Upon hearing Tonya's statement, Mia raised an eyebrow in surprise.The mayor's grandson?Was it what she suspected?Observing Mia's puzzled expression, Tonya misinterpreted it as shock.She immediately seized the opportunity to gloat. "See? You're taken aback, aren't you? I told you, revealing our identity would definitely startle you."Turning to Casey beside her, Mia inquired, "Is this new student named Asher Maynard?"Casey nodded affirmatively. "Yes, do you know him?"Mia was struck by the coincidence. She looked at the arrogant Tonya and remarked, "Aren't you just a nanny? How dare you assume you can waltz in here and flaunt yourself?""Who do you think you're insulting? You know I'm associated with Mr. Shelbert's family, yet you dare speak to me like this? Clearly, you lack basic manners. Do you even have a man backing you since you talk so boldly?"Without hesitation, Mia raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap on Tonya's face.She glared at Tonya and quipped, "With
Mia sensed that having a child like Asher in the same kindergarten as Sage and Ginger was akin to having a ticking time bomb.She couldn't risk such a potential threat to her children's safety.Given Luna's desperation, Mia feared the actions she might take in the future.Regardless, she had to ensure that Asher left the school.Upon noticing Mia's presence, Tonya's expression grew noticeably complex.She then addressed Asher, saying, "Mr. Asher, when Mr. Shelbert arrives, remember what to say, okay? Let him stand by you. We'll see who dares to challenge you then."Tonya believed Mia's status as the heiress of the esteemed Lane family carried no weight. After all, Asher still retained the position of the mayor's grandson.Mia scoffed, "Do you truly believe Mr. Shelbert would show up? Don't be absurd. He wouldn't involve himself in such an embarrassing affair."As soon as Mia's words trailed off, Asher exploded and yelled, "You bitch, it's all your fault!"Upon hearing this, Mi
Mia couldn't ignore Timothy's intense stare, yet she maintained her composure, confident that she hadn't misspoken.Despite the option of a life of ease, she persisted in her relentless efforts, solely for the security of her children's future.Keen to incite conflict, Luna deliberately interjected, "Tim, take a look at this," she taunted. "It appears your sincerity is lost on others."If Luna could drive a wedge between them and convince Timothy to transfer his assets to Asher, she would secure her future indefinitely.Timothy, however, swiftly dismissed Luna's provocation. "Enough. Since when have you earned the right to address me like that? Are we even remotely close?"Luna's pride took a hit, yet she persisted, refusing to yield. "Mr. Barrett, I'm simply offering advice. Sometimes, blood ties hold little weight. If the Lane family regards you so poorly, why subject yourself to their indifference?"Timothy's tone turned cold. "Luna, spare me your schemes. I'm well aware of yo
"I understand. I'll find a way to remove Asher from that situation," Timothy affirmed."It might not be so simple. Mr. Shelbert has always desired a male heir to continue his family legacy. Since he doesn't have a son, a grandson would likely suffice."My point is—he won't easily allow you to take Asher away, especially since legally, Asher is Luna's biological child. If you pursue custody, you have no legal standing," Mia explained.It appeared that resolving this matter would be challenging unless Timothy voluntarily disclosed the truth about Asher's parentage. However, Mia knew this was highly improbable.Moreover, Luna would likely escalate her actions if Timothy were to reveal his true identity.Timothy hesitated before asking, "Is Sage okay? I heard they were in a fight.""You should be more concerned about Asher," Mia replied. "After all, Nicholas taught Sage self-defense techniques, and he ended up pinning Asher to the ground and giving him quite a beating."Timothy brea
Mia grasped Timothy's tie firmly, her gaze unwavering as she stated, "However, in my perspective, you're not the best option."Releasing his tie, she stepped into the car, rolling down the window to address Timothy on the roadside. "By the way, how did you find out about the altercation between the kids today?"Was it once again through Ginger's updates?Timothy met her gaze and replied, "I'm aware the children attend school here, so I've taken measures to ensure I receive reports about their activities. As their father, it's my responsibility to stay informed about their education."His explanation appeared reasonable.Fixing her eyes on Timothy, Mia responded, "In that case, perhaps you could refrain from spontaneously showering the children with gifts.""Why not? Are you concerned I might win them over with presents?" he challenged."Don't be absurd. Our children aren't that shallow. You can't simply sway them with material possessions."Besides, they've been raised with eve
