Chapter 254
Mia's face changed instantly. "Where'd you get this photo? Who gave it to you?"
I replied, "Who gave it to me doesn't matter. What's important is the relationship between you and this kid."
"He... he is..." She stammered, looking flustered.
I asked, "Is he really your illegitimate child?"
I sighed, suddenly losing my appetite for the steak.
"Illegitimate child? Where'd you hear that?" Mia asked angrily. "Was it Ava?"
Ava, her fellow townsfolk.
With red eyes, Mia said, "He's not my illegitimate child. He's my brother, same mom, different dad!"
Mia asked, "Did she tell you he's my illegitimate child?"
I stayed silent. Her words made me feel better.
Mia asked, "Do you believe me or her?"
I said, "I believe in facts."
"Alright, come with me, I'll show you the truth!"
She didn't touch her steak, just grabbed me and left.
"Miss, you haven't paid yet!"
Mia pulled out a stack of bills. "Keep the change!"
In the car, Mia, with red eyes, stayed silent.
Soon, we pulled over in front of a daycare center. "Here we are, get out!"
She wiped her tears, smiling as she approached the door. "Sir, could you open the door?"
"Here to see your brother again?" The security guard smiled and opened the door.
"Thank you!" Mia said.
The guard added, "You came just in time. He just finished eating. Any later, he'd be napping."
From their familiarity, Mia must visit often.
We reached a classroom, inside of which a teacher was telling stories to the kids.
The teacher saw Mia and quickly said, "Your sister is here to see you!"
A four or five-year-old boy stood up, ran out excitedly. "Mia!"
Mia picked him up. "Have you been listening to the teacher?"
"Of course, the teacher even gave me a little red flower!" He proudly pointed to the flower on his chest.
"Do you want to eat something delicious?"
"Oh, I want KFC!" The boy cheered.
After registering, we went to KFC, ordered a combo meal, and the boy sat quietly, eating without fuss.
Mia said, "When he was very young, I brought him from the countryside. I had to work, so I left him at the daycare. It's been five years. He's different from other kids, very well-behaved. The teachers say he causes no trouble."
"This shouldn't be your responsibility," I said.
"You're right, it shouldn't be." Mia smiled helplessly, tears falling. "But he's the only family I have. When my mom gave birth to him, she had an accident. By the time I got home, that jerk had already cremated her. I didn't even see her one last time!"
"Later, I found out that when my mom was brought back, she was still alive. But the jerk, unwilling to spend money, gave up on resuscitation!"
Mia trembled. "Though she favored boys over girls, she didn't make my life too hard. Can you believe such absurd people exist?"
She couldn't cry out loud, as her brother was beside her. Tears fell silently. "On the day of my mom's wake, the jerk got drunk and tried to force himself on me while I was mourning. I fought back, knocked him down, and escaped with my brother."
I asked, "Didn't he call the police?"
Mia said, "Maybe it was God's mercy. After that night, he had a stroke. If it weren't for government assistance, he'd be dead by now!"
She looked resentful, yet a bit relieved. "This is karma. God wants him to be despised for the rest of his life, to be looked down upon! Isn't that more merciful than death?"
I was speechless. What she had shared already shocked me, and now I realized she had hidden even more pain.
I felt cruel for making her revisit those wounds.
I hugged her. "It's all in the past now."
Mia clung to me, her face buried in my chest. Her tears soaked my shirt, and her body trembled with helplessness and fear.
When someone is truly heartbroken, they can't even make a sound.
Her stepfather wasn't just a beast; he was worse.
After a while, Mia calmed down. "You probably don't know my relationship with Ava, do you?"
"Aren't you from the same town?" I asked.
"We are, but she's also my sister," Mia replied.
What? Your sister?
I was speechless. If she's Mia's sister, why spread such malicious rumors?
Mia explained, "She's not my real sister; she's that jerk's daughter. She's been jealous of me since we were kids—jealous of my grades, my looks. I brought her out of pity, but I never expected her to spread rumors about me."
I comforted her, "The past is the past. No need to dwell on it."
I deleted the photo in front of her. "You should've told me earlier."
She shook her head. "It's hard to face him. He carries that jerk's blood, but he's my only family. I feel helpless."
No wonder she hadn't mentioned it. If it were me, I wouldn't have either.
Daycare costs a lot, especially full-day care, starting at a hundred thousand dollars a year!
This woman may seem fragile, but her strength and resilience are truly moving.
"That jerk got what he deserved, and you've started a new life. From now on, there will be no more intersections between you two. Forgive yourself!" I held her hand. "From now on, he has one more brother."
Mia said, "Why a brother? Can't it be a brother-in-law?"
I was stunned, then smiled. "Alright, then a brother-in-law!"
She finally smiled through her tears, but I knew that behind that smile lay countless unspeakable sorrows.
Mia asked, "Is there anything else you want to know?"
"Nothing," I said softly. "I'm sorry. I believed the slander. This is the first and last time. From now on, you're the woman I like."
She smiled, filled with joy and relief.
I believe she'll slowly reconcile with herself.
"What about the resignation letter?" she asked.
"Hand it in. Everlasting New Media needs you," I said.
"So I won't get paid this month," Mia said.
"I'll make it up to you!" I said.
"In a way you like?" Mia asked.
The conversation was getting unreasonable. If there weren't so many people around, she would have sex with me!
"Let's eat, I'm hungry," I said.
Fried food may not be healthy, but it's delicious!
Having resolved a troublesome matter, I was also very hungry.
After sending her brother back to daycare, we returned to the company separately. Mia went straight to Jenny's office to submit her resignation letter and didn't come out for a long time.
Meanwhile, I drove with Lily to Silvercrest.
Lily was in a great mood the whole way.
I wonder how she'll react when she finds out about Mia's resignation.
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