Caleb's silent thoughts echoed, "Tim, as your buddy, I can only assist you to this extent. If you don't step up now, when will you?"Nonetheless, Timothy was no fool.With a cold, penetrating glare, he shifted his focus to Connie and Lewis. "If you apologize to Mia immediately and clarify the false rumors regarding the alleged engagement, then I might contemplate sparing the Bowen family."Despite this, Connie remained hesitant. "Mr. Barrett, what is it about Mia that has captured your interest?"Connie had always viewed Mia with contempt, given her status as a divorced woman with a child. Despite Mia's position as the heiress of the Lane family, Connie believed she deserved significantly less respect.However, to Connie's surprise, the CEO of the prestigious Barrett Group in Bern City was deeply infatuated with Mia, even willing to act as her humble bodyguard.Timothy locked eyes with Connie as he stated, "I have chosen to be with her."Timothy's words stoked Connie's simmering
As Timothy's words faded, silence settled over the room, dominating the atmosphere.The reporters exchanged puzzled glances, their eyes hinting at the brewing gossip. Did Timothy just claim Mia as his wife?Unable to resist, a reporter posed the question, "Mr. Barrett, is it true that Ms. Lane is your wife?""Mr. Barrett, did you have a previous romantic involvement with Ms. Lane?"Upon hearing the journalists' inquiries, Mia shot Timothy a frantic glance. Was he out of his mind? Why did he disclose such information to the media?Mia urgently signaled to Timothy with her eyes, pleading for him to stop.The last thing she wanted was to become the center of gossip!However, Timothy simply nodded at the reporters. "That's correct."Mia swiftly interjected, "Timothy, what on earth are you telling the reporters? There's absolutely nothing between us."Timothy met her gaze squarely. "If there truly was nothing between us, then how do you explain our child?""Timothy, please stop,"
Mia's lips twitched with irritation as she stepped forward, seizing Timothy's tie in her grip.The surrounding reporters watched with widened eyes, stunned by the unexpected turn of events.Speaking in a low voice, Mia addressed Timothy, "Well played, Mr. Barrett."She couldn't fathom why he would pull such a stunt in front of the reporters.Unfazed by Mia's agitation, Timothy leaned down to meet her gaze. "The media has been spreading rumors about you being a divorced single mother. I don't want to see them tarnish your reputation.""Timothy, just stop. You're here today for the signing ceremony to address the fraudulent contract with the Bowen family. "Don't veer off topic and indulge in nonsensical banter with the media. They're not interested in our personal affairs!" Mia snapped.The nearby reporters couldn't help but inwardly grumble, "Really? We're utterly engrossed in this gossip and are eager for them to reveal more. Otherwise, what will we have for tomorrow's headline
Mia observed Connie with a sardonic smile, noticing her lack of refinement and tendency to react impulsively, reminiscent of someone with no class.Besides, Connie had never regarded Mia highly, so witnessing her frustration brought Mia a sense of gratification.Connie stammered, "B-But didn't Mia mention that she didn't want our apology?""Whether Mia desires your apology is irrelevant. What matters is the sincerity behind it, which will determine the fate of the Bowen Group," Caleb interjected.Indeed, Connie and Lewis formed an odd pair, often abusing their authority to intimidate others yet faltering when faced with resistance.Mia deliberately glanced at Connie and remarked, "Did you catch that? Can't any of you from the Bowen family understand basic language?"Although Mia wasn't particularly interested in receiving an apology from the Bowen family, witnessing Connie in such a sorry state brought her some satisfaction.Meanwhile, Lewis exchanged several meaningful glances
"Mom, please, just stay quiet! Our family's partnership with them is already over. Do you want to make things worse for me?" Lewis cautioned."Who said anything about canceling the partnership between the subsidiary and the Bowen Group?"Just then, a middle-aged man entered the hotel lobby. He addressed Lewis directly, saying, "Apologies for the delay. Traffic was a nightmare, and I had some last-minute tasks to handle. But just because I'm late doesn't mean our collaboration is off the table."A wave of relief swept over Lewis as he caught sight of Ralph. "You made it after all. I was starting to worry you wouldn't show up."When Lewis first encountered the CEO of the Barrett Group, he had mentally prepared himself for the inevitable collapse of their collaboration.With the head office seemingly unwilling to cooperate, Lewis had little hope left. However, Ralph's arrival sparked a glimmer of optimism.Perhaps there was still a chance to reverse the situation, especially given t
Standing nearby, Timothy stated firmly, "I've made it clear before—there's no possibility of a partnership between the Barrett family and the Bowen family."Connie quickly stepped in, saying, "Mr. Barrett, please remember that this contract was set by your uncle. As a younger member of the family, it might not be suitable for you to go against his decision."Without missing a beat, Timothy pressed on, "Since you all seem so keen to work with Uncle Ralph, he will no longer hold the position of general manager at the Barrett Group subsidiary. I'll instruct the HR department to issue his dismissal notice immediately."Ralph responded with a cold scoff, "Timothy, don't think for a moment that threatening to dismiss me will have any impact. The position of subsidiary general manager was never my ambition anyway."Remember, I entered into these negotiations after careful consideration. If you fail to see the value in this opportunity, there are plenty who will."Lewis hesitated before s
Observing with concern, Connie exclaimed, "Why are they fighting? Are all of you guards useless? Can't you step in to help Mr. Bowen? What if he ends up with severe injuries?"Mia, too, watched the unfolding spectacle before her. She had expected Ralph's arrival to bring about some unexpected turn of events during the signing ceremony, but everything seemed to proceed without any unforeseen incidents.As long as Timothy stepped forward and declared the partnership termination, Ralph's actions wouldn't alter the outcome.Nonetheless, Mia hadn't anticipated Ralph accepting numerous favors from the Bowen family. The urgency with which they demanded their return suggested substantial benefits were involved.Mia couldn't shake the memory of Ralph's expulsion from the Barrett Group for corruption and bribery. It was Sharon who had to use her own funds to conceal his misconduct, ultimately sparing him from imprisonment.After all these years, it was astonishing to see that Ralph hadn
Ralph gazed at Mia in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the situation.While he had heard rumors about the long-lost heiress of the Lane family being discovered after many years, she had always maintained a low profile and seldom made public appearances.Consequently, Ralph had no idea what the supposed heiress looked like.Besides, his social standing in Nord City was far from that of the Lane family, and he had never crossed paths with the rumored heiress.To Ralph, Mia was merely a woman who had been expelled from the Barrett family.Now, she had suddenly risen to the position of heiress in the influential Lane family of Nord City!This sudden transformation left Ralph feeling somewhat embarrassed.Unable to swallow his pride, Ralph attempted to assert himself, addressing Mia, "Even if you're the heiress of the Lane family, what does it matter? You're still a daughter-in-law in the Barrett family. You should show me some resp—"Before Ralph could complete his sentence, Pey