Isabella strutted over in her high heels, her demeanor proud and haughty. "Mia, I can't believe you're wearing another man's jacket to the banquet. What kind of impression are you giving my brother?"Raising an eyebrow, Mia responded, "Lewis and I have no relationship. As for whose jacket I wear to the banquet, do you have any say in it?""But the news outside is all about you and Lewis getting engaged soon. This decision is made by both our families, and whether you agree or not doesn't matter. So you'd better tone it down."Disgust flickered across Mia's face. "My family has never agreed to me marrying Lewis. Don't try to embellish yourselves."It had always been the Bowen family's wishful thinking, and now they were even attempting to spread rumors through the media.At that moment, a middle-aged woman approached Mia and said, "Ms. Lane, don't be hesitant. My son truly adores you. If you consent, our family will organize a lavish wedding for you."Isabella chimed in, nodding v
Mia couldn't hold back her laughter. "Well then, congratulations in advance to you."Connie casually traced her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist, her demeanor dripping with arrogance."If you have any sense, you'd consider accepting this marriage proposal sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you might find it impossible to match the Bowen family's status later on.""No way. I won't agree to marry someone who is a bad omen, it's just unappealing. Besides, I'm all about looks. Lewis is just too unattractive for me, nowhere near as good-looking as my bodyguard."Connie's expression turned angry immediately.Isabella chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. "Mom, she's referring to that bodyguard standing next to her. Since Mia is wearing his jacket, there must be something going on between them."Connie directed a scornful glare at Timothy standing nearby. "He's just a lowly bodyguard without a penny to his name. Can he even compare to Lewis?"Mia couldn't contain her laughter. "W
One of the young men, Chuck Jones, approached and offered, "Let me see where it got torn. Perhaps I can fix it for you."As he spoke, he reached out to take off Mia's jacket.Mia's expression darkened, seemingly ready to react, but someone firmly grabbed Chuck's wrist. In a cold tone, the person roared, "Don't you dare lay your filthy hands on her!"Mia turned around and saw Timothy standing behind her, feeling relieved at his protective stance.Suddenly, having such a loyal bodyguard seemed like a blessing.Chuck, however, grew visibly angry and addressed Timothy arrogantly, saying, "You filthy bodyguard, I advise you to let go, or you'll regret it!"Stepping forward, Mia glanced at Timothy and suggested, "Perhaps you should release him. This isn't Zalantis, where lawlessness prevails. Committing murder here is illegal."Chuck's expression shifted abruptly. "Wait, did you say he's a bodyguard from Zalantis?"Mia maintained her composure and responded, "That's correct. He's a b
Timothy immediately sensed Chuck's ulterior motives toward Mia. There was no way he would allow him to enter.With a stern expression, Timothy retorted, "I couldn't care less about money. You'd better leave!"If this were Bern City, Timothy would have dealt with Chuck long ago!Chuck's demeanor shifted abruptly. "Hey buddy, don't embarrass yourself. You're a Zalantis bodyguard, right? Let's see what you're capable of today. Take him down!"With that, Chuck strode forward with two other bodyguards by his side, clearly intent on forcing their way in.Timothy remained unfazed. He swiftly gained the upper hand against the two accompanying bodyguards, overpowering them effortlessly.Witnessing Timothy's impressive skills and recalling his past as an assassin from Zalantis, Chuck's bravado wavered. He became agitated and threatened, "You filthy bodyguard, mark my words! If you dare to provoke me, you'll regret it!"After Chuck departed, Timothy remained standing in silence, his hand i
"Close your eyes first," Mia instructed.However, Timothy didn't comply this time.He looked down at her and reasoned, "You're asking me to help you put on this dress, right? But how can I do that if I close my eyes?"Mia fell silent, realizing the implication of her request.Timothy continued, "We were once married and even have children together. What's there to be shy about in front of me?""I'm not shy.""Stay still."Timothy remained silent thereafter. Once he had steadied Mia, he positioned himself behind her.As he looked at Mia's beautiful, fair back, a depth of emotion shone in his eyes.Noticing the stuck zipper at her waist, Timothy swiftly crouched down behind her.Mia grasped her dress tightly, her gaze drifting upward to the ceiling. She couldn't shake the feeling of Timothy's penetrating stare boring into her.Soon, she heard the rustle of movement behind her; it seemed that Timothy was adjusting the zipper of her dress.As his fingers brushed against her bac
As Mia proceeded down the corridor, her eyes fell upon a disturbing scene: a man was forcefully pinning down a woman, his voice dripping with rage as he threatened her, "I warned you! If you don't comply, I'll make sure you regret it, and your reputation will be in tatters!"Instantly recognizing the man as Chuck Jones, the same individual Timothy had mentioned earlier, Mia's blood boiled.How dare he create such a scene at her business gala? It was an outright affront!With a stern expression, Mia intervened, "Chuck, what do you think you're doing?"Chuck paused momentarily, casting a defiant glance in Mia's direction. "This is none of your concern. If you continue to ruin my mood, I might just vent my frustration on you later!"Ignoring Mia's presence, Chuck continued his aggressive behavior toward the woman, utterly disregarding her words.Without hesitation, Timothy sprang into action, delivering a swift kick to Chuck, sending him crashing to the ground.Meanwhile, Mia grabb
Mia glanced at Timothy. "Do you believe someone orchestrated this incident deliberately?""An impulsive, hot-headed young heir assaulting a woman at today's gala—such news surfacing could undoubtedly tarnish your film promotion," Timothy remarked."We've witnessed similar incidents at past events as well. Some affluent men tend to let their privilege cloud their judgment."Mia couldn't shake off the suspicion that this incident might have been planned.Timothy's tone deepened. "But isn't it too much of a coincidence that this incident occurred on the night of your film promotion gala? Who would dare to intentionally offend you?""You raise a valid point," Mia acknowledged.Sensing something amiss, she turned to Peyton and instructed, "Investigate Chuck's background as well as his recent connections."Despite just returning to the country, Chuck was acting audaciously, even going as far as to bring bodyguards while Mia was changing. It was fortunate that Timothy was there to inte
Timothy entered the bedroom, gently placing Mia on the bed before kneeling beside her to remove her high heels.Upon noticing the blisters on her feet, he proceeded to massage them with care.Once he finished, Timothy stood up and calmly instructed Peyton and Gertrude, "Please bring some hangover remedy."Gertrude nodded promptly. "Of course, I'll prepare it right away."Peyton stood in place, his expression betraying a hint of discomfort. "Mr. Barrett, Gertrude is here to attend to Ms. Mia. You can leave now.""It's alright, I'll stay. You can go." Upon hearing this, Peyton felt a lump form in his throat.Timothy's words exuded confidence, seemingly unconcerned about any potential wrongdoing on his part.Given Timothy's gender, it was inappropriate for him to offer such intimate, personal care to Mia.Peyton was also mindful of the dynamic between them; navigating the present circumstances was undoubtedly challenging.Recognizing the possibility of Timothy becoming the futu