Filed to story: Uncategorized
The next day, Mia and her family rushed to the hospital upon hearing that Sage had woken up.
Alone in his hospital bed, Sage lay with a slightly pale complexion. He glanced at the adults gathered around his bed, his face showing a hint of tension.
“Don’t hover around me like I’m already dead,” he remarked.
Eva immediately cut in, “Hey, hey! What nonsense are you spouting? How could you even say that?”
Dominic gazed at Sage, his tone gentle. “Rest well. Once you’re feeling better, we’ll have some fun together. Whatever you want, just let me know, and I’ll try my best to make it happen. Even if it’s something as distant as the stars in the sky, I’ll find a way to make your wish come true.”
“Uncle Dominic, don’t lie to me. The stars are distant suns, and you can’t pluck them from the sky,” Sage retorted with a hint of skepticism. Standing nearby, Connor couldn’t help but chuckle. “Dominic, you know Sagey isn’t your typical kid; he can’t be easily fooled.”
Despite Sage sharing a resemblance with Timothy, his intelligence had always been exceptional, surpassing that of his peers since childhood. Nathan grinned with pride. “Sage will inherit my hacking skills. He’s going to surpass me in no time.”
Upon hearing this, Connor’s brow furrowed into a frown. “But Nathan, remember you promised Sage would join me as a doctor.”
Claude quickly interjected, “Wasn’t it decided he would become a pianist? Sage has a natural talent for playing the piano, and I’ve had my eye on him for some time. You two shouldn’t try to take him away from me.”
Jason adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said, “Stop arguing, everyone. Sage has already made an agreement with me. He’s going to be a lawyer in the future.”
Taking off his mask, Liam remarked, “Sagey is such a handsome boy. He should totally join me in the entertainment industry. We can’t let his good looks go to waste!”
Dominic shot Liam a disapproving look. “Considering his appearance, do you really think he should join the entertainment industry? Have you lost your mind?”
Liam suddenly realized his mistake. Considering Sage’s resemblance to Timothy, it would be risky for Sage to pursue a career in entertainment. It might lead to the Barretts discovering Sage’s true identity.
Realizing this, Liam let out a sigh. It seemed Sage wasn’t meant to follow in his footsteps.
Turning to Ginger beside him, Liam suggested, “How about this: let Ginger join me in the entertainment world and become the next leading actress.”
Dominic immediately disagreed, “No, the entertainment industry is too complex. I don’t want Ginger to face the challenges that come with it.” Eva nodded in agreement. “Exactly, that’s what I think too. In the future, Ginger will stay with me and enjoy life as a carefree young lady. Work can be exhausting, right, Ginger?”
Ginger nodded enthusiastically. “Aunt Eva is right. I don’t want to work; I just want to sleep in every day.”
Mia interjected helplessly, “But how will you earn money if you don’t work?”
Ginger responded confidently, “By being adorable. Today, I’ll be adorable for Uncle Dominic, tomorrow for Uncle Nathan, the day after for Uncle Connor, and then for Uncle Claude, Uncle Jason, and Uncle Liam. That should be enough.”
Mia couldn’t help but sigh as she observed how spoiled Ginger had become with everyone in the family pampering her.
As they carried on their lively conversation in the hospital room, Sage lay on the bed, a frown forming on his face. He couldn’t help but interject, “If you’re going to chat, please do it outside. Don’t disturb my rest.”
Mia approached Sage and gently touched his forehead, saying, “Alright, we’ll leave you to rest peacefully. We’ll visit you again tomorrow.”
Understanding Sage’s preference for silence and solitude, no one protested.
They soon exited the hospital room, leaving Ginger alone with Sage. Dominic turned to Mia and remarked, “Once Sage has fully recovered, I’ll arrange for a psychologist to assist him. We don’t want him to develop antisocial tendencies.”
“I understand, Dominic. Once Sage is discharged from the hospital, I’ll personally be there to support him, guide his development, and ensure he stays on the right path.”
Sage was undeniably intelligent, boasting a higher IQ than children his age.
However, a previous assessment had revealed antisocial traits in Sage, leading him to be reclusive and avoid social interactions.
Mia had been concerned about this for a while.
Due to his health issues, Sage had been staying in Nicholas’ laboratory, seldom venturing outside. Consequently, Mia had refrained from intervening as well.
But with Sage’s imminent reintegration into society after his recovery, it was crucial to take proactive measures.
Eva held Mia’s hand and reassured her, “Don’t worry, we’ll surround Sage with love and positive influences. He won’t turn into a criminal in the future. After all, our family has everything we need.”
Mia smiled and affirmed, “I won’t allow Sage to become that kind of person either.”
Nicholas had been closely monitoring Sage’s personality development over the years. Currently, there were no signs of any abnormal behavior from Sage, except for his tendency to be reclusive.
Leaving the private hospital, Mia’s mood significantly improved. Sage’s treatment had advanced smoothly, and it wouldn’t be long before he made a full recovery.
Approaching her, Peyton asked, “Ms. Mia, there’s a promotional event for the movie tonight. Would you like to attend?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” Mia replied.
Peyton added cautiously, “By the way, Mr. Barrett insisted on being discharged from the hospital today.”
“Alright, if he wants to leave the hospital, we’ll accommodate that. It just so happens there’s a banquet tonight, so I’ll take him with me.”
