Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Timothy assumed that Mia had found someone new, hence her distant attitude toward him.
It was only later that Timothy realized Sharon’s involvement, but Mia remained silent about everything.
In a swift gesture, Timothy crumpled the divorce agreement in his hand, causing Sharon to tremble beside him in fear. “Tim, what are you doing?” she asked nervously.
With a serious expression, Timothy replied, “Mom, please go home for now. I need to focus on my work.”
“Tim, how about I keep this document for you?” Sharon proposed.
Just as she extended her hand to take it, Timothy swiftly avoided her grasp, his gaze piercing. “This matter concerns me. I think it’s best if I keep it,” he insisted.
“Okay, okay. Just make sure to keep it safe. Oh, and by the way, your grandmother has been recovering well lately.
“You should schedule some time to go to the courthouse with Mia and finalize the divorce proceedings.”
Timothy sat alone in silence, lost in thought as he stared at the prenuptial agreement in his hands.
Meanwhile, Mia made her way straight to the hospital to visit Laura.
In the days prior, Mia was so preoccupied with designing the university hall that she didn’t have time to visit Laura in the hospital.
Having completed the design project and secured her credits, Mia could begin planning her departure from Bern City.
As she headed toward the exclusive ward of the private hospital, the bodyguard outside didn’t intervene when she approached.
Holding a fruit basket, Mia softly knocked on the door before entering. “Grandma, I’ve come to see you.” “Mia, you shouldn’t have brought anything. Your presence is the most valuable gift,” Laura said warmly. Adjusting her reading glasses, she gestured for Mia to join her. “Mia, come over here and take a look. I’ve been deliberating for days, but I just can’t seem to make up my mind.”
“What is it that you’re trying to decide on?”
Seated at the edge of the bed, Mia watched as Laura showcased an assortment of baby cribs and strollers on her tablet.
Her expression grew complex as she glanced at the items, her heart filled with a bittersweet sensation.
While Laura eagerly anticipated the arrival of Mia’s babies, Mia had been secretly planning her departure from Bern City all along.
With a deep breath, she uttered, “Grandma, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Seeing Laura’s excitement about her babies, Mia felt torn.
If she were to suddenly disappear in the future, Laura would undoubtedly be devastated and consumed with worry for Mia and her twins.
Hence, why not disclose the “truth” to Laura at this moment?
Mia considered disclosing to Laura that her pregnancy had been a pretense, fabricated solely to persuade her into undergoing surgery.
Despite the likelihood of Laura being upset, Mia reasoned that revealing the truth before leaving Bern City could alleviate Laura’s future sadness.
“Mia, what did you want to say?” Laura asked.
Caught in her tender gaze, Mia’s eyes welled up with tears. “Grandma, there’s something I need to confess. I’ve been deceiving you all this time. The truth is, I was never-“
“Grandma!” Timothy’s firm voice cut off Mia’s sentence abruptly.
He pushed the door to the ward open and entered, his footsteps drew closer until he stopped beside her. Mia’s breath caught as she turned to find Timothy in a pinstripe suit, his white sleeves visible.
Mia couldn’t help but clench her hands tightly together; she was on the verge of confessing the truth to Laura.
Unfortunately, Timothy’s sudden appearance at that moment interrupted Mia’s words. It was truly exasperating!
Considering it was early morning, shouldn’t Timothy be occupied with work and meetings at the office?
Mia found herself somewhat annoyed by Timothy’s unexpected appearance at the hospital. Was he here to stir up trouble?
Laura glanced at Timothy and asked nonchalantly, “So, are you finally willing to come and see me?”
In a composed tone, Timothy replied, “Grandma, I was here just a couple of days ago.”
Laura expressed her disappointment, saying, “Well, considering you came alone, it would have been better if you hadn’t come at all.”
However, her demeanor softened as she turned to Mia, offering a warm smile. “Mia, why don’t you pick something you like?
“I’ll arrange for it to be purchased and aired out for your future children to use when they’re born.”
Seeing Laura’s joyful expression, Mia felt uneasy.
However, as she accepted the tablet, her mood turned solemn.
“Sy the way, Mia, what were you about to tell me just now?” Laura chimed in.
Mia stood there with the tablet in her hands, yet she couldn’t muster the courage to utter the words she had intended to say.
