Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
In the past, there was the studio owner. What was his name again? And now, there was someone new?
After regaining her balance, Mia let out a relieved sigh and looked up at Jeremy. “Thanks for helping me just now.”
Jeremy felt somewhat embarrassed. “You don’t have to thank me. The floor in this diner can get slippery. Especially with Cagon cuisine, it tends to be a bit oily.”
Now, Jeremy was starting to regret his choice of bringing Mia and Timothy here.
“You shouldn’t say that. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to this diner. It’s nice to come back and reminisce,” Mia said.
In reality, Mia had a preference for lighter flavors. Nonetheless, her initial intention was simply to gauge Timothy’s reaction. She never anticipated ending up flat on her back.
She stole a glance back at Timothy. Despite his coughing having subsided, a subtle flush lingered on his complexion, his brows knit in discomfort.
It was evident he wasn’t accustomed to the pungent air saturated with paprika.
The three of them proceeded to a private room on the second floor, where the environment was slightly better.
Jeremy promptly handed over the menu. “Mia, feel free to order whatever you like.”
“I’ll go with the house specialties, Cagon corn chowder, and some vegetable jambalaya,” Mia replied.
She was mindful of avoiding overly spicy dishes, opting instead for lighter vegetarian options.
Jeremy swiftly handed the menu to Timothy, adopting a conciliatory tone. “Mr. Barrett, why don’t you select a few dishes as well?”
Timothy glanced at the dishes Mia had chosen—light options that matched his usual preference for milder flavors. It seemed Mia was still looking out for him.
Considering this, Timothy’s expression softened. He spoke with a hint of pride and composure, “It’s alright. What she ordered is suitable.”
Jeremy paused, acknowledging, “Well, it seems like Mia has a good understanding of Mr. Barrett’s preferences.”
Mia looked puzzled. She clearly had no idea of his preferences. Why was he making assumptions? She had ordered for herself, without taking Timothy’s tastes or preferences into account.
However, Timothy’s past preferences did lean toward lighter flavors, coincidentally matching her order.
Nevertheless, Mia hadn’t anticipated Timothy to be so brazen.
After placing their orders, the room fell into silence.
Sitting between the two men, Mia remained quiet, sensing Timothy’s gaze on her.
Feeling a bit uneasy, she turned to Jeremy and asked, “So, what brought you to campus today?”
“There’s a student entrepreneurship event happening at the university today, so I thought I’d check it out to see if there are any promising projects worth investing in. After all, I’m now taking on the role of an investor.”
“How did your inspection go? The entrepreneurship events at Halvard University have always been quite popular. I remember some alumni projects receiving investments and eventually becoming listed companies, right?”
“That’s correct, and interestingly, those projects were ones our company invested in. We’ve always had a good rapport with your university.
“In the past, there was a graduate from the Design School who initiated a business venture, which we subsequently invested in. Unfortunately, he was later apprehended by the authorities for various violations and economic crimes. It’s a real pity.”
Mia suddenly remembered¨Cwasn’t he referring to Felix’s studio?
Contemplating the fate of Felix’s studio, she couldn’t shake off a hint of melancholy. Had it not been for his reckless behavior, the company might have flourished even more by now.
She sighed, and Jeremy interjected, “You used to work there, didn’t you? I heard they brought in a big shot, and that was you, right?”
“Yeah, don’t even mention it. I never imagined the studio would end up that way. It’s a shame.”
Just as Mia finished speaking, she heard Timothy’s cold voice beside her, “What’s there to feel sorry for? That man had a flawed character and lacked competence. He brought this upon himself.”
Timothy remembered the studio owner who had once taken an interest in Mia. He was truly audacious!
Jeremy was perplexed. How did Timothy know about this? Could there be something he wasn’t aware of? He’ll have to return to the office later to gather some gossip about the studio.
Jeremy chuckled and swiftly shifted the topic, “You’re absolutely right, Mr. Barrett. The food has arrived, let’s dig in first.”
The Cagon dishes were placed on the table, emanating their distinct spicy aroma.
Catching the familiar scent, Mia felt her mouth watering suddenly. It had been quite some time since she had enjoyed Cagon cuisine.
She picked up her utensils and took a bite of the gumbo. “It tastes just like I remember, absolutely delicious.”
