I Loved the Heir in Disguise Chapter 02
The little life inside my belly ended up as nothing but a cold medical bill.
My eye sockets felt sore, and tears kept streaming down my face.
Jace’s eyes were red as he gripped my hand tightly, saying sorry over and over again.
After the procedure, he carried me home.
I lay on that hard, uncomfortable old wooden bed and watched Jace squat on the floor, heating water with a small electric kettle.
Not long ago, he had been wearing a perfectly tailored suit with a lapel pin inlaid with tiny diamonds.
I did not know what brand it was.
But it was definitely expensive.
Why would an heir of the Kingsley family go to a construction site every day and cover himself in dirt?
Why did he want to play this poor-boy Cinderella game with me?
My heart ached bitterly.
My nails dug deep into my palms.
Jace suddenly rushed over and carefully lifted my hands.
“Mia, what happened to your hands?”
The belated pain surged up.
My palms were cut open, and my fingertips were pricked and bleeding from rose thorns.
While he was proposing to another girl under the bright lights, I had stood in the storm, trimming thorns from nine hundred and ninety-nine roses with my bare hands.
I had personally helped create their romance.
I pulled my hands away subtly, gritted my teeth through the cramping pain in my lower abdomen, turned around, and turned my back to Jace.
“It’s nothing.”
“Let’s sleep.”
Warmth quickly pressed against my back.
Jace wrapped his arms around me from behind, buried his face in the crook of my neck, and asked cautiously.
“Mia, are you angry with me?”
After every procedure, he would always blame himself guiltily like this.
“It’s all my fault.”
“I won’t be so careless again.”
“I promise.”
“When I become a construction foreman and get a raise, this will never happen again.”
Five times.
Five whole times.
Jace used this as an excuse every single time.
In the past, I had foolishly thought he was sincere and even blamed myself for being useless, unable to share more of the pressure for him.
When he saw that I was not speaking, Jace gently took my hand.
I automatically spread my palms open.
Waiting for him to apply medicine to me.
Ever since I picked him up from the street corner, covered in injuries, three years ago, he had clung to me and refused to leave.
At first, he had begged me shamelessly to take him in.
Later, he had taken gentle and thoughtful care of me, slowly seeping into my life.
Finally, he had confessed to me and said he would cherish me forever.
When I had a stomachache, he would get up in the middle of the night, his eyes barely open, to make me a cup of hot milk.
When I felt unwell during my period, he would prepare ginger tea, painkillers, and a heating pad for me in advance.
He carried things at the construction site during the day and helped me unload flowers at the flower shop at night.
I once thought this was what the most beautiful love looked like.
Even in poverty, we could support each other and work toward getting married.
My heart skipped a beat suddenly.
I bit my lower lip and spoke softly.
“Jace.”
“Our wedding savings fund is full.”
The man’s back stiffened.
Immediately after, he pinched the tip of my nose fondly, just like he always did.
“Little liar.”
“We’re still two thousand dollars short.”
“Do you really want to marry me that badly?”
I held my phone balance up in front of his face.
Like a drowning person grabbing the last piece of driftwood.
“It’s really full.”
In the dim light, I could not see Jace’s expression clearly.
Only the faint sound of the electric kettle boiling water filled the room.
After a long while, he suddenly slapped his forehead as if he had just remembered something.
“Mia, I just remembered.”
“I still owe Mason a thousand dollars.”
“He’s been pressing me hard these past few days.”
I lowered my eyes in disappointment and forced a bitter smile.
A second later, a transfer notification popped up on my phone.
One thousand dollars transferred out.
Jace nuzzled my neck from behind, his voice sounding coquettish.
“But we’re really close now.”
“You’ll be my bride soon, Mia.”
I did not speak.
I just stared at the balance on my phone screen for a very long time.
I realized now.
As long as he did not want to marry me.
Even if I saved up enough money a thousand times, he would always find a new shortfall.
After Jace fell asleep, I gently slipped out of his arms.
I dug out a phone number I had not contacted in a long time and sent a message.
“Mom, I am willing to accept that arranged marriage engagement.”
The other party replied almost instantly.
“Okay.”
“I will send a helicopter to pick you up in three days.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
The person behind me pulled me back into his arms unconsciously and muttered in his sleep.
“Mia…”
“I will definitely marry you.”
