Timothy found himself somewhat taken aback when Ginger called him; he could almost visualize her holding her Apple watch.His typically stern demeanor unexpectedly softened at the sound of her voice."Mister, I'm about to leave, and I have a gift for you."At her words, Timothy's lips curved slightly. "Why are you getting me a gift?""Because I want to thank you for safely taking me from the airport to the hotel, so I can reunite with my Mommy! She always tells me we should know how to repay kindness."Ginger's adorable voice had a melting effect.Timothy responded gently, "Alright."After agreeing on the meeting place and ending the call, Timothy found himself smiling slightly.He had never been particularly fond of children, often finding them bothersome, but Ginger seemed to be an exception in his eyes.Caleb asked tentatively, "Tim, who called you? And what's with the gift and the restaurant meeting?"Could it be Monalize again?Last time, she even gave Timothy underwear
Mia turned to Caleb and remarked, "So, this is why Mr. Barrett was seeking reishi mushrooms?"But as far as I know, reishi mushrooms aren't capable of treating incurable diseases; they're primarily used to prevent muscle atrophy and stimulate neurons."Typically, only those with full-body paralysis or in a vegetative state would require reishi mushrooms.""Yes, Tim's grandmother has entered a vegetative state, so she needs reishi mushrooms."Timothy's grandmother?Laura?Mia's brow furrowed as she recalled the details from her investigation, realizing that it was Laura who had orchestrated her marriage into the Barrett family as a commoner.Although it initially seemed like Mia had a stroke of luck, marrying someone on their deathbed left her pondering whether it was ultimately a blessing or a curse.However, this situation also presented an opportunity.Mia nodded thoughtfully before remarking, "So, Mr. Barrett needed the reishi mushrooms for a sick family member. I had assum
Caleb remained silent and got into the car with Ginger, who was still sound asleep. He didn't want to disturb her rest with their conversation.Observing Caleb's protective demeanor toward Ginger made Luna feel somewhat uneasy.Sporting black sunglasses, Mia regarded Luna with a smirk. "What's wrong? Are you surprised to see me here? You've got some nerve showing up in front of me again. It seems the lesson from before wasn't harsh enough."Startled, Luna instinctively took a few steps back. The memory of her close encounter with a shark while submerged in the ocean felt like a haunting nightmare that she couldn't shake off.Nonetheless, upon realizing they were in Bern City and not Xanier Island, Luna straightened her posture and remarked, "Ms. Monalize, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This is the domain of the Barrett family in Bern City, not the insignificant Xanier Island.""I'm sorry, but I always carry myself confidently wherever I am. You better not try to provoke me, or
Mia approached Timothy with the box and handed it to him directly, urging, "Please prioritize saving the patient. However, considering Mrs. Barrett Senior's current condition, I'm afraid a single stalk of reishi mushroom won't be enough."Reishi mushrooms were rare commodities, typically traded only in black market auctions like those in Xanier Island. They were scarcely available on the open market.Timothy's expression grew serious. "Regardless, let's give it a shot first."With that, the reishi mushrooms were promptly taken away by the doctor.Mia couldn't help but observe the lady, whose perfume was rather strong, staring at her in astonishment. As Mia turned her head, her red lips curved subtly.Startled by Mia's smile, Shelly felt a shiver creep down her spine. She promptly stood up and hid behind Timothy, stammering, "T-Tim, who is she?"Why did this woman resemble Mia so closely? There wasn't even a hint of plastic surgery!Upon hearing the woman address Timothy as "Tim,
Mia had looked into the Barrett family's background, but all she found was information about Laura's illness. The reasons behind her vegetative state remained a mystery.What was clear, though, was that Laura's deterioration had started around the time Mia left the Barrett family four years ago.The timing of these two events sparked Mia's suspicions, suggesting a possible connection between them.Meanwhile, Shelly, still reveling in her newfound designer bag, spoke candidly, "It's all because of Tim's awful ex-wife. She's the one responsible for Grandma's condition. Initially, Grandma was recovering well from her surgery, but then everything took a turn for the worse."Upon hearing the mention of the "awful ex-wife," Mia's expression turned cold. "Is that so? Please, enlighten me. How exactly did this ex-wife contribute to Mrs. Barrett Senior's condition?"Just as Shelly was about to speak, her gaze met Monalize's, whose features bore a striking resemblance to Mia's.Shelly abru
Shelly swiftly dismissed Luna's concerns. Instead, she sounded rather pleased with herself. "Luna, I've been eyeing those shoes for a while now, and I'm quite knowledgeable about them. I'm sure you must be mistaken."Regardless of whether the shoes were large or small, Shelly was determined to acquire them.Why would Luna attempt to spoil things at such a pivotal moment?Luna was aware of Shelly's vanity, yet she was determined not to let Monalize prevail.She discreetly took Shelly aside and murmured, "Shelly, how can you be so quick to accept gifts from her? Haven't you noticed the uncanny resemblance she bears to someone?"Was Shelly that oblivious?Shelly's demeanor grew slightly uneasy as she responded, "I'm aware that Monalize resembles Mia. However, they're not the same person; it's just a coincidence that they look alike.""Shelly, you're too naive. You don't understand how dangerous she could be. She might be a cunning witch, possibly Mia resurrected, seeking revenge,"
Mia glanced at Luna, then quickly covered her mouth, faking a smile. "Shelly, let's not say things like that. We wouldn't want to upset Ms. Maynard.""Luna is incredibly understanding; she won't take offense," Shelly insisted.Mia couldn't help but notice Luna struggling to maintain her composure."I understand, but for individuals like us who casually indulge in luxury items, bags and shoes are merely superficial possessions. Ms. Maynard seems to attach excessive importance to them," Mia remarked.Shelly readily agreed, "Exactly. For people from more modest backgrounds, a luxury item could represent their entire year's salary, so they tend to attach great significance to it."A hint of bitterness flashed in Luna's eyes. Despite her inner turmoil, she forced a composed expression and inquired, "Shelly, how is Grandma Laura's condition?""They're still doing everything they can to save her. It's difficult to predict when it will all be over," Shelly replied.Glancing at the time,
Mia couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Unreasonable requests? Ms. Maynard, what would you consider unreasonable? Asking Mr. Barrett to hand over all his wealth? Or perhaps requesting him to be my boyfriend?"Her words landed heavily on Luna, hitting a nerve.As Mia's words trailed off, she sensed Timothy's gaze intensifying. She deliberately turned to him and inquired, "Mr. Barrett, what are your thoughts?"Timothy cleared his throat awkwardly. "Either option works for me."Upon hearing Timothy's response, both Shelly and Luna were shocked.Mia's lips curved into a smirk. "Well then, I shall provide you with the reishi mushroom, but you must agree to date me."Timothy's gaze grew complex as he responded with a deep voice, "Sure."Mia was genuinely taken aback by Timothy's swift agreement. She hadn't expected him to comply so readily, assuming he might decline or find another excuse.Unable to contain her laughter, Mia turned to Shelly. "Looks like our relationship is progr
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,