Mia silently felt Arthur's warm breath against her neck, searing her skin, but for some reason, her heart didn't ignite with the same warmth. It was as if the sensation was purely physical, detached from her emotions…
Their embrace was so tight, without the slightest gap, their bodies pressed so close they could clearly hear each other's heartbeats. They shared each other's warmth, listened to each other's breathing, and felt the rhythm of each other's hearts pulsing against their chests.
No matter how tightly they held each other, their heartbeats remained steady, betraying no great fluctuations. Yet, deep within their calm exteriors, a long-buried pain lurked. Both feared this embrace might fade, but neither realized that their mutual silence was the true cause of their growing distance…
The night was cold, quiet, oppressive, and filled with anxiety, weaving a heavy atmosphere that enveloped the darkness.
The 5th of the month—the third day after Mia received the mysterious letter—arrived. That morning…
"Arthur, are you going out for business today?" Mia asked as Arthur meticulously picked bones from a piece of fish.
They were having breakfast, the round table laden with an extravagant spread. Mia had long protested to Arthur that there was no need for so much food; even with a big appetite, she couldn't finish it all, and it was wasteful. But Arthur brushed it off, saying the Moore family was wealthy enough that a little waste didn't matter, as long as she ate well and was satisfied.
In the end, Mia couldn't convince him and had to let him continue filling the table with dishes every day. Having endured hardship growing up, Mia knew the value of food and always tried her best to eat what was served, until she could eat no more—exactly as Arthur seemed to intend.
Glancing at Mia while deboning the fish, Arthur replied, "I'm not going out today. I had planned to finish up the estate's affairs and take you into the city for a change of pace, to relax a bit. But the Ivan family's incident delayed things for a few days. Now that it's mostly settled—they'll be forced to pay a hefty compensation, and the rest is about taking care of the families who lost loved ones—I thought I'd stay home today to spend time with you. I've been so busy lately, I haven't had much time to be with you properly."
As he finished speaking, he deftly removed the last fishbone and placed the piece of fish in Mia's mouth.
"Oh…" Mia mumbled, her mouth full of fish.
"What? Don't you want me to stay with you?" Arthur's deep gaze settled on her. She seemed unusually quiet today, which was out of character.
Though Mia was generally reserved, today's silence felt heavier than usual, stirring a sense of unease in Arthur, though he didn't let it show.
"No, of course not!" Mia quickly shook her head.
"Really? Then what's with you today…" Arthur began.
"Today? What about today?" Mia's voice carried a hint of nervousness and guilt, afraid Arthur had seen through her thoughts.
Arthur set down his chopsticks, gently turned her to face him, and leaned in close. "Mia, is there something you want to tell me?"
"I…" Staring into Arthur's clear yet unfathomably deep eyes, it felt as though he could see through all her secrets.
For a moment, Mia hesitated, but ultimately chose to conceal her thoughts. "Tell you what? Why would you ask that, Arthur?"
As long as she didn't say anything, Arthur would never know, and she had no intention of letting him find out.
She made this choice to determine whether the letter was a prank, but more than that, it was driven by her restless, anxious heart. If she told Arthur, there could only be two outcomes: either he would deny everything, destroy the letter, track down the sender, and punish them severely; or he would admit that his kindness toward her stemmed from some other motive, and the truth would unravel… and then… she might lose him forever. Hearing such a truth from his own lips would be far more devastating than anything relayed by another.
The thought of either outcome terrified her. She wished the letter had never appeared.
Yet, she desperately wanted to know if the letter's claims were true. Was Arthur really keeping her by his side for some other reason? If not, why was he always hesitating, holding back words he seemed on the verge of saying? She wanted to go and find out, to confirm whether someone was playing a cruel joke on her. If she went to the meeting and no one was there, Arthur would never know, and she could pretend the letter never existed, life continuing as normal. But what if someone was waiting for her? Who could it be? And what would happen?
She yearned to know, yet her heart was gripped by unease. A voice in her mind kept urging her that if she didn't seek the truth, she would remain powerless, forever waiting, unable to act. But she was terrified of the truth, afraid it would shatter everything she held dear—her life with Arthur, his love, their bond…
She wanted to know, yet feared knowing. The decision to go or not weighed heavily on her mind. In the end, she decided: if Arthur didn't have to go out today, it would be a sign from above, and she would stay. But if he did leave, she would go to the meeting.
"You say you're fine, but look at you—spacing out after just a couple of words," Arthur said, observing her distracted gaze. He gently lifted her and settled her onto his lap.
"Mia, what's wrong? You haven't been this absent-minded in a while. Are you feeling dizzy?"
Mia couldn't help but stare into Arthur's clear, deep blue eyes, her heart skipping a beat. For a fleeting moment, she almost blurted out everything, but she caught herself just in time.
Stammering, she pieced together a lie. "I'm not dizzy. I'm just… worried about you. You know, the Ivans… they won't let this go so easily, and…"
It wasn't entirely a lie—she was worried about Arthur—but it wasn't the root of her unease today.
"Really?" Arthur let out a relieved breath, his tension easing. "I told you, Mia, you don't need to worry about me. The Ivans' power and wealth are nothing like they used to be. Even if they still have connections in the government, what does that matter? The Moore family is a force even the government fears. The Ivans could never bring us down—not now, not ever!"
As long as Mia wasn't thinking of leaving him, he had nothing to fear.
