In the corridor, the two men crossed paths—one displaying maturity and aloofness, the other exuding a cool and distant demeanor.Despite the tension, the atmosphere remained remarkably tranquil.As they passed each other, Timothy couldn't resist commenting, "You're not the right match for her."Nicholas responded with a slight smile, "As her ex-husband, you're interfering too much.""You stay right there!" Timothy's cold gaze lingered as he turned back. "Take this as a warning. Your family might not readily accept the babies she's carrying. Given Mia's stubborn nature, she's likely going to keep them.""Actually, my family would be thrilled to welcome Mia's babies. Considering my infertility, having children naturally was never an option for me."Marrying Mia would be like winning the lottery—gaining both a wife and children at once. And on top of that, we're expecting twins. My mother would be ecstatic, don't you think?"With that, Nicholas casually walked away toward the restr
Why did Timothy want to disturb Mia's mental state at such a critical moment?Shortly afterward, Mia thought she heard the doorbell ring.She snapped awake, unable to shake the thought that Timothy might have arrived.Nonetheless, Mia pondered it carefully, convincing herself that she must have misheard. After all, there was no reason for Timothy to come up and find her.Despite this, the knocking persisted.Mia quickly opened her bedroom door, only to find Patricia heading toward the entrance. "Who's knocking at this late hour?""Aunt Patricia—" Mia wanted to intervene, but it appeared to be too late.As the door opened, Mia noticed Timothy standing outside.He wore casual gray attire, a far cry from the serious and austere look he had in a suit during the day. This time, he emanated a more laid-back vibe.Mia wore a slightly awkward but polite expression, taken aback by Timothy's unexpected arrival.Patricia's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Timothy. "Mia, why… wh
After finishing her dessert, Mia took a sip of water.She couldn't help but notice Timothy staring at her, his silence adding to the intensity of the moment.His narrow, elongated eyes bore into her, his handsome features sharply defined in the light.Mia felt increasingly uneasy under his intense stare. She lowered her gaze and curtly said, "It's getting late, Mr. Barrett. Please leave."With that, she dismissed him without so much as a glance.Given their divorced status, Mia felt no obligation to extend any courtesy toward him.Timothy eventually rose from the sofa, his figure illuminated by the light, casting a long shadow in the room.In the already confined space, his towering stature seemed to make it even more cramped, obscuring the light around Mia.His imposing figure loomed above her, and his expression was complex.Mia's breath caught in her throat. She had never seen Timothy wear such an expression before, especially not directed at her.Taking a deep breath, she
"Aunt Patricia, please stop," Mia interrupted Patricia abruptly. "I've already made up my mind to return to Nord City and live with my brothers, and I'm not considering remarriage.""Very well, I respect your decision. But you should understand that women and men are different."Generally, second marriages don't turn out as well as the first ones. Besides, Mr. Barrett comes from a respectable background; I'm only concerned for your well-being."Having said her piece, Patricia withdrew to her room for some rest.Despite this, Mia understood where Patricia was coming from.In Patricia's generation, there was a prevailing traditional belief that divorced women might encounter difficulties in finding suitable remarriages.Instead, they were considered to be better off returning to assume the role of the young mistress in a prestigious household, such as the Barrett family.However, Patricia remained unaware that Mia's brothers were part of the Lane family, a prominent household in N
After the exam concluded, Mia exited the classroom feeling utterly exhausted.She had been fully immersed throughout the day, and now she felt completely drained.The discomfort of sitting for long hours, especially with her pregnancy, had been challenging to endure.Fortunately, her pregnancy wasn't too far along, so she managed to persevere through it."Mia," Connor and Claude called out as they approached her.Connor promptly supported her arm, asking, "Are you alright? If you're feeling unwell, you need to let me know immediately.""I'm alright, just a bit fatigued and hungry," Mia replied.She understood Connor's concern for her pregnancy. Nonetheless, the babies inside seemed to recognize the importance of her examination, maintaining good behavior and not being overly restless.Claude breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that your exams are over, let's grab a bite to eat. How about we go out for a nice dinner tonight?""Sounds good," Mia agreed.Walking out of campus with h
Timothy pursed his lips. "What are you suggesting?""Now that Mia is the heiress of the prestigious Lane family in Nord City, with six supportive brothers, she has everything she needs. What could you possibly offer her to persuade her to come back to you?"Furrowing his brow, Timothy responded, "Even if Mia didn't have her newfound family, she's not someone who can be won over by riches."Indeed, Timothy seemed to have misunderstood her all along."I understand, but now she's the Lane family heiress. If you want to win her back, there's only one way."Timothy's gaze sharpened with a hint of desperation.Caleb hesitated before answering, "With your sincerity.""Sincerity?"Timothy reclined on the couch, projecting a nonchalant yet menacing aura. "Do you think people like us are capable of such sentiments?""If you don't genuinely love Mia and open your heart to her, I doubt you'll be able to keep her. You won't even pass her brothers' scrutiny."Timothy felt somewhat disheart
Upon hearing this, Timothy's gaze drifted downward to the glass of red wine in his hand, its rich hue and inviting aroma momentarily captivating him."I honestly don't know," he replied, his deep voice resonating with uncertainty."Well, it sounds like you might be falling for her," Caleb suggested.He couldn't resist the urge to light a cigarette; the situation was undeniably complex. Mia's pregnancy added another layer of complication, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding the paternity of the babies.Whoever claimed Timothy was cold-hearted?Men of his caliber often kept their emotions guarded, but when they did fall in love, it was with a depth and sincerity that knew no bounds."Pass me one," Timothy requested, reaching for a cigarette.Once it was lit, he leaned back, releasing puffs of smoke into the air.His eyes, deep and intricate, betrayed a sense of turmoil. It was a novel sensation for him, experiencing such a complex mix of emotions. He had never anti
Dahlia entered the store with an air of superiority, shooting a glance at the shop assistant, Irinna Burriss."Your store really needs to implement stricter customer screening, particularly with individuals like them who obviously cannot afford to make purchases. Letting them in would only degrade the standards of Vior."Dixie chimed in, "Exactly! What if they damage the clothes? They could never afford to pay for them."Mia couldn't suppress a chuckle at their hypocrisy."Considering your reputation for purchasing counterfeit goods and passing them off as authentic, perhaps it's best for you two to refrain from patronizing this store as well. We wouldn't want others to mistakenly assume that everything here is fake," Mia shot back.Mia couldn't help but reference the previous occasion when Dahlia and Dixie bought scarves for Laura, only to later discover they were counterfeit.Dahlia and Dixie's demeanor grew awkward, and Dixie retorted, "I-I was misled by a friend. How was I su
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,