything I had. He promised me, said he would give me a home and make me the happiest woman in the world. But in just a few years, the love I cherished has completely changed. I understand everything you said; it's not that I can't figure it out, I'm just feeling wronged."
With that, she covered her eyes and cried again.
"I'm the only child in my family; my parents must be heartbroken. I regret it so much, hurting the people who love me the most for someone who isn't worth it. Jane, do you think I'm stupid? How could I not tell who is good or who is bad? My mom was right; how many years have I truly been mature? What do I know about forever, daring to talk about it? Now I regret it, but I'm too ashamed to face them."
"So what? What parents can really stay mad at their own child?"
"Jane, don't tell my parents, at least not until I've recovered. Later, when I'm living a more wonderful and successful life, I'll go back to see them. Promise me!"
After the treatment that day, we had lunch at the hospital, and around 2 PM, I took Mia home.
For some reason, Mia kept silently crying, and her tears made my heart feel chaotic. I wanted to hold her and cry together.
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