Seeing Patricia's shocked expression, Mia wasn't surprised at all.She tenderly caressed Sage and Ginger's heads and said, "Yes, I brought them to visit you.""Good, good!" Patricia responded, discreetly wiping away a tear. As she gazed at Sage and Ginger, memories of Mia's childhood resurfaced in her mind.With immense joy, Patricia warmly welcomed Sage and Ginger, setting out a delightful array of snacks.Turning to Mia with a touch of reproach, she said, "You should have told me your kids were coming! I could have prepared gifts for them. It's their first visit, and I haven't made any arrangements. It just doesn't seem right."Looping her arm through Patricia's, Mia said gently, "There's no need for that. The kids have plenty of toys. This visit is about spending time with you."Originally, Mia had planned to wait until Sage was fully recovered before visiting Patricia.However, Laura's unexpected awakening and subsequent health complications disrupted her plans."There's a
On the sidelines, Mia and Patricia sat together on a nearby bench while Sage and Ginger frolicked nearby.Turning to Mia, Patricia inquired, "Mia, what prompted your sudden return? Is there something you need to address here?"Mia sighed before responding, "You seem to catch on to everything, don't you?""Come on, don't keep me in the dark. What's the deal? Did the Barrett family stumble upon something concerning the children? Is that why you've returned to handle the situation?" Patricia pressed.Seeing Patricia's cautious expression, Mia couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy. "Aunt Patricia, it's not that. The custody of the kids is not something the Barrett family can challenge or take away from me. You don't need to worry about that.""But given the power of the Barretts, I can't help but be concerned that you might struggle to deal with them."Remember how perilously close you came to losing your life in their clutches years ago? Surely that hasn't slipped your mind, has
Mia paused briefly before replying, "It's not about that. I simply haven't considered being in a relationship. Besides, I've always found fulfillment in my independence.""Even with a successful career, it's challenging for a woman to navigate alone. How do you intend to manage without a partner at home?""Ms. Lane, please don't take our directness the wrong way. We genuinely care about your well-being. The gentlemen we're recommending are highly regarded and sought after."It's only because of our close relationship with Aunt Patricia that we're bringing them to your attention. After all, finding good men nowadays is quite a challenge."Upon hearing this, Patricia interjected, "Alright, that's enough. Women need to be self-reliant these days. After enduring a painful divorce, do you seriously expect Mia to jump back in and sacrifice everything just to please a man?"The neighbors hesitated for a moment, their expression faltering. "You know, it might not be fair to generalize lik
Soon after, Mia and Patricia arrived home with the children, ready to freshen up and get ready for bed.As Mia settled onto the plush mattress, she took a quiet moment to observe Sage and Ginger, peacefully asleep beside her.Gazing out the window, she found herself absorbed in the vibrant cityscape outside—the constant motion of cars and people.After all these years, returning to such tranquility was beyond anything Mia could have imagined.With Sage and Ginger snugly tucked in beside her, Mia's heart brimmed with gratitude for the happiness she now embraced.The next day, Mia prepared to take Sage and Ginger to the hospital to visit Laura, feeling hopeful that today might be the day Laura finally woke up.Shortly after they finished breakfast, a knock echoed through the house.Curious, Patricia headed to the door. "Who's there?" she called out.To Mia's surprise, their neighbor from the previous day stood outside, holding a generous array of fruits."Hello, Aunt Patricia. I
Caught off guard by Ginger's unexpected act of kindness, Timothy hesitated for a moment.Should he accept the food graciously or politely decline?However, when he saw the genuine concern in Ginger's eyes, he found himself unable to refuse.Reluctantly, he lowered his head and took a bite of the chicken she offered.Ginger's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Uncle Heath mentioned you haven't eaten yet. Skipping meals isn't good, you know. Here, take the pasta, and I'll have this."With a determined effort, Ginger reached out, offering the bowl of spaghetti to Timothy.Timothy let out a sigh, a hint of resignation evident in his voice. "I'll grab something to eat after the meeting," he conceded."Mommy says that work is never-ending, but meals are important," Ginger interjected.Drawing closer to the screen, she cast a glance at the executives on the other end of the video call. "He needs to eat now, so please bear with us for a moment, alright?" she added in her sweet, childli
At that instant, Ginger presented a bouquet of fresh peonies. "Great-Grandma Laura, these flowers will surely help you feel better," she said sincerely.Laura regarded the sweet, sincere Ginger with a weak nod. Then, her gaze shifted to Mia, as if she had something on her mind that she wanted to express.Leaning in closer to Laura, Mia asked softly, "What is it you want to say?""I-I'm just glad you're okay," Laura murmured.Hearing Laura's words, Mia's eyes instantly filled with tears.To her surprise, Laura still remembered what had happened five years ago. It seemed she understood it had been a calculated move directed at her.Mia held Laura's hand tightly as she spoke, "Grandma Laura, you must recover quickly. Sage and Ginger are growing up so fast and becoming increasingly mischievous. They need your guidance."Laura managed a gentle smile and nodded in response, acknowledging Mia's words.For Sage, witnessing his cherished family member in such a vulnerable state was a de
Upon laying eyes on Diane, Mia swiftly discerned the motive behind her visit.Despite Patricia's clear refusal earlier that morning, why did she still decide to show up in the evening?Diane was in the company of two others, one of whom was a man.The way he gazed at Mia left no doubt as to his identity.Still, Mia couldn't help but ponder Diane's apparent lack of discretion in this situation."Ah, Ms. Lane, welcome home. We've been anticipating your return for quite a while," Diane greeted warmly as she stood up. "This is the friend I was telling you about, along with her son. Isn't he quite dashing? I assure you, I have nothing but good intentions; Aunt Patricia and I are quite close, after all."Mia remained unfazed, her eyes fixed on Sage and Ginger. "Both of you, go back to your rooms.""Oh, that won't be necessary," Diane interjected. "They've brought gifts for the children—luxurious chocolates, the kind favored by the affluent."Meeting Diane's gaze, the middle-aged wo
Diane was taken aback by Mia's pointed words.Turning to Patricia, she pleaded, "Aunt Patricia, please, I was only trying to assist her. After all, it's incredibly challenging for a woman to raise children on her own."Patricia rose from her seat, her tone resolute. "I believe Mia is correct. I made it clear this morning that she's not interested in any blind dates. Besides, Mia is financially independent. She doesn't need to depend on any man.""But you don't have to be so harsh about it," Diane countered."Then how should I put it? Look at the man you're introducing—he's a mama's boy who doesn't even earn as much as Mia. How can he possibly measure up to her?"Upon hearing Mia being insulted, Patricia's gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a fiery temper.However, Pamela was not ready to back down. "Tsk, tsk. Isn't your niece just a designer? If she's earning that much, who knows where all that money is coming from? "Women like her without notable connections must be relying
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,