Chapter 460: In This Life, He Cries for Me Instead

Chapter 460: In This Life, He Cries for Me Instead

Darcy stared at the young man in front of him. He thought bitterly that he was losing control again. Losing himself to this foolish fake heir. He had tried to push him away, but Micah clung like gum on his soul, impossible to peel off.

"Micah!" Darcy’s voice cracked with restrained anger. "I am not joking right now. I can’t stand this pretentious kindness of yours. If you’re planning to..."

Darcy’s voice died down the moment he saw tears. Why? Why was he crying? And worse... why did his heart ache at the sight?

He had seen Micah’s tears a thousand times before. He knew what they could do, how easily they disarmed people, how quickly they drew sympathy. That was his weapon, wasn’t it? That’s how he seduced those four men in his past life. With tears, with fragility, with that helpless act that made everyone around him want to protect him, to cherish him.

Darcy hated it when Micah cried. He wanted to punch him, to say, to shout Man up! Crying wouldn’t solve anything. Crying wouldn’t put food on the table for your family! Crying wouldn’t pay the bills or the rent, wouldn’t cover medical expenses, and crying wouldn’t silence the malicious rumours.

So why... why did the sight of Micah’s tears now pierce his heart?

"Are you punishing me right now?" Micah’s breath hitched, stifling a sob. "Because it hurts like hell! Darcy... it really hurts."

Darcy’s expression shifted, and his shoulders sagged slightly. He felt defeated. He couldn’t fight against Micah; he couldn’t win. For the past two days, he tried so hard to push him away, to hurt Micah’s pride, making him give up on him, but the silver-haired young man put him first, staying close to him, tore the wall down, and grabbed him.

His hands clenched and unclenched, the veins on his forearms standing out. He looked away, exhaling through his nose. For a moment, the tension in his face softened. Fuck it. If Micah wanted to be with him, he let him. Sooner or later, he would show the Darcy of this world that everything Micah said or did was fake, just an act.

"Fine," he said quietly, the word barely audible. "You won. You can do whatever you want."

Micah blinked, stunned. Slowly, he stepped forward until he was standing close enough to feel Darcy’s body heat. He reached out and gripped the front of Darcy’s shirt, tugging it lightly, afraid he might vanish if he didn’t hold on. "Promise?" he whispered.

Darcy’s fingers twitched at his sides. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. "Mmm," he hummed in acknowledgment, eyes flickering down to Micah’s trembling hands.

"Then... can I go to your place?" Micah’s voice was barely above a whisper.

"What about your family?"

"I’ll text them. They will understand." Micah said confidently.

Darcy’s lips stretched into a smirk. "Aren’t you afraid of losing their affection?"

"I’m more scared of losing you..." Micah mumbled under his breath, looking down.

The words hit Darcy like a blow. His pupils dilated before narrowing again. He let out a low, humourless laugh. "You are such a cunning person..."

Darcy thought Micah always knew what to say to make the other person helpless. He was really a fool to let his heart be flattered because of Micah’s words.

"I know," Micah said quickly. "I know I am being unreasonable. I know I’m being selfish...But I can’t help it." His eyes shimmered with tears again, and his voice shook with every word. "My heart can’t take it...when you ignore me, it feels like my whole world just... stops. It’s only been two days since you... But it felt like an eternity to me. I can’t imagine what it would be like if you completely walked out of my life ..."

He took a shaky breath, his fingers twisting the fabric of Darcy’s shirt tighter. "So, I’ll do anything. No, I’m going to do everything I can to make you pleased. Content. Happy." He looked up, meeting Darcy’s stunned gaze.

Darcy stared at him for a long moment. The air seemed to vibrate with things unsaid. "Even if that means making yourself miserable?" he asked hoarsely.

"Would it be worse than these last two days?" Micah said, half-smiling, half-mocking. "Because I’ve already learned what that feels like. I don’t ever want to feel it again."

Something in Darcy’s chest cracked. He exhaled and lifted a hand to Micah’s cheek, his thumb brushing away the tears that had gathered there. "You look ugly when you cry."

Micah sniffled and made a face. "Who looks stunning when they cry?"

A brief laugh escaped Darcy, soft, unexpected, almost fond. He ruffled Micah’s hair roughly. "Right. So don’t cry."

Darcy remembered that, even in his past life, he had never liked seeing Micah cry. At least in this timeline, Micah seemed to be more put-together.

In his memories, in this world, he saw Micah crying once before. After Micah defended him at the pharmacy against their absurd treatment of him, when at that beach Micah cried after the Darcy of this world opened up to him, telling him how hard his life had been. He had cried for him.

He didn’t remember any time other than this.

Micah pouted and touched his hair.

Darcy sighed. "You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?"

"I know."

"You never listen. Never care about how pushy you are."

"I know that too."

Darcy’s mouth twitched, caught between annoyance and amusement. "They weren’t compliments..." he mumbled, reaching out and opening the door, stepping out of the restroom.

He was annoyed at himself, at how easily he had bent under Micah’s words and tears, how quickly he lost the upper hand.

It was dangerous. Micah was dangerous. He couldn’t let this happen again.

If Micah was the same as before, if this was still the same man who once betrayed and destroyed him, stolen everything from him, then sooner or later, the mask would slip. Darcy of this world could see that Micah’s affection would fade the moment his interests were threatened. The moment his inheritance came into question.

Micah would show his true colours. He would never let Darcy gain anything.

He just had to wait. Be patient. He told himself.

Author’s note:

Thank you so much for reading this far. This marks the end of Darcy’s POV for now. I apologise if some dialogue lines were repeated from earlier Chapters. But omitting them would’ve disrupted the rhythm and tension of the story. I hope you didn’t find it too repetitive.

Once again, thank you for staying with me on this journey!

Cheers! ❤️❤️