Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Mia forced a smile as she walked over. “Are these presents for your uncles or you?”
Since they were all plush toys, it was apparent that these were the sorts of gifts Ginger would like.
“Mommy, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sad?” Ginger couldn’t help but notice Mia’s somber expression.
Setting the toys down, she reached out and gently touched Mia’s face. “Mommy, what’s the matter?”
“Ginger, Mommy wants to have a conversation with you about something.”
Mia felt it was crucial to be honest with Ginger about the situation. After all, they had no secrets between them, and Mia didn’t want to withhold anything from her regarding this matter.
Ten minutes later, tears welled up in Ginger’s eyes. She choked back her emotions and asked, “Mommy, is Sage going to die?”
Mia held Ginger close and reassured her, “No, he won’t. If the bone marrow match is successful, Sage will be alright.”
Ginger nodded obediently in response. “Yes, Mommy, I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll do everything I can to complete the mission!”
Mi¨¤ affectionately kissed Ginger’s forehead and remarked, “You’re such a trooper.”
“For Sage, it’s not difficult at all. He’s the one I love the most.”
Ginger was aware that Sage’s health condition hindered him from having a regular childhood, such as going to kindergarten.
Hence, Ginger was determined to help Sage recover as soon as possible.
After Mia and Ginger returned from their shopping trip, Wade approached Mia. “Ms. Mia, the buyer is demanding an explanation for why you’re canceling the deal. They seem quite anxious.”
“No matter how anxious they are, it won’t change anything. Just inform them that the reishi mushrooms are no longer available for sale.”
Mia had different plans for the reishi mushrooms now.
Upon receiving the confirmation, Wade promptly rejected the buyer’s offer.
Timothy quickly received the news, his expression turning sour. With a frown, he asked, Did they offer any explanation on why they suddenly withdrew from the sale?”
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“They quite adamant in their decision; they simply stated they wouldn’t sell the mushrooms anymore.”
“Could it be that Ms. Monalize was aware that we’re the potential buyers?” Caleb asked, sounding slightly puzzled.
Standing nearby, Heath interjected, “That shouldn’t be the case. We’ve been extremely careful, so it’s unlikely that we would have been discovered so soon.”
Timothy, too, was perplexed, unable to decipher Mia’s intentions.
Just then, Timothy’s phone rang. Upon seeing the caller ID, he paused for a moment before answering, “Hello.”
“Mister, are you busy?” Ginger’s sweet voice came through from the other end of the line. Timothy couldn’t help but soften his tone as he replied, “I’m not busy at all. What’s the
Timothy found himself somewhat taken aback when Ginger called him; he could almost visualize her holding her Apple watch.
His typically stern demeanor unexpectedly softened at the sound of her voice.
“Mister, I’m about to leave, and I have a gift for you.”
At her words, Timothy’s lips curved slightly. “Why are you getting me a gift?”
¡®Because I want to thank you for safely taking me from the airport to the hotel, so I can reunite with my Mommy! She always tells me we should know how to repay kindness.”
Ginger’s adorable voice had a melting effect.
Timothy responded gently, “Alright.”
After agreeing on the meeting place and ending the call, Timothy found himself smiling slightly.
He had never been particularly fond of children, often finding them bothersome, but Ginger seemed to be an exception in his eyes.
Caleb asked tentatively, “Tim, who called you? And what’s with the gift and the restaurant meeting?”
Could it be Monalize again?
Last time, she even gave Tim underwear; who knew what she would give this time?
Timothy responded casually, “Ginger called, saying she has a gift for me.”
“Oh, so Ginger got you a gift, but what about me, her supposed ¡®sugar daddy¡®? Nothing, huh?
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Caleb couldn’t suppress his jealousy!
Timothy raised an eyebrow as he looked at Caleb and remarked, “If you admit that you’re an unreliable ¡®sugar daddy,¡® why do you still expect to receive gifts? You should be preparing to give a gift to Ginger instead.”