With that settled, Mia headed straight to the mall for some shopping. As Mia exited the dressing room after trying on a few outfits, she noticed Timothy standing nearby. He was dressed in a sleek black suit and sunglasses, his tall and straight posture exuding a sense of authority.
He certainly looked like he meant business!
With a smirk, Mia approached him. “Is your arm feeling better now?” Timothy maintained a stoic expression as he replied, “It’s nothing serious. Your brother sustained more injuries than I did.”
His stubborn attitude was quite typical of him.
“Well, since you’re here, you can help me carry these things,” Mia said, handing him the bags filled with clothes she had purchased.
Given Timothy’s insistence on being discharged, Mia decided to put him to work.
Timothy briefly glanced at the bags, a frown crossing his face, but he eventually accepted and carried them without protest.
In an attempt to embarrass Timothy, Mia deliberately purchased more items, leaving him to carry all the boxes alone.
She couldn’t conceal her satisfaction as she observed Timothy’s awkward and hesitant demeanor.
However, as Mia walked ahead, she heard a woman’s shrill voice behind her. “Hey, you, stupid bodyguard, can’t you watch where you’re going? Don’t you see I’m here?”
Turning around, Mia spotted a woman with a designer handbag pointing and scolding Timothy.
Mia walked over and said, “Hey Isabella, I heard your recent plastic surgery didn’t go too well. I thought you’d never dare to show your face in public again.”
Isabella Bowen appeared slightly flustered upon seeing Mia. “Who told you my plastic surgery failed? I’ve never had any cosmetic procedures!”
Ignoring Isabella, Mia turned to Timothy. “Hey, you dropped all the items I bought. Aren’t you going to pick them up?”
Isabella immediately interjected, “So, this clueless bodyguard belongs to you, huh? It appears both you and he are equally incompetent.”
“Yes, this newly hired bodyguard works for me,” Mia confirmed.
“But he just bumped into me and scratched my brand-new bag. You should make him pay for a replacement,” Isabella demanded.
Mia lowered her gaze and indeed noticed a scratch on Isabella’s bag. Turning to Timothy, she asked, “Did you do this?”
Timothy furrowed his brow. “She was distracted by her phone and didn’t pay attention to where she was going. That’s how she bumped into me.”
Isabella immediately became indignant, pointing at Timothy and scolding, “You incompetent bodyguard, what nonsense are you spouting? You were the one carrying those things and bumped into me! How dare you accuse me of running into you?”
Timothy’s demeanor turned cold in an instant. As a respected heir, he had never been berated by anyone in such a manner before. Observing the unfolding drama, Mia feigned uncertainty and remarked, “This situation appears quite complicated.”
“Since he’s your bodyguard, you should compensate me for the damage!”
Mia clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Sure, monetary compensation is possible, but Isabella, could it be that you’ve been deceived?
” This bag of yours doesn’t appear to be authentic at first glance. Genuine leather wouldn’t get scratched so easily with just a slight knock.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? This bag is real! How can you claim it’s fake?”
“Isabella, you might doubt me on other matters, but when it comes to luxury goods, do you really think I would make a mistake in judgment?” Isabella inspected her bag incredulously and then angrily dialed a number, saying, “You bastard! How dare you sell me fake goods? I’m going to hold you accountable for this.”
Mia turned to Timothy and said, “Let’s go, my incompetent bodyguard.” Timothy was taken aback by Mia’s words.
After Isabella took a few steps, she turned back to address Mia once more, her expression defiant. “But don’t get too cocky. My brother, Lewis, has recently struck a deal with the Barrett Group. We’re set to surpass the Lane family soon.”
Mia raised an eyebrow in surprise. “The Barrett Group? Which one?” “The renowned Barrett Group in Bern City! Haven’t you heard of it? Lewis is gearing up to expand projects in Bern City, and mark my words, we’ll soon be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Lane family. Trust me, you’ll regret not being engaged to Lewis!” Isabella declared confidently.
Glancing at Timothy beside her, Mia wondered, “Why did Timothy want to collaborate with the Bowen family?”
Meanwhile, a frown creased Timothy’s face as he pondered, “Why was Mia nearly engaged to the Bowen family?”
After Isabella finished her boastful remarks, she turned to Timothy and quipped, “Poor bodyguard, be more careful when you walk next time. Selling you won’t even cover the cost of replacing my bag.”
Mia was at a loss for words. She wondered how Isabella would react if she knew she was insulting the president of the Barrett Group.
Once Isabella left, Mia looked at Timothy with a smirk and asked, “So, is this collaboration still on?”
Timothy’s expression darkened as he replied, “You can stop talking now.”
Mia couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She found it oddly gratifying to witness Timothy being scolded so directly.
With his black sunglasses on, Timothy paused briefly when he noticed her smile. “Did that woman just mention that you were almost engaged to her brother?”
“Are you referring to my supposed engagement with the Bowen family?” Mia asked, wiping away the tears of laughter with a tissue. “That was just wishful thinking on the Bowen family’s part. I never agreed to be engaged to their son.”
With a frown, Timothy cautioned, “As the only young lady of the Lane family, these men are naturally plotting to marry you. I suggest you not be naive and fall for their schemes.”
Mia’s lips formed a cold smile as she looked at him meaningfully. “I don’t need you to remind me of that. After all, I’ve been deceived by a man before, and I won’t fall into the same trap twice.”