Mia's voice turned serious. "Initially, I shared your perspective. However, Ms. Maynard's behavior at the kindergarten was anything but casual."If she's intent on escalating tensions with the Lane family, then so be it. I refuse to keep a potential threat near my children. That settles it."With that definitive statement, Mia abruptly ended the call.She had no intention of giving Raymond any satisfaction.By the time Dominic intervened, there would be no room for negotiation. Mia knew her brothers cared deeply for her children and wouldn't tolerate any form of mistreatment.After hanging up, Raymond stormed back home, his anger evident.Upon seeing Raymond return, Luna quickly nudged Asher. "Dad, look at what they've done to Asher. The Lane family has gone too far. You must stand up for him," she urged.Raymond's hand swiftly met Luna's cheek with a hard slap. "Luna, look at the chaos you've caused. What nonsense have you been spreading?"Stunned by the slap, Luna stammered,
Observing Luna's self-important demeanor, Mia calmly countered, "Well, it seems this gathering isn't solely in your honor, is it? Was there a necessity for your invitation?"It appeared that certain individuals were distinctly detached from reality, oblivious to their position.Despite this being a mere social affair, Luna paraded about as though she were the heiress to the Shelbert family fortune, poised to inherit their entire legacy.Was Luna truly incapable of maintaining her composure?Upon hearing Mia's words, Luna's expression shifted uneasily, though she swiftly concealed it behind a smile. "But today's celebration is for Asher. As his mother, I have the right to determine the guest list, don't I?"Deep within, Luna harbored a sense of gratification. Finally, it was her moment to relish the taste of triumph.Mia's voice lowered to a whisper. "Maybe if you looked in the mirror, you'd see that smug expression on your face."Luna responded with a cold chuckle, "And so what
Feeling her pride wounded, Shelly swiftly responded, "Mia, you don't know the whole story. My relationship with Luna was quite cordial before."It was your interference and attempts to sow discord between us that led to our current situation. Now that we've seen through your manipulations, it's only natural for us to stand together against you."Shelly now understood that if she wanted to establish herself in Nord City, she could only rely on her own efforts.With Sharon already influenced by Mia and sent back to Bern City, she knew she couldn't count on anyone else.If Shelly hoped to secure a prosperous match in Nord City, she had to carve out her own path.Indeed, she had little confidence that Timothy would offer any assistance.Observing Shelly's unyielding demeanor, Mia decided to refrain from further discussion.Instead, she turned her attention to Luna. "Ms. Maynard, have you decided when you'll inform the staff of your departure? They can promptly handle the necessary a
None of the major shareholders was a fool.After that, Mia was busy handling Barrett Group affairs and barely had time to rest.With an exhausted look, she returned to the hospital.Mia looked at Timothy and said, "I'll run away if you don't wake up soon.""No… Please don't go…" Timothy grabbed her hand. His gaze was deep.Mia's eyes reddened as she gazed at the man who had just regained consciousness. Timothy finally came out of his coma.After that, everything was back to normal. Those who caused trouble quieted down.Sharon visited Timothy and told him that she was going to settle down overseas and would not come back anymore.Timothy bought her a property and gave her a huge sum of money before sending her away from Bern City.As for Maya, it was discovered that she was not the granddaughter of the Prime Minister of Yellow Island but merely his caregiver. Yet, she had been deceiving people outside.After Maya was exposed, she ran away dejectedly. Nobody knew where she was
Sage stood beside Timothy in silence.Soon, news that Timothy was hospitalized spread, and Barrett Group's stock plunged.The relatives of the Barrett family requested to hold a board meeting to elect another CEO.On the day of the board meeting, Mia brought her two children to Barrett Group.They managed to keep everyone on a leash as Sage bore a striking resemblance to Timothy.Mia marched into the meeting room, sat in Timothy's chair, and glanced at everyone present. "Let's begin. Didn't you all want to have a meeting?"One of the middle-aged men said, "Ms. Lane, this is the Barrett Group board meeting. It's not appropriate for you to be here.""That's right. Though the kids are Mr. Barrett's children, they're still young and do not have any shares. You all shouldn't be here."Mia flung a document onto the table. "This is an agreement signed by Grandma Laura to authorize me to manage Timothy's shares.""Anyway, we still need to elect a CEO to handle our company affairs.""