Despite being cautious about her intake, Mia indulged in a few bites of each signature dish, relishing the flavors and closing her eyes with contentment.
Observing her expression, Timothy instinctively reached for the nearest dish¨Cthe crawfish boil.
As soon as the seafood entered his mouth, the overwhelming taste of paprika assaulted his taste buds. He grimaced, quickly covering his mouth and reaching for the glass of water beside him, taking a gulp.
Coughing ensued.
Even after drinking the water, Timothy struggled to alleviate the spiciness and continued coughing.
Jeremy swiftly opened a chilled bottle of cola and offered it to Timothy. “Mr. Barrett, have some of this. It might help more than plain water.”
Taking a few sips, Timothy managed to subdue the spiciness.
He dabbed the corners of his mouth with a tissue. It was evident that he wasn’t accustomed to such intense flavors.
Watching his response, Mia couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. After all, she had intentionally wanted to observe Timothy’s reaction to Cagon cuisine. 1
Jeremy remarked, “It looks like Mr. Barrett isn’t accustomed to spicy food. Fortunately, we have some milder dishes available. Mia is truly thoughtful.”
Mia’s movements came to a halt. She wasn’t being considerate for Timothy’s sake.
Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but notice Timothy’s slightly awkward movements as he picked up the food with his right hand.
It seemed like his arm injury hadn’t fully healed, which made it challenging for him.
Observing this, Mia refrained from commenting further.
Feeling discomfort in his right hand, Timothy decided to set down his utensils and turned to Jeremy, asking. “Were you and Mia classmates in high school?”
Upon hearing Timothy’s words. Mia looked at him with surprise. “Why are you asking about that?”
Timothy turned to her, explaining. “You once mentioned that I didn’t understand you well enough. I’m trying to learn more about your past.”
Mia felt utterly bewildered. When had she ever made such comments?
Perhaps she had in the past, but that was prior to their divorce. Now that they were no longer married, she couldn’t be bothered about such things.
Jeremy chimed in. “Yes, Mr. Barrett. Mia and I were classmates in high school, Mia was renowned for her exceptional academic performance, which earned her the favor of our teachers, who took special care of her.”
Mia couldn’t help but interject. “That’s only because my family wasn’t well¨Coff. The teachers felt a sense of responsibility toward me.”
“Mia, you shouldn’t say that. Don’t take Ramona’s comments at the reunion to heart. She’s just envious and superficial
“Back in school she couldn’t handle the fact that you were academically successful, beautiful, and favored by the teachers. Her jealousy led her to slander and undermine you during the reunion.”
Timothy’s demeanor turned cold. “Was Mia bullied at the reunion?”
Jeremy swiftly clarified, “Mr. Barrett, we had a classmate named Ramona Tilbert who envied Mia. resulting in tension between them.
“Fortunately, Mia now has the support of her family, and Ramona is facing the consequences. Her family’s business is now struggling to meet payroll, and her father faces allegations of financial misconduct.”
Mia was surprised by the rapid turn of events. It seemed that Claude hadn’t updated her on this matter.
Timothy’s brow furrowed slightly once more. He was aware that Mia’s family had the situation under control, leaving no need for his intervention.
Nonetheless, this left Timothy feeling somewhat frustrated.
The meal surprisingly remained pleasant, largely thanks to Jeremy’s efforts to mediate.
As Mia dabbed her mouth with a napkin, Jeremy took out his phone and proposed, “Mr. Barrett, Mia, it seems fate has brought us together. How about we take a selfie?”
Mia was taken aback. “A selfie?”
She didn’t see the need for it.
Jeremy persisted. “Mia, ever since the last reunion, everyone has been eagerly anticipating another get-
together, especially to see you.
“Why don’t we capture this moment? It’ll be a great way to make everyone envious of you and your husband.”
“Correction, he’s my ex¨Chusband now.” After her remark, she noticed a subtle change in Timothy’s expression, though she didn’t believe her statement was out of line.
“Mia, even though you’re divorced, we’re all still friends, right?”
Jeremy paused, observing Timothy’s reaction; he didn’t seem offended. Taking a chance, he cautiously inquired, “Mr. Barrett, what do you think?”
Timothy’s lips slightly parted. “I don’t mind.”
Sensing Jeremy’s gaze, Mia nodded and said, “Since he’s fine with it, I don’t mind either.”