Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Hastily, Dominic and Eva led the way, with Nathan and Liam closely following behind, disguised with a mask and hat.
Maya greeted them with a smile. ” Dominic, Nathan, Liam.”
Liam chuckled dismissively. “Don’t bother addressing me like that. You’ve never been acknowledged as a part of our family. Now that we’ve found our true sister, it might be time for you to prepare to leave.”
Liam’s harsh words caused Maya’s pupils to momentarily contract.
“I’ve always known my place as a substitute foster daughter. I never once harbored thoughts of replacing the true heiress of the Lane family.
“I am thankful for the opportunities you guys have given me, which is why I’ve tirelessly searched for the real heiress all these years. Whenever I’ve had any leads, I’ve promptly informed you.”
Liam sneered, “Who’s to say what your true intentions are? Perhaps you’ve arranged for someone to deceive us.”
Maya’s gaze flickered briefly. “How can you suggest such a despicable thing? Dominic, you must believe me.”
Dominic maintained his composure as he looked at Maya. “Where is this supposed¡® heiress¡® you’ve found?”
“She’s at my place. I can take you there right away,” Maya responded eagerly.
However, despite her enthusiasm, a shadow seemed to linger in her eyes as she led Dominic and the others out of the airport.
Eventually, they went their separate ways, each departing in their respective vehicles.
Eva glanced worriedly at Dominic. “I can’t shake the feeling that Maya has ulterior motives,” she remarked.
“Whatever Maya’s intentions may be, we’ll uncover them once we arrive,” Dominic asserted.
“It’s a shame that Mia has lost most of her childhood memories. If only she hadn’t, she might be able to remember what Maya did in the past, which hindered us from finding her,” Eva lamented.
Dominic furrowed his brow. He deeply regretted bringing Maya back from the orphanage.
Shortly afterward, they reached Maya’s residence.
Blake rushed over with urgency. “Ms. Lane, Dana is nowhere to be found.”
Maya’s complexion paled. “How could that happen? Search every corner!” she instructed.
“We’ve looked everywhere, but there’s no sign of her.”
Maya took out her phone to call Dana but instead saw a WhatsApp message from her: “Ms. Lane, if you’d like my assistance, could you help me resolve my expulsion from the university? Being kicked out is something I simply cannot afford.”
Frantically, Maya dialed Dana’s number, only to find it ringing continuously with no answer.
As Dominic and the others exited the car, he spoke up coldly, “Where is she?”
Maya forced a smile. “Dominic, Dana is just struggling to come to terms with things right now. She mentioned needing some time to herself to calm down. But don’t worry, I’ll track her down,” she assured him.
Dominic’s patience had worn thin.
He tossed a signed document toward Maya. “Maya, this is a termination agreement. Whether you choose to sign it or not, your citizenship and residency have been transferred to Bern City effective today.”
Maya was taken aback, and she swiftly caught up.
“Dominic, just because you’ve found your biological sister, does that mean you’re going to cast me aside? I played a role in finding her too, you know!” she protested.
Eva intercepted Maya, her tone resolute. You don’t need to continue searching. We’ll locate her ourselves,” she declared firmly.
Maya watched helplessly as Dominic’s car drove away. She turned to Blake. “We have to find Dana before they do, or they’ll definitely extract information about Mia from her!”
Maya was determined not to allow Mia to return to the Lane family and strip her of everything she had!
Upon returning home in the evening, Mia was greeted by the sight of all six of her brothers gathered in the living room.
The space, already modest in size, felt especially cramped with everyone present.
Mia’s surprise was evident. “Wasn’t your flight scheduled for tomorrow?”
Dominic replied warmly, “I managed to wrap up my work ahead of schedule, so I thought I’d come by early.”
Their original plan had been to address. Maya’s situation earlier in the afternoon.
However, upon realizing that the impostor Maya had arranged wasn’t present, Dominic couldn’t be bothered to continue the charade with Maya.
Eva reached out and took Mia’s hand tenderly.
“Mia, we’ve heard about the graduation ceremony banquet before your exams. As your family, we’ll all be there to celebrate with you.”
Liam rested his chin on his hand, jesting, “Mia, why didn’t you tell us about such an important event sooner?”