"But Arthur, the world is unpredictable. Can you guarantee everything will go as you plan?" Mia's words carried a double meaning—her concern for him intertwined with her fear that he might uncover her hidden secret.
Seeing the worry on Mia's face but missing the unease in her eyes, Arthur held her tightly and whispered in her ear, "Mia, don't worry. Your face shouldn't have this unhappy expression. If your concern is about me, I can assure you, even if the world doesn't revolve around me, the Ivans alone could never harm me—not even a hair on my head! I could wipe them out in an instant, reduce them to ashes!"
"If you still don't believe me, I can swear to it." Arthur looked at her, raising his right hand, about to speak, but Mia stopped him.
"No, don't!" Mia shook her head. "I believe you, I believe you."
When Arthur offered to swear, Mia's unease deepened. She had seen too many oaths in her life, and most of them had turned out to be lies.
Arthur cupped her face in his hands, his voice laced with heartache. "You said you'd trust me, so why do you still look like you're about to cry? Do you know how much it pains me to see you like this?"
"I'm sorry… I'm just so happy. I'm touched that you're so good to me, so moved I could cry." Mia lifted her head, forcing a smile. It was a practiced expression, one she had perfected during her time with the Ivan family.
"You silly girl, after all this time, you're still not used to it!" Arthur chuckled softly, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I've only been a little kind to you, and you're already on the verge of tears. If I were truly good to you, you'd probably cry so much you'd break my heart."
"Arthur…" If she had a status worthy of him, would she still feel this unease? Shouldn't she be able to accept all his kindness with peace of mind, instead of feeling ungrateful and unsettled like she did now?
Burying herself in Arthur's embrace, Mia's heart grew increasingly anxious.
Mistaking her turmoil for overthinking, Arthur gently patted her back, comforting her as they quietly savored the moment of calm.
Not long after, Jenny's respectful voice came from outside. "Leader, the head butler has urgent business to discuss with you."
Hearing this, Mia tried to get off Arthur's lap, but he held her even tighter, making it impossible for her to move.
"Arthur!" Surely he wasn't planning to let anyone see them in such an intimate embrace? Absolutely not, especially not in front of the respected head butler. But Arthur refused to let her go, effortlessly countering her struggles. Only after ensuring she couldn't break free did he call out, "Whatever it is, have him say it from out there."
Mia, tense all over, let out a sigh of relief when she heard his words, her reaction so obvious that it earned her a loving kiss from Arthur.
Annoyed, Mia glared at him. "Arthur, don't go too far!"
"Heh!" Arthur only chuckled, saying nothing.
Amid their playful exchange, Jenny's voice came again. "Leader, the head butler says this matter requires a face-to-face discussion."
Mia tensed up again, struggling to get up, but Arthur held her firmly, refusing to let go.
He called out again, "Head butler, there are no outsiders here. Just say it."
"Well…" This time, it was the head butler's aged voice that responded. "Very well, I'll speak. Leader, it's like this: the Ivan family, upset that the Moore family stood by and assisted the government in arresting their young master, sent people to vandalize our factories and stores in the south. Three of our people were killed, and nearly a hundred were injured…"
Arthur's eyes flashed with a cold glint upon hearing the news, while Mia's face turned deathly pale.
She knew the Ivans wouldn't let the Moore family off so easily. Their people were ruthless and cold-hearted…
The head butler's voice continued, "Mr. Solar and Young Master Henry have already gone to the annex to discuss the matter. They sent me to summon you to join them. The reconstruction of over thirty shops in the south, the repair of factory equipment and sites, the appeasement of the workers, and how to deal with the Ivan family—they say only you can make the final decision."
Arthur pondered for a moment before responding, "I understand. Go back to the living room, I'll be there shortly."
"Yes," the head butler replied, and then there was silence, likely indicating he had left.
"Arthur," Mia looked at him with worry, not expecting things to escalate like this.
Arthur gave her a reassuring smile, gently loosening his hold on her and guiding her back to her chair. He crouched in front of her, comforting her, "Mia, I told you not to worry about me. Rest assured, nothing will happen to the Moore family, and nothing will happen to me. I'll do my best to return early tonight, okay?"
"Arthur…" Her worries went far beyond this single issue! Arthur having to go out today—was it fate's design? Was she being forced to confront the very thing she feared?
"Mia, stop frowning all the time. Give me a smile. I'll be gone all day, and if you're like this, I'll be distracted, unable to focus on my work. Don't make me worry, alright? If I'm unsettled, I won't be able to finish things quickly, and that means I can't come back to you sooner."
Mia gazed silently at Arthur. His face showed no trace of concern, as if nothing had happened, and he was trying so hard to smile to put her at ease. She forced a reassuring smile of her own. "Arthur, go. Don't forget to come back early. I'll be waiting for you."
"Good, I will. Make sure you eat your breakfast. Don't skip it just because I'm not here. I'll have Jenny and Tina keep an eye on you."
"Okay," Mia nodded.
With her affirmation, Arthur stood up. As usual, before leaving, he gently kissed her smooth forehead. "Don't worry, Mia. I'll be fine."
Giving her a smile to ease her mind, Arthur said, "I'm off," and then he left.
Mia stared at his retreating figure until he vanished from her sight. Suddenly, her vision darkened, and an overwhelming fear gripped her—a visceral dread that she might lose him forever.
It was as if a voice whispered in her ear, "This is a dream… it's time to wake up."
Her intuition had always been sharp—oh, that cursed intuition!
The weight of reality finally crushed her, and Mia couldn't hold back her tears any longer…