Feeling overwhelmed by Timothy’s persistent gaze beside her, Mia could only force a smile and reply,” It’s nothing really.
“I’ve been occupied with the design of the university hall lately, and it turned out to be a great success. I simply wanted to share this good news with you.”
“That’s great. Mia, now that your busy schedule is behind you, please make sure to prioritize rest.
“I’ve noticed you’ve lost weight recently, and I know pregnancy can be challenging. Please, don’t let me worry about you.”
Mia nodded affirmatively. “I understand. Following this hectic period, I won’t undertake any additional tasks. Instead, I’ll concentrate solely on attending classes and getting ready for my exams.”
At the mention of “exams”, Timothy glanced at Mia; it seemed like she was getting ready for graduation. Laura nodded in approval. “That’s wonderful. Once you’ve graduated, make sure to stay home and take good care of yourself. We’ll address everything else after you’ve given birth.”
Mia gazed down at her tablet, unable to muster the courage to meet Laura’s eyes. As Mia observed the images of the baby crib and stroller on the screen, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
“Grandma, I’m finding it hard to decide too. Without seeing the actual items, it’s tough to make a choice.”
“I understand. Since Timothy is here today, why don’t you both go to the store together to make a selection?” Laura suggested.
Mia quickly lifted her head and declined, saying, “Grandma, I’m certain he’s swamped with work and wouldn’t have time to join me. I can manage on my own.”
However, the next moment, Timothy’s voice chimed in beside her. “I actually have some free time later. We can go shopping for a couple of hours.”
Upon hearing this, Mia stared at Timothy incredulously.
Was Timothy oblivious to her attempts to make things easier for him? After all, he used to detest it when Laura arranged for them to spend time together.
Nevertheless, now that Timothy had agreed, Mia felt compelled to go along with it.
She could only stand and say, “Grandma, I’ll come see you again next time.”
“Go ahead, don’t forget to snap some pictures of your selections. If my legs were in better condition, I’d love to accompany you and personally pick out items for the baby.”
Timothy chimed in, “Grandma, once you’re feeling better, we’ll have many chances to do that.”
Upon hearing Timothy’s words, Mia glanced at him, a trace of doubt flickering in her eyes.
Wasn’t Timothy under the impression that the babies in her belly belonged to someone else? Why would he utter such misleading words to Laura?
The pair exited the ward together, walking silently side by side.
Mia couldn’t resist breaking the silence. “In the future, it’s best if you refrain from mentioning anything about the babies in front of Grandma Laura. If she were to find out, it could deeply upset her.”
With Mia’s departure from Bern City looming, her concern grew over Laura’s ability to cope with the situation.
Timothy’s gaze grew solemn. “If we know Grandma would be upset, then let’s refrain from telling her.”
What did he mean by “refrain from telling her”?
Staring at Timothy, Mia was momentarily stunned. “But won’t Grandma Laura discover the truth eventually?”
“As long as neither of us reveals the truth, the real parentage of the twins in your belly will stay undisclosed. Therefore, they will be considered descendants of the Barrett family.”
Upon hearing this, Mia’s mind was flooded with uncertainty. It seemed like Timothy was prepared to accept the twins in Mia’s belly to safeguard Laura’s health.
However, Mia believed that prolonging the situation wasn’t the solution.
Turning to Timothy, she suggested, “Mr. Barrett, with Grandma Laura now on the path to recovery. perhaps it’s time to move forward with the divorce proceedings at the courthouse.”
At the mention of divorce, Timothy’s demeanor stiffened as he countered, “No, Grandma hasn’t fully recovered yet. We should wait.”
Mia’s anxiety intensified, and she tightly grasped Timothy’s arm. “But I can’t afford to wait, and neither can the twins growing inside me.”
Timothy glanced down, meeting Mia’s gaze. “So why not proceed with having them? Am I not capable of caring for two little ones?”
“Timothy, are you out of your mind? The babies aren’t yours, so why would you want to take responsibility for them?”
Mia couldn’t help but feel puzzled by Timothy’s behavior.
After all, why would someone as accomplished as him tolerate his wife carrying another man’s child?
Unbeknownst to Timothy, Mia had been deceiving him all along because she wanted to expedite their divorce proceedings.
Initially, Timothy was understandably furious. However, to Mia’s surprise, he was now willing to raise her twins.