Were the Chapmans on the brink of bankruptcy? Kaleb nodded grimly. "Yes, that's right. I was just informed about it as well. They've kept this a secret from the public."Sharon was upset. In this case, they'd be delusional if they thought she would let Nikki marry Timothy under that circumstances. She turned toward the guests. "Everyone, please dig in. My apologies for the commotion earlier."Everyone began settling into the joyous atmosphere once again, as if they'd forgotten about the Chapmans' predicament earlier. Luna watched Sharon in exasperation. Wasn't she supposed to hold Mia accountable? Why did she refrain from discussing the Chapmans?What did Kaleb tell her? Was there really something wrong with the Chapmans' business? Luna was defiant. She clearly could've seized this opportunity to coax Sharon into punishing Mia, yet her plans had proved futile. She couldn't help but curse inwardly. Meanwhile, Mia noticed how Sharon cozied up to the other socialites. She se
Mia felt her patience wearing thin from having to deal with these insufferable old ladies. She turned to them with a smirk. "If you're such a fan of kids, why not expand your own brood? Perhaps you could even start your own soccer team with the little ones. I bet the excitement would be unparalleled.""Tim, look at how she speaks to her elders!" Veronica chastised. Timothy calmly responded, "I think what she said made a lot of sense."Veronica's expression turned sour. She snorted. "Having your own child is definitely better than raising someone else's."Mia reached for a glass. She could barely hold it in now. However, Timothy drawled, "I remember Uncle William adopted a kid recently, right? You seem to take good care of him, though."Mia's face immediately lit up. She was eager for gossip. Veronica stirred uneasily in her seat. "Tim, what are you on about?"Sharon also shot a look at him. "Yeah, Tim. Where did you hear such rumors? You shouldn't spread false information.
Timothy felt conflicted. If his eyes weren't deceiving him, he clearly caught her mocking expression at the mention of marriage. His suspicion of her identity grew. …Meanwhile, Mia sauntered around the resort alone. She was heading toward a building nearby to use the restroom when she ran into Shelly and Luna. She noticed that Shelly's posture seemed slightly off. It was definitely due to the blisters on her heels caused by her ill-fitting shoes. Mia was appalled at her nerve to squeeze herself into the designer shoes despite knowing it would hurt. Shelly approached Mia with a docile smile. "Monalize, the ambiance here is really nice. It'd be great if you and Tim had your wedding here in the future.""It's too early for me and Timothy to discuss these things." Mia had never thought about marrying Timothy. The idea itself was absurd. Shelly's gaze darted toward Luna before she said, "Monalize, don't say that. I think he's serious about the relationship. He's finally dating
Mia wasn't flustered at all. She nearly snickered when she heard what Luna said. She turned to Shelly. "You picked these clothes yourself. Vior couldn't be selling fake goods, could they?"Shelly breathed a sigh of relief. "Monalize, you're right. What does Luna know about fashion? She's embarrassing herself."Luna was unfazed. She continued, "Shelly, since you're so certain, why don't we get the fashion director here to see whether it's fake or not? The truth will be unveiled then.""The fashion director you brought? It's not like she's the queen of fashion. Why should we listen to her input? Have you bunch of peasants ever attended a private haute couture show before?"Still upset, Shelly rambled on, "Luna, do you know why Aunt Sharon was totally unbothered when Nikki was kicked out? It's because her family is about to go bankrupt and their company's about to be acquired."To her, only a daughter of a prestigious family deserves Timothy. Look at you. Your identity, status, and
"Huh, you think you're so great, are you? Well, I'm eager to see how you'll make me very sorry!"Shelly hit Luna with her heels, but she didn't dodge this time. The tip of Shelly's heel struck her forehead, and blood began to trickle down her face."Shelly, what are you doing?" Timothy thundered. Sharon and a few other socialites trailed after him. Seeing that Timothy was here, Mia appeared from the stairs and turned to him. "There's a doctor here. If it isn't that serious, you can have him come over to treat her wound."Sharon went up to Luna. "Luna, are you alright? Your head is bleeding, it seems really bad! Shelly, are you out of your mind?"Shelly said furiously, "Aunt Sharon, can't you tell that I'm injured as well? Luna provoked me first!""Shelly, we know what you're like. Luna has always been very patient with you. Did someone goad you into hurting Luna?" Sharon chanced a glance at Monalize as she spoke. Shelly had been very close with her lately. Perhaps she was mani
Mia noticed the tattoo on Luna's ankle. A hint of confusion flashed across her face. She thought this was too much to be a coincidence. Sensing Mia's gaze, Luna quickly hid her foot underneath the sheets. The way she stared at Luna's tattoo made her feel somehow flustered. She glanced up and met Monalize's eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. She thought Mia was standing right in front of her, given Monalize's jarring resemblance to her. Luna averted her gaze quickly, convincing herself that she was merely hallucinating. Mia was already dead. The image of Luna's tattoo on her ankle lingered in Mia's mind even after Luna was escorted away. She felt like she'd seen it somewhere before. It felt like an important piece of information to her. However, Mia couldn't remember it. She had long forgotten about what happened in the Barrett residence back then. Just then, Sharon said smugly, "This resort is so much better than what I've expected. They're even equipped with medical professi
Mia called Nicholas to discuss the matter right after she hung up. "Currently, we need to perform a test on Timothy, then we can draw blood in a week. If he's aware of the result and agrees to the match, we can arrange for the child to get ready in the sterile chamber soon," Nicholas said."Alright, I got it."Mia glanced up at the night sky after she hung up. She smiled, realizing that her efforts finally paid off. The fireworks were set off in the garden, igniting the sky with a burst of colors. Timothy went up to her in the next instant. "Is it from the hospital?"Mia nodded solemnly. "Mr. Barrett, the match is a success. Are you still willing to donate your bone marrow to my daughter?""I won't go back on my words." Timothy understood what it meant to donate his bone marrow. He wouldn't be affected, but it would be a huge deal for Ginger.He stated, "I'll arrange my schedule tomorrow and head to the hospital for the tests."Mia's eyes reddened. "Thank you. I mean it." Her
Mia didn't expect Timothy to question any further. She thought he'd refrain from asking, considering his usual indifferent demeanor. She paused and hedged. "Because we're dating now."He was rendered speechless.Successfully evading his question, she breathed a sigh of relief. She began arranging to leave Bern City once he left the hospital. If she stayed any longer, she'd eventually blow her cover. If Timothy found out that Ginger didn't enter the sterile chamber at all, Mia would be exposed. Thus, Ginger had to leave Bern City. However, there was still one thing she had to do before she left. She wanted to visit Patricia.… The next day, Mia bought a lot of gifts as she visited Patricia.She noticed how nice the residential area was when she got out of her car. Though it was a mixed community of apartments and villas, it seemed to be well-managed. Holding the things Mia bought, Peyton sidled next to her. "Ms. Lane, Mr. Dominic gave Mrs. Patricia a villa in the same ne