Mia offered an awkward smile. "Mrs. Quilter, I'll go wash some fruits."She found an excuse to step out of the hospital room, finally exhaling a sigh of relief. The preceding conversation had left her feeling slightly overwhelmed.As Mia exited, Felix turned to Janice, questioning, "Mom, why did you bombard Mia with so many questions? She's a bit sensitive, you know.""Felix, dear, don't you understand? If I don't address these matters now and establish some boundaries, how can I be her future mother-in-law?"You mentioned Mia's remarkable talents, didn't you? If I don't establish my stance, she might become overly assertive, especially with you."Felix sighed, expressing a sense of helplessness. "Mom, you're overthinking. Mia isn't that kind of person.""Felix, I'm looking out for your well-being here. Your recent injury happened because of Mia, and I can't shake the feeling that she might have feelings for you."If I don't take the initiative and play matchmaker, when will you
Mia's words struck a nerve, hitting Maya's sore spot directly.Frustrated, Maya raised her hand. "Mia, who do you think you are, labeling me as a mistress? Just so you know, my brother is also in this hospital. I assure you, you'll regret making such accusations!"I've come across countless ill-mannered individuals like yourself. It's ironic how you and Aunt Patricia share the same despicable traits."Without hesitation, Mia firmly grasped Maya's hand and swiftly delivered a resounding slap in return.Mia's gaze turned icy as she retorted, "Maya, you can say whatever you want about me, but mind your words. If I catch you insulting Aunt Patricia again, I swear you'll regret it."Despite Patricia having a timid personality and her share of flaws, she was the one who raised Mia, and Mia wouldn't tolerate anyone speaking ill of her.Maya stared at Mia in disbelief. "How dare you hit me?""I'll strike you whenever I please."Mia's attitude took a fierce turn. She effortlessly reache
Haunted by her canceled engagement, Maya found sleep elusive, her thoughts consumed by anger.Everything had been proceeding smoothly until that fateful day, marked by unforeseen events that ultimately led to the cancellation of her engagement.Raising an eyebrow, Connor questioned, "Because of me?""According to Timothy, your decision to perform surgery for Grandma Laura wasn't influenced by me!" Maya exclaimed.Clearing his throat, Connor nodded and replied, "You're correct. It's indeed not because of you."Upon hearing this response, Maya stared at him incredulously. "Connor, what are you saying?"If it's not because of me, are you implying that you're doing this surgery because of Timothy? Haven't you always disliked Timothy?""Yes.""If not because of me, then because of whom?" Maya had been investigating diligently, yet she hadn't unraveled anything, heightening the mystery of the situation.Remaining composed, Connor stated, "Maya, there are certain matters not worth
It seemed like Mia, having successfully seduced Linden, had now also become entangled with Connor!This explained why Connor had been reluctant to disclose the reason for agreeing to perform surgery for Laura earlier.Could it be because of Mia?All the perplexing mysteries that eluded Maya before suddenly fell into place.Mia orchestrated everything! This bitch shamelessly dared to seduce Connor for her own benefit, displaying no remorse!Maya was tempted to push the door open and personally expose Mia's true colors. Yet, in the end, she restrained herself.If she were to burst in now, Mia might conjure up various excuses.Maya was determined to devise a comprehensive plan to fully unveil Mia's true character—a single revelation that would settle everything.Inside the hospital room, Mia suddenly glanced toward the window.Connor followed her gaze, asking, "What's wrong?""It's nothing. Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me," Mia replied.She had a hunch that someone might
Observing Dominic and Eva's solemn expressions, Mia couldn't help but wonder if they were about to delve into the recent kidnapping orchestrated by Bob and Mary.Feeling a bit uneasy, Mia obediently set down the bowl and asked, "Sure, what do you want to discuss?"Dominic spoke up. "Eva and I have been thinking about this for a while. Would you consider coming back to Nord City and living with us?"Eva, seated beside Mia, looked at her and Patricia reassuringly. "Don't worry, if you choose to return with us to Nord City, the entire family will move together."We'll make arrangements for James to be transferred to another hospital. Once in Nord City, everyone will be well taken care of."Upon hearing this, Mia instinctively glanced at Patricia, who appeared indifferent.Given that Mia was carrying Timothy's child, she did contemplate returning to Nord City for childbirth due to safety concerns.However, Patricia had spent her entire life in Bern City, and asking her to uproot her
Mia needed to keep a tight rein on her emotions, particularly since she intended to keep Timothy's child a secret from him.If he were to uncover the truth, he might insist on her getting an abortion, as he had previously expressed his unwillingness to have children.Contemplating this, Mia fully awakened. She gently placed her hand on her lower abdomen.Despite the circumstances, Mia remained steadfast in safeguarding her baby and ensuring a safe delivery.After freshening up and changing into a new set of clothes, Mia received a call from Connor. "Mia, it's time for your prenatal check-up at the hospital. Make sure to come in when you can.""Alright, I understand. I have classes today, but I'll find time to drop by later."Checking her schedule, Mia realized that her upcoming days were densely packed with classes.With textbooks in hand, she headed off to college. Although only a weekend had passed, it felt like an eternity.Fortunately, everything had settled down without ma
Unexpectedly, Mia found herself face-to-face with Maya sooner than she had anticipated.The tension between them was unmistakable.With an air of triumph, Shelly interjected, "Mia, today's event is organized by Vista Properties, Maya's family conglomerate. She is in charge and will be delivering a speech later on."Maya also took on a condescending posture. She had yet to retaliate for the slap Mia gave her during their last encounter.Mia raised an eyebrow and retorted with an icy tone, simply saying, "Okay."Feeling dissatisfied, Shelly persisted in her threats, "Mia, you must be afraid, right? Let me make this clear. With Maya in charge, don't even think about securing any scholarships."Arching an eyebrow, Mia replied, "While I may not attach significant importance to that scholarship, Maya, given your role as the person overseeing this event, aren't you worried about the potential repercussions of orchestrating things covertly?"Maya's lips curled into a chilling smile. "Ev
Maya's eyes betrayed a hint of irritation as she branded Shelly as the constant source of impractical ideas.Had it not been for the shared last name "Barrett," Maya would likely have dismissed Shelly altogether.Collecting herself, Maya took a deep breath and addressed Mia, "I was just joking earlier. Did you really think I was serious?"My brother strongly disapproves of any form of manipulation or meddling in work matters. I could never engage in such behavior."Standing beside Maya, Shelly felt a twinge of frustration. Why did Maya have to show vulnerability in front of Mia?Gina sneered, "Ms. Lane, what's wrong with you? If you're clueless about how to apologize, let me enlighten you. Apologizing involves uttering the words 'I'm sorry'!"Maya was approaching her breaking point.Mia surveyed her surroundings. "With the increasing number of people here, I was contemplating uploading the video to the campus network right before the scholarship opening ceremony."Imagine unvei
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,