As soon as Brian saw the woman's face, his heart seemed to shatter. In that moment, everything around him seemed to turn dark, leaving only the image of that woman.
His lips trembled, and he managed to whisper, "Mia…"
Mia was stunned; the sound of the name was incredibly familiar to her. As she looked up, she saw a figure rushing towards her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Mia was taken aback, the sweet scent of peaches wafting near her nose. It was the same fragrance she used. Could it be? Could it be him?
She exhaled deeply, her body still in shock. Brian was now crying, tears streaming uncontrollably down his cheeks. His voice, hoarse and filled with longing, spoke with an earnest tone.
"Where have you been? I've been searching for you… for five years… and you’ve finally… come back…"
Both Brian and Mia felt their hearts breaking. Mia's heart thudded as if someone had squeezed it tightly. She had been avoiding him, not wanting to see him. Yet now that they had met again, Mia just wanted him to hold her a little longer.
Her arms, previously hanging loosely, suddenly wrapped around his back, holding him tightly. Without realizing it, Mia began to cry.
"I'm sorry… Brian, I'm so sorry…"
They were reunited after five years apart. The two children, a boy and a girl, looked remarkably alike. Cyrus and Cara exchanged glances at the emotional parents before looking at each other in confusion. It was the first time Cyrus had seen this strong man cry, although he might have cried before, just not in front of him.
---
At a nearby snack bar, Cara and Cyrus sat side by side, eating happily and savoring their treats. Brian and Mia sat across from each other, lost in their thoughts.
Five years apart seemed to have built a wall between them. The atmosphere was heavy and difficult.
Brian broke the silence, "Where have you been for the past five years? I searched everywhere for you… I turned the whole city upside down…"
Mia rested her hand on the table and smiled faintly. She then spoke softly, "I was in the western suburbs of X city, in the town of A…"
Brian was stunned. She had been in X city all along, but why couldn’t his people find her? It must have been negligence; he would certainly deal with his subordinates when he returned.
Mia looked at him with eyes both unfamiliar and familiar. "How have you been these years?"
Brian's response was immediate. "Not well."
Mia sighed, her heart a tangled mess. She looked down, her eyes full of confusion. "Why?"
Her question was calm. Brian sighed deeply. His voice, gentle and filled with yearning, conveyed his emotions.
"Because you weren’t there."
Mia bit her lip. Her mouth trembled, as if there was so much she wanted to say. She wanted to tell him how she missed him over the past five years, how she dreamt of him, and how she suffered from longing every day. She seemed to have aged considerably.
Brian was not faring much better.
Then Mia spoke, "After the divorce, why did you still look for me?"
"You hid something from me," Brian replied coldly. Mia, confused, looked up at him.
"What did I hide from you? Or…"
"You were pregnant. Why did you hide it from me?"
Mia was left speechless. There had been so many worries that led her to push for the divorce. Even though they still had feelings for each other, their love wasn’t enough to stop the divorce.
Brian's voice choked with emotion, "I regret it so much… I shouldn’t have divorced you back then… I should have been stronger… If I had, we wouldn’t have ended up like this."
Mia tilted her head, her thoughts deep and troubled. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart by a storm. She forced a faint smile, a mix of warmth and bitterness.
"Well, at least I had peace to raise Cara…"
Brian clenched his teeth, believing he hadn’t been good enough, that he wasn’t strong enough to protect her, which had caused her insecurity.
He swallowed hard, his lips trembling, but he couldn’t find the words.
Brian's gaze shifted to the two children sitting together, feeling an unexpected pang of sorrow. Cara resembled Cyrus so much that anyone would assume they were siblings. The absence of a father was a significant loss, but the lack of a mother’s love was even greater.
The silence was profound, the atmosphere heavy and cold. Brian didn’t want to end their relationship like this. He refused to accept it.
"Mia…"
He called her softly. Mia looked at him, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Hmm?"
Brian exhaled deeply, his expression serious. He spoke gently.
"Don’t go. Stay with me…"
"What… what are you saying?"
He took a deep breath and repeated, slightly louder, "I’m asking you… not to leave. Stay with me…"
Mia didn’t respond. Brian’s heart was burning with anxiety. He feared she might refuse. But she said nothing. Could she have stopped loving him? It couldn’t be; the necklace he gave her years ago was still around her neck, and she seemed to cherish it deeply.
Mia bit her lip, quickly grabbing her handbag and standing up. "Cara, let’s go home…"
Brian bowed his head, knowing she was trying to avoid him. He wouldn’t allow it. He stood up, ignoring the surroundings, and went straight to her.
Without saying anything more, he lifted her onto his shoulder.
Mia was shocked, her face paling. Her voice, trembling, asked, "Brian, what are you doing?"
Brian didn’t answer. In full view of everyone, he carried her out of the restaurant.
"Mom, Mom…"
Cara called out in panic. Brian’s voice was soothing. "I’m just taking your mother away for a bit. You stay here and eat with him, don’t worry…"
"Father?..."
The child murmured, then reluctantly sat back down to continue eating.
Mia, trapped, struggled to escape his hold. "Brian, my child, what are you doing? What do you want?"
Brian smirked, "I’m not doing anything, but why do you keep avoiding me?"
He ordered Finn to stay with the children and directly tossed Mia into the car, driving her straight to Leonard's house.
"Where… where are you taking me?"
"To revisit old times…"
"What old times?"
Mia panicked. Once they arrived at Leonard's house, Brian once again lifted her onto his shoulder and carried her inside.
"What are you taking me here for? Brian, no, I have to go…"
Mrs. Leonard, hearing the commotion, quickly came out and was shocked to see the scene.
"Brian, you… you found Mia…"
Mia looked at her mother-in-law for help. "Mom… please help me, stop him…"
Mrs. Leonard frowned, watching Brian carry Mia upstairs. "Brian…"
"Mom, it’s okay. I just want to talk to her for a bit…"