Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Mia’s alarm bells rang loudly, and she hastily responded, “You may find it hard to believe, but I suffered from amnesia.”
Timothy internally scoffed at the clich¨¦ excuse.
“Judging by your expression, you seem skeptical,” Mia continued. “That’s why I hesitated to mention it earlier. I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
Timothy furrowed his brows in response. “Please, go ahead.¡®
“To be honest, this story feels a bit melodramatic. Back then, I was young and na?ve, easily swayed by appearances. I was captivated by my ex’s looks and was determined to be with him.
“However, he turned out to be a scumbag who was involved with other women. His family didn’t approve of me, and he even abused me during my pregnancy.
“It reached a point where I narrowly escaped a life¨Cthreatening situation. If it weren’t for my family’s timely intervention, I might not have survived the ordeal with that scumbag and his family.
“The experience left me completely heartbroken and on the verge of despair. I ended up with selective amnesia, conveniently wiping out all memories associated with that scumbag.
“To ensure I wouldn’t get entangled with him again, my family intentionally kept me unaware of his identity. As a result, I remain clueless about who he is.”
Mia’s tone grew somber as she added, “If it weren’t for Ginger needing a bone marrow donation, I wouldn’t have any desire to find him for the rest of my life.”
Timothy’s eyes narrowed slightly, sensing a subtle implication in Mia’s words.
It seemed as though she took a strange satisfaction in repeatedly labeling her ex as a scumbag.
Just as Timothy was about to speak, Mia leaned in closer to him, a bright smile gracing her lips.
“Mr. Barrett, I truly appreciate your kindness and willingness to help Ginger by donating your bone marrow. Thanks to you, I no longer need to seek out that scumbag.”
A brief silence fell between them.
Without a word, Timothy reached out and drew Mia into his embrace, holding her tightly against him.
His gaze held a suggestive undertone as he remarked, “In that case, why don’t we consummate our relationship?”
Mia felt her body tense slightly. She resisted the urge to slap him and replied with a smile, “Mr. Barrett, haven’t I already committed to you? I’m your girlfriend, isn’t that proof enough?”
Timothy’s grip tightened around her waist, a silent hint of possessiveness in his touch.
He pressed his tongue against his cheek, his voice deep as he said, “Consummate, that’s a verb.”
“Is this how it’s done?”
With that, Mia flipped over and settled herself on his lap, her head nearly brushing against the car’s ceiling as she gazed down at him with a teasing smile on her red lips.
Timothy’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “In four years, it seems Mia has really come a long way,” he mused silently.
“Mommy, what are they doing?”
Just then, a little boy appeared outside the window, clutching a lollipop and gazing up at them with wide, innocent eyes. @
Spotting the boy, Mia swiftly rose from Timothy’s lap and turned her head, hoping to avoid being seen by the curious child outside.
Moments later, the boy’s mother hurried over, grasping his hand and scolding gently, “Don’t run around like that.
“Mommy, is the lady having fun with the man on his lap?” the boy asked innocently.
Visibly flustered, his mother responded hastily, “Um, yes, they’re just playing a game.”
Timothy was stunned by the child’s question, while Mia felt a surge of embarrassment sweep over her.
Clearing her throat, she spoke up, “Mr. Barrett, I need to go now and accompany
Ginger.”
“Wait.”
Nonetheless, Mia couldn’t bring herself to stay any longer. Ignoring Timothy’s words, she swiftly opened the car door and dashed away.
Observing her departure, Timothy eventually averted his gaze, leaning back against the seat with his legs spread apart.
He loosened his tie, feeling the cool air embrace him.
Unable to resist, he reached for a cigarette, taking a deep drag in an attempt to calm the turmoil within him.
His eyes wandered to their former marital home nearby, brimming with deep contemplation.
As Mia left in her car, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, as she recalled the incident with the little boy, she couldn’t shake off the deep embarrassment she felt.
