Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Seeing how the Bowens mocked her, Timothy immediately snarled, “I’ll call Caleb and have him come here right away.”
Timothy had no interest in intimidating others to assert himself. In Bern City, he didn’t have to stoop so low to prove his identity. Yet, little did he expect people to mistake him as a poor bodyguard when he hid his identity in Nord City. All he wanted was to get close to Mia and his child by keeping a low profile.
He took his phone out and called Caleb promptly. His call was answered in a heartbeat.
“What’s up, Tim? How did things go?”
Caleb offered to spend time with Ginger upstairs so Timothy could talk to Mia in private.
“Come downstairs now,” Timothy said calmly. Without any further explanation, he hung up swiftly.
Lewis sneered. “Are you trying to deceive us by saying that you’ve just called Caleb?”
“Yeah,” Timothy replied nonchalantly.
“His schedule is confidential, and not everyone has access to his personal contact. Even I can only reach him through his work number, and his secretary is in charge of handling his phone. Who would believe you if you claim that Mr. Gomez answered your call?”
“Yeah, even Lewis could only contact him through his work number. What makes you think that you can reach his personal number?” Connie chimed in.
“I was indeed talking to him earlier,” Timothy snapped.
Mia raised an eyebrow. “Just because you’re incapable of doing it doesn’t mean that others can’t.”
“Come on, Mia. Considering his convincing act, I admit that he’s a pretty good actor. Didn’t you start a film company recently? Why don’t you make him an actor instead? He might even make it big in the industry. Why pretend to be the CEO of Barrett Group?” Lewis mocked. Bursting into a fit of laughter, Connie added, “How hilarious! He claimed that he’d just called Mr. Gomez, acting like he’d just asked him to come down immediately. A truly convincing act, indeed!
“Mr. Gomez is the second powerhouse in Bern City, having his wealth spread all around the globe. He’s not even inferior to the Lanes. How could your bodyguard just order him around?”
Lewis stared at Mia. “You’re pretty, but you’re also divorced with kids. Sure, you might’ve met Mr. Gomez and talked to him a few times before, but do you really think he’ll do you a favor? Stop daydreaming, Mia.”
Mia met his eyes and said, “The truth will be unveiled once Caleb comes down. You’ll find out whether it’s an act and whether I’m daydreaming or not.”
“Alright, I’m looking forward to it. Will Mr. Gomez really show up later? However, shouldn’t you pay a price if your bodyguard is lying?” Lewis peered at her lecherously.
“You’ll find out who should pay a price once Caleb is here,” Mia replied.
Mia felt an unprecedented urge to slap Connie’s face at that moment. She waited anxiously, with every passing minute feeling like an eternity. Where was Caleb? Why hadn’t he shown up yet?
With a smug look on her face, Connie remarked, “Mia, your broke bodyguard claimed Mr. Gomez would be here soon. Where is he? It’s been quite a while, and he’s still nowhere to be seen.”
“Mia, are you perhaps worried about being caught in a lie, which is why you’re saying he won’t come? Just apologize, and I’ll let today’s incident go. I won’t spread any rumors about your penniless bodyguard pretending to be the CEO of Barrett Group,” she added, her tone dripping with mockery.
Mia’s disdain was palpable as she responded, “You expect me to apologize to you? Perhaps in another lifetime.”
Connie immediately retorted, “So, Mia, if you’re so confident and unwilling to admit your mistake, then where’s this Mr. Gomez your bodyguard promised would arrive? His absence seems to confirm your deception, doesn’t it?”
Connie’s attendant added, “Perhaps they’re concerned about their lie being exposed, so they’re deliberately coming up with excuses for Mr. Gomez’s absence.”
“You never know,” Connie remarked. “They might just resort to that tactic later on. Let’s just wait and see.”
Connie and her attendant’s expressions oozed with contempt.
Mia’s lips twitched in disdain at their words. It was evident that these individuals had no sense of shame.
Despite their current arrogance, they would soon taste the bitterness of humiliation when reality inevitably caught up with them.
