Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
As he looked up, he noticed Connor approaching Mia, presenting her with the phone he had just held.
Mia accepted the phone, almost as if she could still sense the residual warmth from Timothy’s touch.
She pursed her lips, maintaining a thoughtful silence.
Connor, attuned to her mood, inquired, “Mia, don’t you like it?”
“I like it. Let’s go with this one,” Mia responded.
After all, she only had minimal requirements for a smartphone.
Calmly lifting her head, she feigned a casual scan of her surroundings, only to unintentionally meet Timothy’s gaze.
His piercing eyes remained fixed on Mia, conveying emotions she struggled to decipher.
Mia couldn’t help but feel puzzled. During the engagement ceremony, there was an unsettling vibe about Timothy that she couldn’t quite shake off.
Connor turned to the staff and inquired, “Where can we proceed to check out?”
“Right this way, please follow me.”
While Connor proceeded to make the payment nearby, Mia retrieved her old phone, intending to transfer the SIM card to the new device.
However, an issue arose; the SIM card wouldn’t come out.
In the next moment, a pair of slender hands reached over and effortlessly took her phone. With a few deft moves. Timothy successfully extracted the SIM card.
Mia found herself momentarily stunned. Upon regaining her composure, she noticed the SIM card resting in the palm of Timothy’s hand.
He extended his hand toward her, silently gesturing for her to take it.
Taking a deep breath, Mia uttered, “Thank you.”
She reached out to retrieve the SIM card, her fingertips lightly brushing against the warmth of
Timothy’s palm.
Mia’s breath hitched at the contact. She quickly bent down to insert the SIM card, only to find that the phone still displayed no signal.
Timothy’s voice beside her chimed in. “Did you put it in upside down?”
Acknowledging the possibility, Mia reluctantly removed the SIM card again. However, her thoughts were preoccupied elsewhere.
Why wasn’t Timothy leaving?
After completing the payment and returning, Connor spotted Timothy standing beside Mia, setting off alarms in his mind.
Approaching briskly, he inquired, “What’s going on with you two?”
Mia was taken aback, turning around to respond, “Nothing. I’m just swapping out my SIM card.”
“Oh, I see,” Connor replied, his concern growing that Timothy might have unwittingly revealed his identity.
Connor positioned himself between them, creating a divide. He then turned to Mia. “We’re done shopping. Let’s go.”
Connor couldn’t afford to let Mia linger with Timothy. The looming risk of his true identity being exposed was too significant.
Mia, too, was eager to leave. Hastily, she stuffed the new phone into her bag without bothering to check if the SIM card was properly inserted.
As they began to walk away. Timothy’s voice called out from behind. “Wait.”
At the sound of Timothy’s voice, Mia and Connor instinctively held their breath, a collective sense of guilt lingering in the air.
They turned around, exchanging cautious looks in Timothy’s direction.
As Timothy approached Mia, she nervously stammered, “I¨CIs there something?”
Connor couldn’t shake his distrust of Timothy, disliking the way he scrutinized Mia.
Timothy came to a halt and offered his hand.
Noticing the SIM card in Connor’s palm, Mia belatedly recalled her earlier misconception about it being inserted upside down.
She had intended to rectify it, but Connor approached them just as she was on the verge of doing so. Concerned that he might uncover her connection to Timothy, Mia hurriedly left with Connor.
In her haste, she neglected to correctly insert the SIM card.
Clearing her throat, Mia uttered, “Thank you.”
As she was about to grab it, Connor preemptively took the SIM card from Timothy’s hand. “Mia.
why are you so careless? Keep the SIM card safe. I’ll assist you in fixing it when we get back.”
Mia nodded, rubbed her nose in embarrassment, and trailed behind Connor as they exited the store.
Timothy stood alone, reflecting on Connor’s words and deducing that these two might have begun cohabitating.
He tugged at his tie, experiencing a wave of frustration.
Damn it!
He truly regretted coming here to purchase the phone.
Upon returning home, Mia found herself surrounded by her brothers. “Mia, what happened to the corner of your mouth?”
“Oh, it’s just a minor accident.”
During their journey home, Connor informed Mia about the near¨Cpanic situation her brothers were
.
Facing her six concerned brothers, Mia apologized, “I’m sorry for causing you all to worry. When my phone broke, I should have borrowed a colleague’s phone to let you know I’m safe.”
Observing her remorseful expression, Dominic softened his stance. Despite his initial intention to correct Mia about her lapse, he chose to let it slide.
Given Mia’s apology, forgiveness¨Cseemed to be the only reasonable option.
Dominic maintained a stern expression. “Don’t make this a habit.”
Mia obediently nodded. “Yes, I swear!”
Eva grasped Mia’s hand, offering reassurance. “Mia, there’s no need to make promises. It’s okay if you forget next time.
“But in case you ever find yourself in danger, always remember you can come back to your family.
With your many brothers, any one of them can handle a fight for you.”
A warm smile crept onto Mia’s face. Indeed, having six brothers made her feel as if she were living in a dream.
Lounging on the sofa, Liam chimed in. “As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters. By the way.
I’ve already devised a plan to deal with your adoptive parents.”
Mia’s eyelids twitched, and she cautioned, “Liam, please don’t do anything illegal or unruly, okay?”
Dominic reassured her with a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”
However, Mia felt increasingly uneasy as she listened.
She urgently grabbed Dominic’s arm, saying, “Dominic, I appreciate your desire to stand up for me, but revenge should be pursued the right way. Let’s not resort to anything illegal or unethical.”
Sensing Mia’s apprehension, Eva swiftly stepped in. “Don’t worry. Your brothers are well aware of boundaries. There are various things challenging for Bob and Mary.
ways to mak
“After all, isn’t Ted, their son, about to marry his girlfriend Gia? We could stir up a bit of chaos in their lives.”
Mia looked curiously at Eva, asking, “Stir up chaos? How?”
Jason explained, “I’ve asked a friend to investigate Ted and Gia. They’re rushing to tie the knot due to Gia’s pregnancy, but it seems the child may not be Ted’s.”
Mia let out a gasp, comprehending the unfolding situation.
If Bob and Mary were to discover that Gia wasn’t carrying Ted’s child, the repercussions could be chaotic.
Nonetheless, the notion brought a hint of satisfaction to Mia.
Mia couldn’t suppress a yawn, a clear testament to the day’s busyness that had left her fatigued. Simultaneously, she couldn’t shake off the lingering ache in her stomach.
Sensing Mia’s discomfort, Connor promptly shifted the conversation. “Let’s grab a bite. The important thing is that Mia is back safely.”
After all, he had already arranged for someone to give Bob and Mary a stern warning, making it unlikely for them to return.
After dinner, Mia withdrew to her room, feeling genuinely fatigued and in need of rest.