Her initial intention had been to playfully tease Timothy, diverting his attention to avoid raising any suspicion on his part, especially at such a critical moment when she wanted to avoid any unexpected complications.
However, she hadn’t foreseen ending up in a situation so awkward and potentially damaging to her reputation.
Seated in the passenger seat, Peyton spoke up, “Ms. Mia, does Mr. Barrett really have no inkling about your identity?”
“He has had doubts before but hasn’t found any solid evidence yet. By the way, when I visited Aunt Patricia, was anyone tailing me?”
“No, there wasn’t anyone.”
“That’s reassuring. It’s peculiar though. Timothy clearly suspects my identity, yet he hasn’t assigned anyone to monitor my activities. I’m starting to wonder about his true intentions.”
As Mia pondered the sight of the marital villa, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over her.
The memory of Shelly and Luna’s falling down the stairs at Aide Castle last time strangely evoked a faint recollection within her.
Rubbing her temples, Mia sensed an intuition that her memories would soon resurface.
Later that night, Mia returned to the hospital to accompany Ginger.
Upon awakening the next morning, Mia was startled, her gaze locked onto the ceiling above her.
Last night, she had dreamt about Timothy¨Cboth of them entangled in the sheets without any clothes on!
What sort of dream was that?
Could it be that after four years without intimacy, she would begin experiencing erotic dreams whenever she interacted with a man?
But why did it have to be Timothy, of all people? It all felt too absurd.
Despite this, Mia composed herself, washed her face, and quietly left the hospital room after checking on the sleeping Ginger.
As Mia stepped outside for some fresh air, she saw Timothy emerging from the elevator in a suit, accompanied by a medical staff.
As Timothy approached her, Mia’s eyes instinctively dropped to his shirt, unable to resist admiring his physique.
Collecting herself, Mia greeted him, “You’re here at the hospital already? Have you managed to handle everything at the office?”
“I’ve cleared my schedule for the week, so I arrived early to get everything sorted. I’ll be checking in tonight,” Timothy explained.
Mia offered a faint smile. “Sure, once you’re settled in at the hospital, Ginger and I can swing by to keep you company if you’re feeling bored.”
Timothy raised an eyebrow. “Join me at noon.”
“Where are we headed?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Mia nodded in response. “Alright.”
After Timothy finalized the hospital admission procedures, he swiftly left to tend to his business matters.
Around noon, following her lunch with Ginger, Mia received a WhatsApp message from Timothy. “Meet me downstairs.”
Exiting the hospital, Mia spotted Timothy’s car waiting for her.
As the window rolled down, she noticed Timothy seated in the back. “Hop in,” he instructed.
Mia complied, settling into the seat beside him. Her attention was immediately drawn to the laptop resting on his lap. It seemed that he was still engrossed in work.
Timothy proceeded to open a file, swiftly perusing its contents. His expression grew serious as he directed Heath, saying, “The data is incorrect. Schedule an online video conference with everyone.”
Mia couldn’t help but observe Timothy, fully engrossed in his work beside her, His demeanor appeared more mature and handsome than usual.
Upon hearing Timothy’s mention of the video conference, Mia discreetly positioned herself in the corner without uttering a word, almost as if trying to blend into the background.
Timothy’s voice turned cold as he addressed the team, “The data is incorrect once again. How was the research conducted? Do you believe we can mislead our clients with such flawed data?
“Even if we manage to deceive them temporarily, the final sales figures will reveal the truth. How will we justify this to our clients?”
Timothy’s tone was stern and commanding, causing the employees to remain silent out of fear of his reprimand.
Scanning the room, Timothy continued, “Oh, what a shocker! Not a comment from anyone, huh? If the data submitted tomorrow remains flawed, I expect all of you to tender your resignations and report to HR.”
One of the employees hesitantly spoke up, “M¨CMr. Barrett, could you please specify where the data is inaccurate? Providing us with clear guidance would be beneficial.”