Mia retrieved some clean utensils from a nearby shelf and handed them to Luna. "Why don't you start by feeding Asher," she suggested."Ms. Monalize, just so you know, Asher can feed himself; he's just a little shy," Luna retorted.Taking the utensils, she placed them in Asher's hand and whispered, "If you don't do as I say, there will be consequences when we get home!"As a child, Asher instinctively felt scared and obediently took the utensils. However, his movements were somewhat shaky.He struggled to hold the utensils steadily, let alone pick up the food.Sitting opposite them, Ginger skillfully used her cutlery to eat her vegetables and meat. Despite her small hands, she was undoubtedly more adept than Asher.The contrast between them was stark, highlighting Asher's disadvantage.Just then, Ginger picked up a piece of meat with her fork and placed it on Mia's plate. "Mommy, have some." Mia smiled warmly and replied, "Thank you, sweetie."Without hesitation, Ginger then p
Feeling relieved, Asher set down his utensils and headed toward the play area.Now, only the three adults remained at the table.Luna was determined to improve Asher's image in Timothy's eyes.She explained, "Tim, I understand that Asher has been a bit spoiled. When we get home, I'll ensure he learns how to eat on his own. I won't allow the nanny from the Barrett family to continue feeding him anymore.""Hmm." Timothy simply responded with a humm.As Mia finished up her meal, she turned to Timothy and asked, "Why does Asher need a nanny from the Barrett family to take care of him?"While the investigation revealed little about Luna's relationship with Timothy, it was evident that Luna, along with Asher, had been living in the Barrett residence.Indeed, their relationship appeared to be anything but ordinary.Luna's expression brightened with a smile. "It's challenging for me to raise a child by myself. After a previous bad experience with a nanny, Mrs. Barrett was concerned for
Mia confronted Timothy head-on, her once-charming red lips now turned into a frown.At that moment, she dropped her usual facade, revealing her stern demeanor.Timothy lowered his gaze, observing the dominant and assertive Mia before him. He spoke in a gentle tone, "Ginger will be fine, I promise.""You'd better," Mia replied tersely.She took a deep breath and glanced at the blinking red light, regretting her decision to suggest dinner with Luna.She was aware that Luna must have received advance notice, which was why she deliberately waited there for Timothy.Indeed, Mia shouldn't have taken the risk.Soon, the lights in the operating room went out.As the doctor, Tyler Valoz, emerged from the room, Mia rushed forward. "Dr. Valoz, is my daughter okay?""Are you both Ginger's parents?"Mia hesitated before replying, "I'm her mother."Adjusting his glasses, Tyler explained, "We'll need to await the results of the blood tests to confirm Ginger's condition."Our initial asses
Mia's expression froze momentarily before she spoke, "Mr. Barrett, I truly appreciate your help."Despite her ongoing deception since arriving in Bern City, this expression of gratitude was genuine.Timothy nodded in response, saying, "You're welcome."Upon hearing Timothy's words, Mia's emotions grew even more complex.While it was indeed appropriate for Timothy, as Ginger's father, to undergo bone marrow matching, he remained entirely oblivious to the truth.From his perspective, he was simply undergoing the matching procedure for Mia's ill daughter.At that moment, Mia spotted Ginger exiting the emergency room. Ginger lay unconscious on the bed, her complexion pale, with a noticeable bump on her forehead.Even though Mia understood it was all part of a charade, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Ginger.It seemed that Ginger was taking her performance a bit too seriously.Seeing the swelling on Ginger's forehead, Timothy immediately knew it was from Asher pus
Mia nodded affirmatively. "I understand. Once the bone marrow matching is over, I intend to visit Aunt Patricia."Despite her amnesia, Mia recalled that Patricia had rescued her from near abandonment and starvation by Bob and Mary in the past.Not only did Patricia raise her, but she also supported her through college.This memory remained deeply ingrained in Mia's mind.To avoid revealing her true identity, Dominic and Eva had been the ones to maintain contact with Patricia over the years, sending her regular gifts.Although Mia had always been concerned about Patricia's health, in Patricia's mind, Mia was no longer alive.Nevertheless, this time around, Mia planned to catch Patricia off guard with a surprise!After ending the call, Mia settled beside the hospital bed, softly brushing her fingers across Ginger's forehead. She then turned to Peyton and inquired, "How did she manage to faint for real?""Dr. Valoz mentioned that after Ms. Ginger indulged in a massive chunk of cho
Mia proposed, "There's no need for you to go to such lengths. Just record a video of yourself reprimanding Asher and send it to me. You don't have to apologize in person. Sometimes, being too polite can come across as a bit fake, you know?"As Mia's words trailed off, Luna's expression froze, clearly caught off guard by Mia's unexpected rebuttal.Inwardly, Luna couldn't help but curse; she had indeed been dishonest earlier.Scolding Asher was completely out of the question for Luna. On the contrary, she believed Asher had done an excellent job of putting Ginger in her place.Considering his status as a member of the Barrett family, Luna believed his actions were justified.Nonetheless, Luna received a scolding from Timothy over the phone. He went as far as suspending her credit cards, urging her to cut back on shopping and devote more time to Asher.Despite Luna's reluctance, she knew she had to uphold her facade by taking the initiative to apologize. Whether Mia accepted it or n
Timothy's demeanor shifted abruptly upon hearing about the test results.He rose from his chair swiftly, his voice deep as he declared, "I'll be there immediately."After ending the call, Timothy left the meeting room abruptly without offering any explanation, leaving the group of executives puzzled.Given Timothy's reputation for his dedicated work ethic, it was unusual for anyone to answer a call during a meeting.No one had ever witnessed Timothy taking a call and leaving a meeting suddenly. Could this be the end of the world?Outside, Timothy grabbed his suit jacket and instructed Heath, "Have the vice president continue to chair the meeting. I expect a resolution by tomorrow.""Understood, Mr. Barrett. Where are you headed?" Heath inquired."To the hospital."Heath could likely guess whose call Timothy had just taken.After all, only Monalize had the power to disrupt Timothy's usual routine.After concluding the call, Mia glanced at Tyler and said, "You know what to do w
Timothy glanced at the candy wrapper Mia held, making a mental note of the brand of the candy in his mind.As they walked toward the ward together, Timothy spoke in a hushed tone, "Does Ginger know about her condition?""No, I haven't told her yet. She probably thinks it's just a mild flu," Mia replied, glancing at Timothy. "Please don't mention it to her later. Ginger simply believes she's anemic and needs your blood donation."Timothy responded, "Okay."Following their conversation, they proceeded together into the ward to visit Ginger.Near the emergency exit, Luna lurked in the shadows. As she observed Timothy's kind gestures toward Mia and Ginger, jealousy consumed her. Why should someone like Mia merit such treatment from Timothy?Frustrated, Luna resorted to pinching herself in an effort to regain control over her emotions. However, as she pondered Ginger's leukemia condition, she found herself unable to stifle a chuckle.In her mind, it seemed like a fitting consequence.
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,