The car ride to Mia’s house was steeped in tension, but it wasn’t the kind that suffocated—it simmered, charged with anticipation. Jason gripped the wheel, his knuckles brushing against the smooth leather as his thoughts churned. Mia sat beside him, adjusting her lipstick in the rearview mirror. Her voice was soft but steady when she finally broke the silence.
"Jason," she said, glancing sideways at him as she fixed her makeup. She was lucky she didn’t wear too much of it, and she always carried a kit with her. The things she had done had left her with something intense. But she was happy. "Please forgive me. I didn’t want things to spiral like this."
Jason didn’t respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and deliberate, every word measured to cut through her apprehension.
"Mia," he said, glancing at her for just a moment before turning back to the road. "We’re past apologies. I’m going to handle this."
She didn’t ask what he meant. Instead, she studied him, her eyes glistening with a strange mix of admiration and trepidation. This was Jason Cross: unshakable, unyielding, and entirely in control. It thrilled and terrified her in equal measure. Sitting in that car, as they headed to her home, she couldn’t help but smirk. She wondered just how much more excitement Jason was going to give to her.
When they arrived at her family’s house, the quiet suburban facade was very different from the storm raging in Jason and Mia’s mind. Jason stepped out first, his tailored suit cutting a sharp figure against the soft glow of the porch light. He opened the passenger door for Mia, who hesitated before taking his hand. Together, they walked to the door, Mia’s pulse quickening with every step.
What was she going to do? What were her parents going to say? What were they all gong to do when they found out about Jason? She didn’t know, and it terrfied her to even think about that.
The door opened to reveal her mother, a stern woman with sharp features and a disapproving glare. Behind her, Mia’s father was pacing, phone in hand, muttering into the receiver about ho apologetic he was for her daughter’s behavious. His face turned red when he saw them.
"Mia," her mother snapped, her voice dripping with disdain. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Your father’s career is at stake because of your reckless behavior!"
Her father’s eyes narrowed as he hung up the phone. "You’ve embarrassed this family for the last time," he said, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "You’re going to marry that boy we chose for you, and that’s final."
Mia clung to Jason’s arm, her knuckles white. Jason looked at her, seeing her state and understood wat was going on… These controlling parents must have been controlling Mia’s entire life, turning her into someone who didnt know left from right in their presence. That was shy she was so subdued, and why she was not ambitious, only willing to have an exciting life among exciting people.
Jason stepped forward, his smirk a weapon in itself. "Mr. and Mrs. Tanner," he began, his voice smooth as silk but with an edge that could cut glass. "I’m Jason Cross. I’m here to inform you that Mia’s life is no longer yours to dictate. From now on, she’s mine."
Mia’s parents froze, their expressions oscillating between shock and fury. Jason’s words hung in the air, each one delivered with calculated precision. He used a slight pause after "mine" to emphasize the finality, a technique that forced them to focus on his dominance. Ad focus they did, but angered they also became.
Her mother’s lips trembled. "Mia, is this true?" She said this, but seeing how Mia was holding on to this man, and how he was taking charge like that, she knew… Mia must be complicit. And if that was the case, then there was something wrong here. It was the fact that they were going to be in a bad situation.
Mia’s voice was soft but resolute even thought it was a bit shaky. "Yes, it’s true. I’m done letting you control my life." After saying that she gave the parents a bit of a glare, eliciting a smirk on Jason’s face.
Her father’s face turned crimson. "You ungrateful brat!" he bellowed, advancing toward her. "You’ve ruined everything! You have no idea what you’ve done do you?!" After saying that he turned to Jason. "And you… boy. You seem liek a proper skirt chaser. You really think you can ste into Mia’s life and do whatever you want?! I’ve seen your type before. You use women and then throw them away dont you? What are you even doing here? This is a family meeting, get out of my house!!"
Seeing Jason totally unaffected by his words, the man was about to shout at Mia again, but Jason stepped between them, his presence a wall that made Mia feel protected.
"Sir," Jason said, his tone firm but calm. "I’d advise you to step back. I’m here as Mia’s partner, and I won’t tolerate anyone mistreating her."
The elder Tanner sputtered, but Jason didn’t give him a chance to respond. Turning to Mia, he placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke with quiet intensity. "Tell them," he said, his gaze locking onto hers. "Not what they want to hear, not what I want to hear. Tell them what you need them to understand. Not for anyone else’s good, but for your own good."
Jason said that, but even as he did, he knew that she would not realy think for herself. That was the thing with habits ingrained from childhood. They did not necessarily. Leave. All they did was ranfer themselves to the next way in which they were expressed. I she was used to being told what to do, then Jason was goig to continue doing that, this time reframing it as if she was standing up for herself.
In a way she was standing up for herself, but she was doing things all according to Jason’s plans and doing exactly what Jason was telling her, which to Jason meant that she did not really have much growth. He would have to help her work through these issues later on for sure. But for now, he would have to use this natural tendency of hers to make her move according to his wishes.
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Mia’s eyes welled up, but there was steel in her voice when she finally spoke. "I’ve spent my entire life trying to make you proud," she said, her voice trembling but gaining strength with each word. "But I’m tired. Tired of living for your plans and your dreams. I want to live for myself."
Her father’s face twisted with rage, but before he could respond, he clutched his chest, stumbling backward.
"Dad!" Mia screamed, rushing to his side as her mother shouted for help.
Jason was already moving, pulling a small vial from his pocket. Kneeling beside the older man, he tipped the contents into his mouth. S the contents and the vial showed themselves, everyone was stunned. It was a glowing red liquid that looked extremely interesting. What was going on? Were did he find it. And why was he putting the red glowing liquid into the man’s mouth?
"What are you doing?" Mia’s mother shrieked, her hands clawing at Jason’s arm. "Get away from him! You’re trying to kill him! I know you are! You charlatan! You’ll kill him, and then me, and then marry my daughter to take our belongings."
Jason ignored her, his focus unyielding. He just kept on puring the contents down the man’s throat and as he did that, he soon noticed his expression get better. Moments later, Mia’s father gasped, his eyes snapping open. He sat up, bewildered but visibly healthier.
"What... what did you give me?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
Jason stood, brushing off his suit. "A chance," he said simply. Why would he tell the man that t was a healing potion? There was no need to talk too much. Anway he was soon going to realise that the Healing potion was a big deal Afterall, Jason was working on some plans to market these, or at least use them in some products. But that would come later on.
Mia watched Jason, her admiration and reverence for him deepening. Jason wasn’t just a man—he was a force of nature. They were having a fight earlier, but even in that situation he had still helped the other side. She knew that he ahd done that for her, because he did not want to see her happy. Knowing this much, he knew that she cared and he liked him even more for it too.
As the man got up, still sitting on the floor, Mia seemed to get a rush of life into her, as she spoke up. "I am going to leave this house, Mother, Father. And there is nothing either of you can do about it. That s all I wanted to tell you and I hope you understand it."
After saying this, she left, stepping over her father and heading to the back, leaving the three of them staring at her as she left. Jason shook his head.
What the hell was she doing?
Her father was sick and almost just died, but she just leaves.
Was she looking to aggravate him, giving him another heart attack?
Well, it didn’t matter.
After drinking the potion... he might never have a heart attack ever again.