"Because to me, you're my family too," Timothy said.When Sharon heard the word 'family', her eyes turned red. Then, she turned around and left the ward.Mia walked out and asked Peyton to send Sharon to the hospital for a checkup.Looking at Sharon's back, Mia said, "I hope you don't let him down since he regards you as his family. He's the only one you can depend on now."Sharon did not turn her head around. Mia did not know if Sharon would listen to her advice.Mia immediately called her brother. "Dominic, I met Maya."She then told him everything about Maya.Dominic frowned. "I never thought she would go to Yellow Island.""Do you think she's really the granddaughter of the Prime Minister of Yellow Island?""Don't you know how good she is at lying?" Dominic said.Mia nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But I still don't know whether she's related to Yellow Island.""Don't worry, I'll find out."When Mia returned to the ward after ending the call, she saw a doctor bustling arou
Mia went straight to the hospital to ask Timothy about the matter.But when she arrived, someone had reached there earlier than her."Timothy, what do you mean? All I did was pull a few strings, but you want to humiliate me publicly. How am I going to maintain my standing in the company?" Sharon said.Mia went in with a frown. "This is funny. It's not just about pulling a few strings, but it's aimed at me. Mrs. Barrett, your actions have leaked confidential commercial information.""Stop trying to scare me. It's my son who opened doors for you. It's the Yellow Islanders who wanted to collaborate with us, and they are much better than you," Sharon retorted. Mia said with a half-hearted smile, "At first, I didn't want to pursue this matter. But since you put it this way, wait for my lawyer's letter then.""Such big talk, huh?" A mysterious-looking woman wearing a hat and a mask walked in from outside.Mia felt that the woman looked somewhat familiar. "Are you the rumored granddau
Mia glanced at the person on the screen. Without answering the woman, she turned off the laptop.After all, there was no need for Mia to explain anything.After Mia turned off the laptop assertively, she turned around and looked at Timothy. He did not say a word but started eating.Soon, Heath received a call. He left the ward and said to the woman on the other side of the phone, "She's Mr. Barrett's ex-wife. You'd better not mess with her."While Timothy was eating, Mia finished reading the proposal in her hand.She had to admit that the document was very valuable.Mia was about to leave the ward when Timothy almost finished eating, but his voice sounded behind her. "What did you say when you met her at the cafe earlier?""Did you follow me?""I followed her, to be exact. After all, the Hopkins are not good people."Mia totally agreed with that.She paused briefly before she said, "Grandma Laura asked me to talk to her because she doesn't agree with you about giving her all
"You don't know anything," Sharon said.Mia retorted, "I might not know everything, but Timothy is innocent. Before he knew the truth, he always regarded you as his mother. Even after he found out the truth, he has never mistreated you."Besides, when you said you wanted the Barrett family's wealth, he agreed. Tell me, who else could do what he did?"Mia felt that Timothy might have been hurt by Sharon's words.He seemed impressive on the outside, but his identity was a dark secret.Therefore, his relationship with Sharon became awkward.Sharon's eyes reddened. "But I also treat him like my biological son.""You're also his foster mother. Now everyone related to him is dead, and you're the only one he has. What are you afraid of?"Sharon wiped off her tears. "I'm not afraid of anything. It's just that I felt that I can't trust anyone.""Timothy is a man of his word. However, Grandma Laura said that if you remain stubborn, making the will public is her only option," Mia said.
Mia noticed Sharon's expression changing slightly when she mentioned Laura.Sharon took her cup of coffee and said, "What? Does Mrs. Barrett Senior still want to lecture me even when she's on her deathbed? She must have known Timothy's identity all along, but she conspired with her son to keep the truth from me. "She and the Barretts are birds of a feather. What else does she have to say?"Mia was not surprised by her words. She had expected that Sharon would certainly think this way.Fortunately, she managed to stop Laura when she said she wanted to meet Sharon.Sharon was emotionally unstable now. What if Laura said something unpleasant and Sharon retorted? Her words might upset Laura.Mia took a kraft envelope out of her handbag and placed it in front of Sharon. "I hope you won't regret saying those words after reading this.""What's this?""This is the will that your husband left behind, as well as the divorce agreement."Hearing that, Sharon quickly took the document out
Mia hesitated to risk exposing Laura to Sharon's potential agitation.Due to Sharon's emotional vulnerability, she often spoke impulsively. With Laura's delicate health in mind, any disruption was simply out of the question.As Laura recounted past events, Mia remained silent, absorbing her words.Upon hearing Laura's story, Mia was taken aback. She hadn't expected there to be hidden aspects to Timothy's family history.Taking a moment, she asked, "Does Timothy have any knowledge of this?""He doesn't. Some things are best kept from him," Laura replied calmly.Mia harbored some lingering questions in her mind. Unable to suppress them any longer, she asked, "Considering your knowledge of Timothy's background, what is your opinion of him?""Tim is a commendable young man, and he has never let our family down. He has achieved remarkably well for himself. To be honest, I feel indebted to him as well."At first, I only kept him around for the sake of preserving the Barrett family li
Despite her initial reluctance, Mia eventually found herself making her way to Timothy's ward.As she entered, she couldn't help but notice Timothy's expressionless demeanor as he lay there.Carrying a tray of food, Mia approached him. "The doctor pointed out your extreme fatigue. It's crucial that you increase your food intake and prioritize proper rest to reduce the risk of sudden complications."Upon hearing Mia's voice, Timothy lifted his gaze to find her seated beside him. His lips moved slightly as he asked, "What did you tell Luna?""Not much," Mia responded. "Just a sprinkle of salt on the wound and a dash of psychological pressure to make sure Luna doesn't have it easy in prison."Placing the tray of food in front of him, Mia urged, "Please, just a few bites.""I'll eat later. By the way, the kids have been here at the hospital for quite a while. You should take them home," Timothy suggested.Frowning, Mia insisted, "You should eat something first."As her words faded,