Chapter 297: Love You
Eldoria City was Mia's stomping ground for ages, so if Benjamin wanted to "accidentally" bump into her, there was no dodging it.
Since we couldn't dodge it, might as well roll with it.
The street food market ran right next to the main drag we were on that morning, just a few blocks of houses in between.
By the time we rolled up, the place was already hopping.
Neon signs flashed all kinds of ads, and the stalls stretched out so far you couldn't see the end. The night air was thick with the smell of food, making my mouth water like crazy.
Mia and I shared a look, then dove right in, drooling over all the snacks.
We didn't even make it down one street before we were stuffed to the gills, so we had to call it quits on the rest and find a chill spot to walk it off.
There was a shortcut through a neighborhood to get back to the hotel from the food street.
Mia and I strolled along, not saying a word, just soaking in the quiet.
Eldoria was cooler than Regalia.
Mia suddenly stopped. She looked down with a faint smile, then raised her voice, "How long are you gonna tail us? Show yourself."
What was meant to be, happened!
Benjamin had been tailing us since we left the hotel, all the way till now.
I wasn't sure if Benjamin's dogged stalking of Mia was some twisted form of devotion.
Either way, it didn't matter.
Benjamin slowly stepped out of the shadows.
With a faint smile, he emerged from the darkness and stopped a couple of feet in front of Mia. He stared at her face like a starving man at a feast.
The pain and longing in Benjamin's eyes were so raw that even I, an outsider, felt it.
He clearly hadn't been doing great since they split.
Mia lifted her head and gave a gentle yet indifferent smile. Her gaze at Benjamin was calm, like still water.
There was nothing else there.
The deep love and pain were gone.
"Long time no see, how've you been?" Mia broke the silence.
A casual greeting, a casual tone, a casual mood, a casual relationship.
Pain flickered in Benjamin's eyes.
"And you, how've you been?" Benjamin clenched his hand at his side.
"I've been doing pretty well," Mia said.
Benjamin's tall, thin frame trembled almost imperceptibly, the pain in his eyes deepening, but he forced a smile. "I've been good too."
Today's run-in was chill for both of them. Mia's indifference finally made me realize she wasn't gonna let herself be sad anymore.
She had truly moved on.
I turned around and walked away to give them some space, waiting for her.
I had this gut feeling that Benjamin wouldn't hurt Mia now.
With Mia's safety assured, I didn't need to be in the middle.
They, who had once loved each other deeply, needed a proper goodbye.
You could stop loving, and you could part ways, but it didn't have to leave permanent scars.
Let them hash it out and clear the air. The road ahead is long, no need to drag old baggage along.
"Mia, are you happy without me?"
"These past days have been the happiest and most relaxed I've been in five years."
The silence stretched on.
"Do you hate me? I've done so many things that hurt you. Mia, tell me, do you hate me?"
Mia chuckled softly, smoothing her hair ruffled by the night wind. "I used to hate you, but now I don't."
She paused before continuing, "Without love, there's no hate. I can do what I like, no need to worry about someone, no need to wait for an ending that will never come. It's pretty good."
Her words cut Benjamin deep.
If he ever loved Mia—and he still did—this was the moment it hurt the most.
I was curious about Benjamin's reaction, so I glanced back.
Benjamin's straight back suddenly slumped. He raised his hand to his chest. The pain in his eyes was so deep it was unfathomable, and his forced smile instantly became pitiful, his eyes turning red.
Another long silence.
I could already see the hotel's spire, and I thought their conversation would end there.
Benjamin spoke again.
"Mia, I know my mistakes are unforgivable. No matter how many times I say sorry, how much money I offer, or how sincere I am, it won't earn your forgiveness, let alone win you back. But there are some things I need to say. I'm scared I won't get another chance, so please, can I?"
"Alright, go ahead." Mia smiled calmly.
"These words have been bottled up inside me for years. At first, I didn't dare tell you, afraid you'd leave me because of them. Even though I knew you were sad, I pretended not to know because I didn't dare speak up.
After you left, I figured out a lot and wanted to say those words, but you no longer wanted to listen. And even if I said them, it wouldn't matter. Ultimately, it was my incompetence that drove us apart.
Today, I mustered the courage to tell you these things. Because I want you to know I'm not as bad as you think. All these years, I truly loved you, really loved you. I wanted to give you a home, a home for you and me, and then have two or three kids, living a happy, simple life together. Just thinking about it made me smile in my dreams.
But in a family like mine, love is the most useless luxury. In the first few years, I didn't dare let my family know about you. Later, they found out and didn't approve of us being together. They used all sorts of means to threaten me.
Mia, you weren't born into a family like mine, so you don't know how cold-blooded and dirty their methods can be. I only wanted you to be happy every day, not to be touched by any of this filth. I did everything I could to keep you safe for five years, and those years are my most precious memories. Whether you believe it or not, Mia, I truly loved you, always loved you."
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