Observing Shelly's appalling behavior, Luna realized the necessity of taking action; she couldn't afford to remain passive any longer.Glancing at her son, Asher, Luna knew that the current situation couldn't persist. Even if she disregarded her own well-being, she had to consider Asher's future.Luna swiftly dialed a number, her tone shifting as she spoke, "Mrs. Barrett, there's something I'm hesitant to disclose. It concerns Tim. He's brought back a woman from Xanier Island."On the other end of the line, Sharon remained composed. "I'm aware of this. The woman appears to be a young lady from a wealthy family in Nord City, and she and Tim seem compatible. You're familiar with Tim's romantic affairs; they're beyond my control."At the mention of "compatible", Luna's expression turned cold. Without hesitation, she remarked, "I understand, but that woman bears a striking resemblance to Mia.""What?" Sharon exclaimed, instantly abandoning her beauty regimen.Sitting upright, Sharon
This arrangement would bring Asher even closer to the Barrett family.Luna's scheme had been advancing seamlessly until her unexpected encounter with Monalize during her trip to Xanier Island, which threw everything into disarray.However, she wasn't about to give up easily.After concluding the call, Sharon swiftly glanced at Shelly's post, confirming the selfie and its caption.With a disdainful snort, Sharon remarked, "Future in-law? I have no clue about her background, yet she has the audacity to try and cozy up to Tim."Sitting beside Sharon, her sister Veronica Hopkins cautiously inquired, "Sharon, what's going on?""Veronica, Luna just called me and mentioned that Tim brought a woman back from Xanier Island. Apparently, she's not just a gold-digger but also looks remarkably similar to Mia. Why do I always seem to come across echoes of Mia?""Sharon, I trust Tim to be smart enough not to fall for a gold digger," Veronica said."You don't understand. Tim was completely inf
Shelly's eyes gleamed with anticipation. She knew Mia would surely ask her about the Barrett family's preferences.Considering Mia's desire to wed into the Barrett family, earning Sharon's approval was undoubtedly important.Without hesitation, Shelly replied, "Monalize, you have nothing to worry about. With your captivating beauty, remarkable family background, and your generous nature, Aunt Sharon is sure to take a liking to you."After all, Sharon had always shown a preference for daughters from affluent families as potential daughters-in-law.As long as there was a match in social status, there shouldn't be any significant obstacles.A hint of sarcasm flickered in Mia's eyes. It seemed her ex-mother-in-law was also somewhat superficial. Well, that at least made her easier to handle.Mia continued, "But with Luna in the equation, I still have some reservations. After all, she has been by Mr. Barrett's side for so many years.""Hey, Monalize, didn't I mention before? Tim has n
Mia discerned the underlying message in Sharon's words. It was evident that Sharon wanted to assert dominance over her, insinuating that Mia shouldn't entertain any romantic notions with Tim.With a cold expression, Mia stood up abruptly. "Since Mrs. Barrett doesn't seem to like me very much, I'll excuse myself."With that, she retrieved her designer handbag and departed, unwilling to tolerate even a hint of injustice.Shelly hurriedly approached Mia, saying, "Monalize, please don't be upset. That's just Aunt Sharon's personality. She's simply reminding me; it has nothing to do with you."With a dignified demeanor, Sharon commented, "Monalize, it seems like you have quite a fiery temper, getting upset over just a few words. That kind of attitude might not be the best fit for Tim.""Exactly," Veronica interjected. "Considering my nephew Timothy's status as the heir to a prominent family, it's essential for his future wife to embody grace and elegance. Above all, she must show utmos
After giving it some thought, Sharon remained convinced that the VIP membership card wouldn't deceive anyone.Reaching for the cup on the table, she hesitated slightly before saying, "She... She probably hasn't gone far. If you hurry, you might still catch up to her."Shelly stomped her foot in frustration. "Aunt Sharon, you've really gone too far this time. Monalize was only trying to learn about your preferences."She would have gladly used her VIP membership card to please you, and who knows, she might have even given it to you.""Did she actually say that?" Sharon asked.Shelly maintained a stern expression. "At first, she was simply trying to understand your tastes. But instead of being welcoming, you approached with skepticism and doubt about her identity."Now you've driven her away. How do you expect her to please you after this?"Sharon's expression instantly hardened, and she felt a twinge of regret. After all, the VIP membership card had been a source of frustration f
"Hey Monalize, please don't get upset. Aunt Sharon can be a bit critical of people who aren't as well-off, and she tends to prefer those who are wealthy."She simply wants Tim to marry into a family of equal status, and at the same time, she doesn't want to feel overshadowed by her future daughter-in-law."That's why she made those remarks earlier, to assert her position over you. It's not that she truly questions your identity!" Shelly explained hastily. Mia's expression hardened. "But I've never faced such treatment before.""Monalize, you don't need to heed Aunt Sharon. After all, our household belongs to Tim. As long as Tim accepts you, you don't need Aunt Sharon's approval. With your family backing you up, Aunt Sharon won't have any power over you."Shelly was worried that if Monalize ended her relationship with Timothy, she might lose the privileges she enjoyed.Upon hearing Shelly's explanation, Mia's eyes gleamed with a hint of mockery. "I didn't expect Mrs. Barrett to t
Mia broached the topic on purpose.After all, given that Timothy brought up Shelly and was aware of Mia's extensive purchases for her, he likely also learned from Shelly about the incident with Sharon.Having accepted numerous gifts from Mia, it seemed probable that Shelly exaggerated the situation and complained to Timothy about it.On the call, Timothy remained quiet for a moment. "It appears she may have mistaken you for my ex-wife.""Wow, is Mrs. Barrett's relationship with your ex-wife really that bad? Having a mother-in-law like that must make being your wife pretty tough."Timothy couldn't help but frown in response; it felt like Mia was taunting him.Standing in the hospital corridor, Timothy gazed at the dark sky outside. His voice carried a heavy tone as he responded, "You don't need to take my mother's words to heart.""Mr. Barrett, do I appear like someone who would be affected by irrelevant remarks? Typically, if there's a conflict, I react immediately."Mr. Barret
"Well, I find it hard to believe in such coincidences," Luna stated firmly.Growing impatient, Shelly remarked, "Luna, there's something I've been meaning to discuss with you. Aunt Sharon tends to favor women from affluent families when considering ideal candidates for her daughter-in-law. To be frank, well, your background doesn't quite meet that standard."My advice is not to hold onto any illusions. Focus on taking care of Asher. You never know, you might even secure a share of the family inheritance one day."Shelly had always been intrigued by the true origins of Luna's son, Asher.Although Asher appeared to be Timothy's son, Timothy had shown no interest in him for the past four years.However, if Asher wasn't Timothy's child, then why did Timothy bring Luna and Asher back with him?"Shelly, Tim doesn't have any feelings for Monalize. She leveraged the reishi mushrooms to manipulate him into becoming her boyfriend," Luna said nonchalantly. "How can that be true? Tim just
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,