Nonetheless, Mia couldn’t shake the nagging question of why Caleb hadn’t appeared yet. It wouldn’t take him long to come downstairs, so what was causing the delay?
In this crucial moment, his absence could complicate matters.
Mia’s tolerance for the Bowen family’s arrogance had reached its limit. Today, she was determined to shatter their sense of superiority once and for all!
Meeting Timothy’s gaze, Mia silently urged him to contact Caleb. Timothy swiftly took out his phone and dialed Caleb’s number. “Where are you? Why haven’t you come down yet?”
“I’m in the elevator right now, on my way down. I got held up on a work call.”
Moments later, Caleb stepped out of the elevator.
Seeing Caleb, Mia let out a sigh of relief. Addressing Connie and Lewis, she remarked, “Are you convinced now?”
Mia had been holding her breath, awaiting this moment to unleash her pent-up frustration.
With Caleb’s arrival, they could finally prove Timothy’s identity. Approaching with a puzzled look, Caleb glanced between Mia and Timothy. “What’s going on? Why did you call me over in such a hurry? Is there something urgent?”
“Well, there is indeed an urgent matter, and it’s concerning you,” Mia replied cryptically.
She turned to Caleb and explained, “Some people have uncertainties regarding Timothy’s identity, suspecting that he might not be the CEO of Barrett Group but simply a humble bodyguard accompanying me. That’s why I’ve brought you here—to confirm Timothy’s position.” Caleb’s expression shifted to one of surprise as Mia spoke. “Well, isn’t this intriguing,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s rare these days for anyone to question Tim’s identity. He used to stroll around Bern City like he owned it, looking down on everyone. But to encounter such skepticism in Nord City… that’s truly surprising. It’s, um, quite unusual.” However, Caleb decided not to utter the phrase “serves him right” because he was wary of potential repercussions from Timothy later on. Glancing at Connie and Lewis, Mia challenged them, “Is it clear now? He’s Timothy Barrett.”
Confusion flickered across Connie’s face, and a hint of unease crept into her voice. “Lewis, is this man truly Mr. Gomez?”
Connie inwardly scoffed, questioning whether this penniless bodyguard could truly be the CEO of Barrett Group. Something about the situation didn’t sit right with her.
Suddenly, Lewis erupted into laughter. “Mom, what on earth are you talking about? This man clearly isn’t the CEO of Barrett Group. Mia, it seems like your deception has been uncovered, hasn’t it?”
Mia blinked in confusion. “What do you mean? Shouldn’t Caleb be able to confirm Timothy’s identity?”
“Are you saying he’s Caleb? Please, let’s not joke around. I’ve met Mr. Gomez before. This man is definitely not Caleb,” Lewis insisted.
In a fleeting moment, Mia and Caleb exchanged a meaningful glance. Pointing to himself, Caleb said, “If I’m not Caleb Gomez, then who is?” “Okay, young man, you can stop the charade. I know you’re just an actor Mia hired at the last minute. Perhaps you’re even her bodyguard, posing as Mr. Gomez to vouch for the identity of this penniless bodyguard. But I bet you didn’t anticipate that I’ve actually met the real Mr. Gomez, did you?” Lewis countered.
Mia was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
She hadn’t anticipated Lewis, of all people, to have encountered Caleb before. But was the person Lewis met truly Caleb?
Now, she was becoming increasingly suspicious that someone was impersonating both Timothy and Caleb.
Caleb was perplexed. “You think I’m a bodyguard? That’s absurd. I couldn’t possibly be a bodyguard, especially not like some people.” He certainly didn’t need to become a bodyguard to get close to someone. Of course, Caleb didn’t vocalize the second half of the sentence. Connie interjected,
“Enough with the charade. It’s clear you’re here to play a role. You say you’re Caleb Gomez, but do you even know who Caleb is?
“He’s the heir to the second wealthiest family in Bern City—the Gomez family. How could he possibly be a bodyguard like you?”
Caleb arched his eyebrows in disbelief. Since when did the Gomez family become the second most prominent household in Bern City? Who was responsible for assigning this ranking?
