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Chapter 250
The ride back to her house was quiet.
The kind of silence that made even breathing tensed, making it hard to breathe.
Neither of them dared to say anything, as if even one wrong word would shatter whatever tiny thread was holding the moment together.
Mia sat stiffly in her seat, her arms folded against her chest like she was protecting herself. She didn’t want to say anything to Alex. What was there left to say? They had nothing to talk about anyway. Words would only drag them back into the past, and the past was a place she had sworn never to return to.
In fact, she didn’t even want to be in his car. Just sitting there, breathing the same air as him, was too much.
The moment they walked out of the restaurant, her instinct had been to take a cab. She would have paid any amount just to avoid this ride with him. That’s how much she wanted to stay away from him.
But somehow, she hadn’t. Somehow, she’d let him open the passenger door, let herself slide into the seat, and now here they were, driving together, heading toward the one thing she could no longer keep from him.
And that was the problem. No matter how much she tried to resist, no matter how much she wanted to put miles and walls between them, there was no escaping the truth. She was taking him now to meet Aiden. She was taking him into her home. She was letting him step into her son’s life, and that meant she would never truly be able to avoid him again. Not now. Not ever.
Her chest tightened as she realized it. Alex would always be around now. His presence will always be felt because of Aiden, and that thought both scared her and made her angry.
She kept her eyes locked on the window, determined not to let her gaze wander in his direction. She knew herself too well. His face, his eyes, that smirk that always got under her skin, the curve of his lips…..every single part of him had always been a trap.
One look was enough to pull her in, to break her defenses, to make her forget every wound he had ever left behind.
Mia was not going to fall into that trap again. Not a second time.
Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she pressed her palm against her thigh, grounding herself. She needed to remember why she was here. This wasn’t about Alex. This wasn’t about the way his presence made her heart trip over itself. This was about Aiden. And for Aiden, she would keep herself steady.
She swallowed and forced her voice out, calm but clipped. “The next street.” She didn’t look at him as she spoke.
The car fell silent again, as if even the air was too tense to move between them.
Then Alex’s voice broke it. Low. Careful.
“I’m sorry about what my father did, Mia.”
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Chapter 250
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Mia froze. Her entire body went still, her hand frozen on her thigh, her eyes glued to the window.
She said nothing. Not a sound.
“If I had known-” Alex began, his voice tight.
Mia snapped her head toward him, her sharp voice cuts through her words “You would do what?”
Alex glanced at her, his jaw flexing, then he sighed and ran a hand down his face. He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned the wheel, driving into another street.
Confused, Mia frowned and looked around. “What are you doing? I said the next street.”
But Alex didn’t say a word. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his face unreadable as he drove up to a quiet spot and pulled the car over.
“Alex,” Mia’s voice came out sharper now, her heart pounding with unease. “What are you doing?”
He shifted in his seat, turning slightly toward her. “Parking. To talk to you, Mia.”
Her stomach twisted. She shook her head quickly, her fingers gripping her bag tightly on her lap. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Yes, you do,” Alex countered softly, firmly. His tone was steady, but his eyes… his eyes were burning.
Mia’s heart raced faster, her throat suddenly dry. She turned her face to him, regretting it instantly. His gaze locked with hers, and it was too much, too strong, too consuming.
His eyes had always been intense, but now, sitting so close in this suffocating car, it felt like he was pulling her into something she couldn’t fight her way out of.
She looked away, her pulse ringing in her ears. “Let’s just go, please.”
“I had no idea about what my father did to you, Mia,” Alex said
Her eyes stayed on the window
“What has happened has happened, Alex. I moved on. You did the same. We might have a son together, but we are still two different people. For the sake of Aiden, let’s just let go of everything and try to co–exist for him.” Her voice was steady, but her hands were trembling slightly where she held them in her lap.
She pressed her lips together before continuing. “We’ll come to the best way to take care of him. I won’t deny you the chance to see him or spend time with him. That I can assure you.”
Silence filled the car again, heavy and thick
“Why won’t you look at me?”
Her heart skipped, then picked up a faster pace, banging against her ribs.
Heat rush up to her neck. She wanted to come out of the car. She wanted to open the door and run, because
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Chapter 250
suddenly it felt too hot inside, too suffocating.
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It was as if she could feel his breath on her skin even though he hadn’t moved an inch closer.
Mia bit down on her bottom lip, her eyes stubbornly locked outside. “Nothing to look at,” she lied, her voice small but firm.
She closed her eyes, gripping her bag tighter, waiting for him to say something, anything.
But Alex didn’t answer right away. The silence stretched on.
She could feel him, his gaze burning into her. Piercing her. She knew he was staring, but she
refused….absolutely refused to turn and meet it. Even though every part of her body was screaming for her to just turn her head, just once.
Finally, his voice came, soft but steady. “Okay.”
Her eyes flew open.
“You’re right,” Alex continued, his tone clipped, “It’s all about Aiden.”
Mia exhaled… Was she relief…disappointed?…she wasn’t sure
“I’m glad you agree,” she said quietly.
“In perfect agreement, Turner.” Alex says turning the car back on.
Mia holds herself back from asking him why he would call her that.
She presses her lips together.
It doesn’t matter.
