It wasn't just because Mia hadn't eaten much that morning. It was also because Maya nearly crashed into her, causing her breakfast to spill onto the ground.Seeing Mia's predicament, Timothy turned to Heath, who stood nearby. "Arrange for lunch to be delivered," he ordered.Mia quickly interjected, "Wait a moment."Beside her, Timothy's expression hardened. "What's the issue? Am I not allowed to treat you to a meal?"Mia discreetly cleared her throat. "No, that's not what I meant. I just lean toward lighter options, preferably something with soup and maybe a few fruits."A tense silence followed her request.Straightening his collar, Timothy commented, "Mia, it appears you have a talent for making demands. Did I promise to treat you to a meal?"Without hesitation, Mia shot back, "Given that visitors have arrived to see Grandma Laura, isn't it your responsibility as her relative to provide a meal for the guests? Or has generosity taken a back seat?"Timothy's frustration grew at
Upon hearing Timothy's words, Mia's mouth opened in surprise.Why was Timothy uttering such nonsense again?What did it mean when he said he'd support Mia even if the sky fell? Why was he expressing such sentiments to her?Mia blinked and said, "Mr. Barrett, if I had been aware of your attitude earlier, I certainly wouldn't have endured these three years feeling so constrained!""Well, it's never too late to know now." Timothy's gaze was profound, and the implication behind his words was unmistakable.As Mia observed his slender and appealing eyes, her heartbeat raced uncontrollably.Timothy's facial features resonated perfectly with her aesthetic preferences. Every glance at him seemed to reinforce his undeniable charm.Timothy spoke calmly, "There's no need for an immediate answer. I can give you the time to think it over."Mia swiftly regained her composure, cleared her throat, and responded, "Mr. Barrett, it doesn't matter if you have feelings for me now. It's too late."U
Timothy's lips formed a subtle curve, unveiling a faint smile. "That's fantastic!"Mia gazed up at Timothy standing before her. His attractive and slender features resembled a captivating painting illuminated by the lamplight.For an instant, Mia felt utterly captivated.Just then, Connor emerged from the operating room, a hint of weariness visible in his expression.Observing Mia embrace Timothy, Connor spoke sternly, "What are you doing? Let go!"Upon hearing Connor's voice, Mia suddenly became aware of her actions. The sheer happiness of the moment had prompted her to hug Timothy without a second thought.Blushing, she let go and turned to face Connor, her eyes gleaming. "I heard the surgery was a success!"Connor had reassured Mia that Laura's surgery would be successful, and true to his word, he had kept that promise.With a smile, Connor affectionately tousled Mia's hair. "Certainly. I never break my promises to you."Indeed, Connor held his commitment to Mia in high reg
Mia was momentarily stunned as she caught sight of Maya.Why was Maya still here? After all, Laura's surgery was over.Mia couldn't shake the feeling that Maya's presence at the hospital was merely a facade. Did she truly care about Laura, or was this just another act?A heavy silence settled over the room.Connor's heart skipped a beat upon spotting Maya. Why was she here, too?If Maya approached and said something, it would undoubtedly spiral into a disaster!Connor was worried about what to do next.Upon noticing Mia standing alongside Connor, Maya was consumed by a wave of jealousy. How dare Mia seduce Connor!Regret washed over Maya as she reflected on allowing Mia to attend her engagement ceremony. Perhaps if she hadn't, Mia wouldn't have had so many chances to get close to Connor.Given Mia's orphaned background, she would have never come across people of Connor's wealth and status in her daily life.Maya's expression grew notably grim, and with her teeth clenched, she
Mia's back tensed momentarily. Since when did Maya, this dumb bitch, become so astute? Mia couldn't fathom how Maya had discerned her true motives.As Mia turned around, she was met with Maya's smug expression. "What do you want?"It nearly slipped Mia's mind—Maya's brother was also a doctor. Perhaps Maya had some connection to Connor as well.Amidst the redevelopment of Mia's old neighborhood, Maya had been meddling behind the scenes.Should Maya discover Mia's relationship with Connor, what repercussions would follow?With a triumphant expression, Maya retorted, "Mia, perhaps it's time for you to abandon this fantasy. You're simply not worthy of Connor. Stop indulging in illusions."At Maya's words, Mia raised her eyebrows slightly. There was something strangely familiar about Maya's remark.Timothy had previously expressed a similar sentiment about Mia and Connor not being a suitable match.Of course, Mia and Connor weren't compatible—they were siblings! The idea of them bei
Mia never expected that Maya would one day accuse her of harassment. She couldn't fathom Maya's audacity.Maya retorted defiantly, "Did I say something wrong? Who was the one embracing me downstairs and pushing me into the elevator just now? And who pinned me against the wall, refusing to let me go?"Mia felt a blow to her sense of dignity.Before she could explain, Timothy firmly grasped her arm, his lips forming a tight line. "Mia, follow me.""Timothy, let go!" Mia glanced back at Maya, who sported a smug expression. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had been tricked again!What was going on with Timothy?Mia found herself ushered into a corner by Timothy, and just as she was about to speak, he seized her chin. "Mia, it seems you're growing more daring, aren't you? How did I miss that before?"Meeting Timothy's intense gaze, Mia scoffed. "Well, I've always warned you against judging me from your narrow perspective. I doubt you'd comprehend," she retorted sarcastically.
Sharon smiled knowingly. "Ms. Lane, as I mentioned earlier, Mrs. Barrett Senior's surgery has been successfully carried out."Tim's respect for Mrs. Barrett Senior is what led him to endure Mia's presence for so long. Now that the surgery is finished, it's only a matter of time before Mia is promptly shown the door."Maya's expression turned smug as she remembered something. "But what about Mrs. Barrett Senior's heir agreement?""No need to worry. Mia isn't pregnant. That document is merely worthless paper."After pondering for a moment, Maya felt much more relieved.…Mia descended the stairs to join Connor, and together they headed home.As Mia sat in the passenger seat, her mind churned with thoughts of Maya's accusations earlier. The memory of being labeled a harasser by Maya stirred a deep sense of disgust within Mia.She was well aware of Maya's questionable ethics but hadn't anticipated them sinking to such depths.Connor drove cautiously, attentively monitoring Mia's e
Mia subtly turned her head, observing Connor in the driver's seat. She couldn't help but sense a hint of unease in his gaze.Connor's eyes betrayed a mix of guilt and affection, his emotions entangled.Curious, Mia wondered what Connor was about to disclose.As she drifted into her thoughts, she suddenly blurted out, "Connor, you've never had a fling with Maya before, have you?"Abruptly, the car screeched to a halt.In a shocked tone, Connor replied, "Absolutely not!"Before he could elaborate, the sound of impact resonated from behind the car, cutting their conversation short.Mia's complexion paled. "Connor, did our car get hit?""Yeah, it seems like a minor rear-end collision. Mia, could you step out of the car and wait on the roadside while I handle this?" Connor directed.Feeling anxious, Mia exited the vehicle and spotted a sleek sports car behind them.Suddenly, a woman emerged from the driver's side, emitting an air of sophistication that instantly caught Mia's atten
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,