Dick, who had been by the steward's side, had long noticed someone approaching from a distance. When he confirmed it was Mia, he rushed forward without hesitation and hugged her tightly. "Mia! I missed you so much!"
"Me too," Mia replied, overwhelmed with emotion at their reunion. In truth, it hadn't been that long—less than fifteen days, not even two weeks! But for the two who had grown up together and done everything side by side, being apart was a trial.
Tina, seeing this baby-faced boy hug Mia so tightly, hurried forward to pull them apart. "Let go, let go, let go! Miss Mia isn't someone you can just hug!"
As she spoke, Tina pried Dick's arms off Mia.
Dick, still holding Mia and about to pour out everything that had happened in the past few days, was interrupted. He turned to Tina with a displeased expression, meeting her equally unhappy gaze. "Hey, lady, what's it to you if I'm talking to my friend? Why are you interrupting us?"
Noticing Tina was also dressed as a maid, Dick assumed she was a servant working alongside Mia.
Dick's rude attitude made Tina even less polite. "Hey, you talking to your friend is fine, it doesn't bother me, but Miss Mia isn't someone just anyone can hug! If the leader sees this, he'll be furious!" He might even go on a rampage!
"What?" Dick exclaimed, confused. "Who?" Were they talking about the same person?
"What do you mean 'what'? I'm telling you to let go of Miss Mia and stop hugging her!" Tina only wanted him to take his hands off Mia.
"Miss Mia?!" Dick repeated, suddenly letting go of Mia and stepping back to face her.
Because he had rushed to hug Mia the moment he saw her, Dick hadn't noticed earlier. Now, he carefully looked Mia up and down, noticing that her clothes and accessories were far from ordinary.
The air fell silent for a long, long time…
Until Dick finally spoke, "Who are you? You look exactly like Mia!" "Oh no! My God! My God! Ah! Ah!"
Letting out a series of shocked exclamations, Dick still couldn't contain his inner turmoil. In the end, he simply sat down beside Mia.
"Mia, tell me, how old is this so-called leader?"
"He…" Mia couldn't bring herself to answer, because she genuinely didn't know.
"Alright, stop, you don't need to say anything more. I get it!" Dick said meaningfully, as if he understood everything. He assumed Mia's hesitation was because the man was much older.
"Mia, I know you've been through a lot. I also understand that as long as someone is kind to you and cares for you, you'd give everything to be with them. But you can't degrade yourself like this! To live as someone seen as lower than a servant in the eyes of others, entrusting your future to some rich old man—this is a path to ruin. Don't you see that?"
"Arthur, he…"
"I don't want to hear you defend him! You've been completely deceived by him, Mia! Don't forget what the people of the Ivan family have done! The promises of the wealthy are just a game to pass the time. Once they're bored, they'll mock your foolish devotion!"
"Arthur isn't…"
"Mia! Are you still defending him, still speaking up for him? What's wrong with you? I know you're not someone who's greedy for wealth or power, and I believe you must have your reasons for accepting this bizarre status. But please, listen to me—stay as far away from these rich people as you can, or they'll end up hurting you beyond repair!"
"Dick, let me finish—"
Mia desperately tried to interject, but Dick took her attempt as a sign that she wasn't listening to him at all. He raised his voice, speaking even louder than her.
"Mia! I've said all this, and you still don't get it? Do you really think that hypocritical leader truly loves you? No! You're wrong! I'm certain it's all fake, a carefully woven web of lies. Don't wait until that old man has you completely fooled, until a crowd of people suddenly shows up, grinning and betting on who won or lost in their game, only for you to realize you've been played and regret it too late. Mia, remember this: the one thing we servants must never do is delude ourselves into thinking we can find true love. The moment you let that longing take root in your heart, you're vulnerable to being caught between reality and dreams, deceived and destroyed by those with ulterior motives!"
Dick wasn't exaggerating. In this era, a servant's life was the lowest of the low, no better than livestock. The wealthy often toyed with their lives to pass their excess time, finding joy in their despair. Such cruel games were a timeless spectacle.
Noticing Mia's silence, Dick cautiously suggested, "Mia, it's not too late to turn back—run! Don't keep going down this path—escape! I'll go with you!"
"Mia will never leave me!"
In the Xueju living room, it should have only been Mia and Dick, as Tina and Jenny had been sent away by Mia. But those words, brimming with surging anger, instantly shattered the tense atmosphere.
Both of them froze, then turned to look outside, where Arthur stood in the living room, unnoticed until now.
His eyes blazed with fury, his expression resolute, his entire presence radiating a chilling aura that could freeze the heart. Arthur stood tall, clearly enraged. His deep blue eyes locked onto Dick, and his low, unwavering voice declared an undeniable truth. "Mia will never leave me, and I will never allow her to leave me. She is mine!"
Dick was stunned—by Arthur's determination, his deep affection, and his extraordinary presence…
The situation ended on a sour note, with Arthur practically driving Dick away. If Mia hadn't firmly objected, Dick might have been banished from Moore Manor altogether. Watching Arthur's still-rigid back, Mia approached him from behind and asked softly, "Arthur, are you still angry?"
Mia's hesitant voice made Arthur turn to face her. Without a word, he reached out, gently stroking her face with a tender touch.
Gazing into Arthur's deep, unfathomable eyes, Mia sensed his intense unease and anxiety.
"Arthur, I won't leave you, unless you drive me away…" Arthur's hand covered her mouth, silencing her words.
"Drive you away? My God, I'd have to be insane to do that!" Arthur's first words to her that night were spoken in a deeply passionate tone that sent shivers through her.
Sighing, Arthur pulled Mia into his arms, unable to suppress the fervor in his heart. "Mia, do you know? I'd give up everything to keep you by my side. Even if it meant being crushed to pieces, my soul shattered, I'd have no regrets—as long as you stay with me…"
His profound love made Mia's heart race, leaving her feeling both flustered and chaotic.
"Arthur, how am I worthy of such devotion from you?" Such deep, almost painfully heavy love—how could it be possible? They'd only known each other for a mere half-month since their first meeting. Love couldn't form overnight, let alone solidify in just two weeks.
Mia began to doubt. Perhaps the person in Arthur's eyes and heart wasn't her, but someone else he had once been so infatuated with…
The sudden realization plunged Mia's heart into darkness. If this was the truth Arthur would eventually reveal, wouldn't it hurt her even more than being deceived?
She hadn't forgotten a single word Dick had said to her that afternoon. She admitted that when he urged her to escape, she hesitated—not out of fear of being toyed with by Arthur, but out of dread that one day Arthur would tell her he didn't love her, that all his affection was for someone else, and she was merely a substitute.
The moment this thought surfaced, she nearly broke down…
Yet, a faint glimmer of hope lingered in her heart. She wanted to believe that everything Arthur had said to her late last night was true. She decided to stay.
Mia was uneasy, but someone was even more so. Hearing her question, Arthur held her even tighter. "Mia, you said you'd trust me. You said you wouldn't leave me. You promised!"
"Yes, I did. And I'll keep my word!"
Though they spoke the same words, their emotions were worlds apart. If only they could read each other's minds, they wouldn't have to endure such overwhelming unease.
Warmth, and the unique musk of Arthur's scent, enveloped Mia tightly. In her heart, she sighed silently.
Is this love? Mia's heart was a mix of sweetness and confusion as she pondered and anticipated the future.