Mia caught sight of Maya walking ahead, the unforeseen encounter casting a shadow over her mood.Upon turning around and spotting Mia, Maya's demeanor noticeably darkened.Having just ended a call with Shelly, Maya was still processing the events that unfolded at the studio today. It was astonishing how Mia had effortlessly managed to disentangle herself from the situation.Where did Mia find those incriminating videos and photos? And, more intriguingly, how did she manage to enlist Jason's law firm to personally intervene and pursue accountability for this matter?Maya felt a sense of discomfort, her expression turning cold as she walked past Mia.Noticing Maya approaching, Mia turned to Felix and casually remarked, "I just bumped into an acquaintance. Felix, why don't you take a seat and wait for me?"Felix nodded understandingly, stepping aside to grant them a private space for conversation.Mia redirected her attention to Maya and inquired, "You and Shelly were responsible f
Mia remained resolute, never glancing back throughout the entire ordeal.Timothy stood in place, retracting his gaze before proceeding toward the adjacent elevator.Maya caught up swiftly, her voice brimming with excitement. "Timothy, I'd love to invite my brothers to our engagement ceremony. What do you think?"Unfazed, Timothy replied, "Suit yourself."Their engagement was merely a transaction, after all.A subtle smirk adorned Maya's expression. "Timothy, is this a business dinner? How about I join you?""That would be unnecessary. This is a men's gathering. Do you really want to intrude?" Timothy retorted.With a cold expression, he entered the elevator, leaving Maya behind. Even with her resilience, all she could do was watch as the elevator doors closed before her.Maya grappled with a sense of reluctance, but for the time being, she had to go along with it.Nonetheless, if Timothy were to agree to her proposal of inviting her brothers to their engagement, that would be
Sensing Timothy's gaze, Mia swiftly withdrew her hand.She deliberately turned away, intending to stroll past him.Despite this, Timothy deftly sidestepped, obstructing her path with an air of superiority. "Don't you have anything to say?" he inquired condescendingly.Lifting her gaze, Mia replied, "I don't think there's anything worth saying.""Looks like you've already moved on to someone else. Honestly, he seems rather ordinary. Do you genuinely find him appealing?" Timothy remarked, his tone tinged with disdain.Indeed, his choice of words was intriguing.Mia responded with a wry smile. "Well, it's a two-way street."It seemed ironic that Timothy, who himself showed interest in Maya, was now criticizing Mia's decisions."Mia, I never thought you'd become such a troublemaker now. You used to keep a low profile for three years. I truly feel sorry for you," Timothy remarked."Speaking of which, Mr. Barrett, I'd like to remind you to manage your family affairs properly."Now
After finishing his work, Dominic turned to Eva and suggested, "Babe, what do you think about bringing Mia back to Nord City to live with us? That way, no one would dare to mistreat her."Eva couldn't help but sigh. "But Mia has always been living in Bern City. If we bring her here, we'll need to have an honest conversation with her. Are you certain that Mia has fully accepted us?""Regardless, Maya has already chosen to marry Timothy and will be living in Bern City. Bringing Mia back to Nord City wouldn't have any significant impact, considering the substantial distance between them."Besides, Maya is marrying into the prestigious Barrett family, so it's not as though we're treating her unfairly, right?"With unwavering resolve, Dominic continued, "During our upcoming trip to Bern City for Maya's engagement, we should discuss with Maya the possibility of ending her adoption."We certainly can't allow Mia to return to the Lane family only to find another girl there, replacing her.
Mia shared the link with Felix, saying, "Felix, take a look at this."Meanwhile, Fiona turned toward Mia, pleading, "Ms. Bowen, please forgive me. I admit it was my mistake."I shouldn't have confronted you without conducting a thorough investigation first. It's entirely my fault."Mia's expression held a blend of emotions. She remained unconvinced that Fiona would offer an apology solely because her family's company had been acquired.After a moment of hesitation, Mia inquired, "Why did you come to see me?"Fiona, too, seemed taken aback, but calmly clarified, "Ms. Bowen, I truly recognize my mistake. Please forgive me this time.""You should get up first," Mia urged. Determined, Fiona retorted, "Unless you forgive me, Ms. Bowen, I won't get up."She remained on her knees, refusing to stand.It wasn't until Mia uttered words of forgiveness that Fiona finally rose, her eyes reflecting apprehension, completely devoid of the arrogance she had displayed earlier.After Fiona lef
Listening to Shelly's complaints on the other end of the phone, Mia calmly replied, "It's not as if I canceled your credit card. You should contact the person who did it."With that, she hung up the phone. Nonetheless, Shelly persisted with her calls, prompting Mia to switch her phone to silent mode.Despite the recent surge of rumors, they quickly dissipated. Mia hadn't anticipated such an effortless resolution.She breathed a sigh of relief and tenderly caressed her belly, sensing the presence of her unborn child within.Following Laura's surgery at the end of the month, Mia could finally sever all ties with Timothy.It dawned on her that she should schedule a prenatal checkup.Taking out her phone, she made an appointment at the hospital and began packing up to leave work early for the examination."Mia, are you leaving early for college?"Upon hearing Felix's voice, Mia turned around."Indeed, there's something I need to attend to, and there isn't much work on my plate rig
A flicker of guilt crossed Maya's eyes; she harbored no desire to be reunited with her biological family.Being discarded in the past signified their lack of desire for her, or perhaps an inability to provide for her.With the Lane family offering such favorable conditions and Maya holding the title of heiress, she wondered if it was necessary to search for her birth parents.Was biological family really that important?Having experienced hardships in the orphanage, Maya recognized the significance of wealth and social standing. Hence, she had no interest in reconnecting with her birth family.With a hint of reluctance, Maya responded, "Regardless of whether I find my biological family or not, it doesn't impact my engagement."You all are my family now, and that's why I sincerely hope you can join me and Timothy for our engagement ceremony."Connor observed her with a scrutinizing gaze. "Maya, you've achieved your goal. I've agreed to perform the surgery on Grandma. There's no n
Mia spoke up, "Connor, given your involvement in this surgery, please inform me promptly if there's any update on Grandma Laura's condition." Indeed, Mia was genuinely concerned about Laura's wellbeing.Observing Mia's compassionate demeanor, Connor couldn't help but sigh. "Mia, don't worry. Grandma Laura will be just fine. I promise." Connor would undoubtedly put forth his best effort in performing the surgery, ensuring that Mia could sever all ties with the Barrett family.After Mia's departure, Connor called Dominic and inquired, "Hey Dominic, when did I agree to attend Maya's engagement ceremony?"Clearing his throat, Dominic explained, "Well, didn't I mention that I won't be able to make it?""Come on, Dominic. If you made a promise, it's your responsibility to follow through. I never agreed to attend Maya's engagement ceremony in the first place," Connor retorted.He disapproved of Maya's manipulative tactics—using Laura as leverage.If Maya were obedient and compliant,
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,