Turning to Mia, Caleb quipped, “Where did you dig up these fools?” Mia let out a weary sigh. “It’s a long story. I assumed you could confirm Tim’s identity, but I never imagined they wouldn’t even recognize you.” Lewis quickly interjected, “Mia, come on, cut me some slack. The Bowen family is on the verge of partnering with the Barrett family. How could I not recognize them?”
“It’s clear you’ve dragged in impostors to pretend to be Mr. Barrett and Mr. Gomez solely to salvage your pathetic reputation.
“Now that I’ve exposed your little facade, you’re scrambling in embarrassment, desperately trying to shift the blame by insinuating I don’t know them.”
“Yeah, Lewis, Mia’s obviously bluffing,” Connie chimed in.
Caleb turned to Mia, saying, “Honestly, you don’t need to prove our identities to such dimwits. Don’t you feel like your intelligence is taking a nosedive dealing with them?”
Mia fell silent for a moment. “You’re right. I see that now.”
What prompted her sudden insistence? Why did she feel compelled to prove Timothy’s identity to the Bowen family?
Mia found herself feeling misled, unable to shake the sense that the Bowens’ antics had indeed muddled her mental clarity.
With a smug expression, Connie retorted, “Well, well, well. Looks like Mia’s been proven wrong. No more excuses, huh?”
Mia conceded with a nod. “Fine, you win, I lose. Are you satisfied?” “Well, Mia, considering you can’t prove your bodyguard’s identity, it’s only logical for you to admit defeat.”
Just as Connie finished speaking, Timothy, who had remained silent, interjected, “Who said we can’t prove it?”
Upon hearing Timothy’s words, Mia couldn’t resist stealing a glance at him.
She was also curious about how Timothy would prove his identity. Throughout the entire ordeal, the eccentric behavior of the Bowen family had truly caught Mia off guard.
With a smirk, Connie countered, “I’m curious to see how your lowly bodyguard plans to prove himself.”
At that moment, Lewis received a phone call. As he listened, his expression shifted. “Alright, I’ll be there soon.”
After hanging up the phone, Lewis swiftly remarked, “Mom, we don’t have time to waste on this incompetent bodyguard.
“After all, they even managed to find someone to impersonate Mr. Gomez earlier. It seems there’s no limit to what they’re capable of. “Besides, Mr. Barrett will attend the signing ceremony in two days, and the truth will come out on its own. We don’t need all this evidence.” Connie asked, “Lewis, are you going to let Mia’s arrogance go unchecked? This is the perfect opportunity to teach her a lesson.” “Mom, I just received an urgent call from the office regarding our collaboration with Mr. Barrett. I must attend to this matter immediately. I can’t afford to waste any more time here.”
Connie conceded, “Alright, Lewis, your work comes first. Anyway, the truth will emerge at the signing ceremony in two days. I’ll make sure everyone in our circle hears about Mia Lane’s antics.
“It’s hard to believe she actually went and used some random bodyguard to impersonate the Barrett Group’s president, all to mess with our partnership with the Barrett family.”
Mia was speechless, completely caught off guard by Connie’s words. She certainly didn’t have the time to find someone to impersonate Timothy.
After Lewis finished speaking, he hurriedly left. Indeed, it seemed there was an urgent matter at hand.
Meanwhile, Connie remained seated in her wheelchair, wearing a smug expression as she addressed Mia, “Did you hear what Lewis just said? He’s hurrying back to prepare for the signing ceremony that’s happening in two days.
“Both Mr. Barrett and Mr. Gomez will be there, so there’s no need for proof. The truth will emerge, and your deception will be exposed to everyone.”
Connie’s attendant chimed in, “Mrs. Bowen, why don’t you consider inviting Ms. Lane to the signing ceremony? It would give her and her penniless bodyguard a chance to see the lavish lifestyle of the wealthy up close.”
“You have a point.” Connie nodded, directing her gaze to Mia. “Why not join us at the signing ceremony the day after tomorrow? You’ll see firsthand how the Bowen family has flourished.
“When you return, you might want to enlighten your brothers about their past attempts to stifle us. Remind them that in the future, the Bowen family will repay their actions tenfold.