“Why would I bother getting her a present? She’s just as stubborn and assertive as her mother. It’s baffling, isn’t it? Why does Ms. Monalize insist I’m Ginger’s father, yet she never invites me and keeps arranging meetings with you?”
“Because you’re too ugly!”
Caleb was taken aback, feeling unfairly targeted.
Meanwhile, after ending the call, Ginger tilted her head and informed, “Mommy, he agreed to meet at the restaurant.”
“Great job, sweetie. All you need to do is go and give him the gift; Mommy will take care of everything else.”
Mia and Ginger had already coordinated their plan. When it came time to exchange gifts, Ginger would seize the moment and pretend to faint.
Following Ginger’s act, Mia would use the opportunity to inform Timothy about Ginger’s supposed illness, emphasizing the urgent need for blood matching and transfusion.
With this pretext, Mia planned to smoothly transition into negotiating a deal with Timothy involving the reishi mushroom.
With everything ready, Ginger and Mia proceeded to the restaurant. Yet, after waiting for half an hour, Timothy still hadn’t arrived.
Eventually, Caleb approached them with several large gift boxes, sweating profusely. “Here, these are the gifts Tim prepared for Ginger.”
Noticing Timothy’s absence, Mia was taken aback, inquiring, “Where’s Mr. Barrett?”
“He had to attend to an urgent matter at home and needed to leave quickly. He’s already taken off in a private helicopter,” Caleb replied.
Upon hearing this explanation, suspicion flickered in Mia’s eyes.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that Timothy’s departure timing seemed too coincidental. He could have left Xanier Island sooner or later, yet he chose to leave precisely at this critical moment.
Glancing down at Ginger, Caleb detected a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Unable to hold back, he explained, “Tim has a sick relative at home, and their condition isn’t good right now. That’s why he needed to rush back; it might even be their final meeting.
“You should try to understand him. These gifts were all handpicked by him for you.”
Upon hearing the words “sick relative”, Ginger obediently replied, “I understand. There’s an important person in my family who’s also sick…”
TIR DUNUS
“Ginger,” Mia immediately interjected.
It seemed that Ginger’s naivety and straightforwardness often led her to inadvertently reveal confidential information.
Mia turned to Caleb and remarked, “So, this is why Mr. Barrett was seeking reishi mushrooms?
“But as far as I know, reishi mushrooms aren’t capable of treating incurable diseases; they’re primarily used to prevent muscle atrophy and stimulate neurons.
“Typically, only those with full¨Cbody paralysis or in a vegetative state would require reishi mushrooms.”
“Yes, Tim’s grandmother has entered a vegetative state, so she needs reishi mushrooms.”
Timothy’s grandmother?
Laura?
Mia’s brow furrowed as she recalled the details from her investigation, realizing that it was Laura who had orchestrated her marriage into the Barrett family as a commoner.
Although it initially seemed like Mia had a stroke of luck, marrying someone on their deathbed left her pondering whether it was ultimately a blessing or a curse.
However, this situation also presented an opportunity.
Mia nodded thoughtfully before remarking, “So, Mr. Barrett needed the reishi mushrooms for a sick family member. I had assumed he intended to sell them for profit.”
“Ms. Monalize, Tim is the heir of the esteemed Barrett family in Bern City. Money is hardly an issue for him. He truly is obtaining these mushrooms for his grandmother. So, may I kindly request that you sell them to us?”
Mia narrowed her eyes slightly. “This matter is open to negotiation, but I must personally verify whether or not you’re trying to deceive me. Coincidentally, I have a project to discuss in Bern City, so I’ll take this opportunity to visit!”
Ginger and Caleb were taken aback by her declaration.
Mia glanced at them, her expression tinged with a hint of awkwardness. “What’s wrong? Can’t I drop by?”
Caleb quickly nodded, confirming, “Certainly, you can, Ms. Monalize. As long as you’re willing to sell us the reishi mushrooms, we’re open to any conditions. I’ll arrange the plane tickets immediately. Do either of you have any objections?”