Mia’s voice carried a hint of emotion as she replied, “I thought you all had work commitments, and the flight from Nord City to Bern City is quite lengthy. I didn’t want to inconvenience you with the back- and¨Cforth traveling.”
Still, who wouldn’t want their family to be present for such a significant occasion?
It was akin to yearning for parents to attend a parent¨Cteacher conference during childhood.
Eva gently held Mia’s hand. “Mia, this time we’ve come to personally escort you back to Nord City, and we have a special gift arranged for you at the banquet.”
At the event, they planned to reveal Mia’s true identity!
Mia was, in fact, the esteemed heiress of the Lane family from Nord City!
Mia’s curiosity was piqued. “What exactly is this gift? Can you give me a hint?”
Liam shook his head. “Disclosing it now would spoil the surprise. At the very least, before you leave Bern City, we want to bring this chapter to a perfect conclusion,” he explained.
The brothers exchanged meaningful looks.
Connor, Claude, and Jason’s eyes shimmered with mutual understanding. Dominic had already inquired about
Mia’s relationship with Timothy when he arrived earlier today; it seemed certain matters could no longer be concealed.
Connor had reluctantly told Dominic about Mia’s secret marriage to Timothy for three years but had refrained from revealing her pregnancy.
After all, it was something Mia had entrusted him to keep confidential, and he felt obligated to uphold his professional ethics as a doctor.
After discussing the matter, they unanimously decided to unveil Mia’s status as the Lane family heiress at the upcoming graduation ceremony banquet.
Dominic’s tone was resolute as he declared, “That’s right, Mia. I promise to rectify all the injustices you’ve suffered over the years.”
He couldn’t help but feel a surge of resentment toward Timothy.
Mia sensed that her brothers¡® attitudes were somewhat peculiar, but she couldn’t, quite pinpoint why.
As the university’s graduation ceremony banquet approached, there were discussions about distinguished guests attending as well as plans for a charity auction.
The next day, Eva took Mia shopping for clothes at the mall.
“Now that your brothers¡® businesses are thriving, don’t hesitate to purchase whatever you like,” Eva encouraged Mia as she handed her a VIP membership card.
“Here, take this. With this card, you won’t need to wait in line or make appointments when shopping at this store in the future.”
Accepting the card gratefully, Mia browsed through the racks and selected a dress. “Eva, this dress would look stunning on you. Why don’t you try it on? ” she proposed.
Eva couldn’t resist Mia’s suggestion and headed to the fitting room with the dress in hand.
Meanwhile, Mia tried on her chosen dress and examined herself in the mirror. Though the dress was undeniably attractive, its snug fit accentuated her stomach a bit.
As a pregnant woman, Mia preferred clothing with a looser fit.
“Wow, Mia, is that really you? Can you even afford to shop in this store?” Shelly and Sharon entered unexpectedly, clearly surprised to see Mia there.
Sharon’s demeanor turned cold. “Mia, this isn’t a place where you belong. Just like how you’re not a suitable match for our family.
“Even if you happen to acquire things through luck, they won’t be yours forever, ” she remarked sharply.
Mia folded her arms defiantly. “Who said I can’t afford it?”
Upon uttering those words, she passed the card to the store clerk, Penny Marsh, and instructed, “Please wrap it up.”
Observing the card in Mia’s possession, Shelly couldn’t contain her surprise.” Isn’t that a VIP membership card, Mia? How did you manage to acquire it? Did you steal it or something?”
Equally taken aback, Sharon chimed in, It must be stolen.”
Shelly nodded in accord. “I believe so too. After all, Aunt Sharon, even you couldn’t get your hands on this card.”
Sharon’s pride suffered a blow. She had once coveted the card herself, but Laura had advised against extravagance, causing Sharon to miss out on the opportunity.
However, to her surprise, Mia had managed to acquire that card!
Sharon shot Penny an indignant glare. ” She’s nothing but a pauper. How could she possibly own that card? You’d better verify her identity to avoid any complications,” she insisted.
Even Mia hadn’t realized the significance of the membership card Eva had given her.
Shelly chuckled and remarked, “Mia, do you honestly think you just stumbled upon a regular membership card?