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
Mia quickly leaped out of bed and hurried over, her voice tinged with urgency. "Why are you casually browsing through someone else's belongings?"She swiftly retrieved the photo album from Timothy's hand, her heart pounding with apprehension. The thought of Timothy stumbling upon pictures of her children filled her with uneasiness.If Timothy were to discover Sage's photos, all her efforts could be jeopardized.Knowing Timothy's sharp intellect, Mia feared he might connect the dots.As Timothy's hand came up empty, he regarded Mia with curiosity. "Why are you so jittery? Are there scandalous photos hidden inside?"He hadn't even begun to peruse the album.Mia breathed a sigh of relief at his assumption. "Well, there are indeed some personal photos of mine in there. I certainly can't allow you to see them."She clutched the album tightly, discreetly scanning its contents to ensure Timothy didn't catch sight of anything suspicious.To her surprise, all the photos of her and the c
Mia's mind felt foggy, and she could only vaguely recall the car ride back to Meadowview Estate.However, she couldn't quite remember how she had ended up back in her bedroom and had managed to remove her makeup and change her clothes; it was a blur in her memory.It was evident that alcohol had its consequences.As Timothy glanced toward the dressing room, a slight smirk tugged at his lips. It seemed Mia was much more well-behaved when she was asleep.A short while later, Mia emerged from the dressing room dressed in fresh attire.She couldn't help but notice Timothy lounging on the sofa, still wearing yesterday's security uniform. His sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing his muscular forearms.Even in simple work attire, Timothy exuded an undeniable charm. His refined demeanor radiated through, even without the embellishment of a high-end tailored suit.Glancing over, Timothy spoke up, "Do I cut a fine figure?"Mia quickly snapped back to reality. "Mr. Barrett, you cert
Timothy's expression grew serious. "I wasn't there for you two years ago, so now that Ginger is sick, I absolutely cannot leave her side for even a moment."Mia glanced at Timothy, unsure of how to respond.Her expression shifted uncomfortably as she stood up. Out of nowhere, everything around her blurred, and a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her head as if tiny needles were piercing her brain."What's wrong?" Timothy swiftly rushed to Mia's side, noticing her pale complexion.He immediately turned to Gertrude. "Get the family doctor here!"Gertrude nodded and went to make the arrangements. Observing the scene, Peyton's expression grew complex. It seemed Timothy didn't consider himself an outsider at all.Mia awkwardly pushed Timothy away. "I'm okay, I just feel a bit dizzy. I probably had too much to drink last night.""As the young lady of the Lane family, you don't need to resort to alcohol to entertain guests."Seated on the sofa, Mia opened her eyes and met Timothy's ga