Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
“Mia, are you finally going to come clean? You’ve been keeping secrets from me, and I’ve already figured it out.”
She eyed Timothy suspiciously and wondered if he was aware of Sage’s true identity.
If he knew she reasoned that
Timothy wouldn’t be acting that way. So, what exactly did he know? Or perhaps he was deliberately trying to deceive her into revealing the truth?
Mia raised her head defiantly. “What exactly have I been hiding from you? Why don’t you tell me?”
Timothy fixed his gaze on her. “Mia, the child you asked me to donate bone marrow to wasn’t Ginger, right?”
“Answer me, Mia. It wasn’t Ginger who was sick, was it?” He looked at her and knew that something was off.
Timothy held her chin. “I have proof. You can’t lie to me now. I just need to know if Ginger was really sick. She’s my biological daughter, and I deserve to know the truth.”
Chapter 978
Mia pushed Timothy’s hand away. “Why does it matter to you whether or not Ginger was sick?”
“It matters, Mia. I could forgive you for lying about the bone marrow issue because I know she isn’t really sick. How could you use her supposed illness as an excuse? She’s just a child.”
“This doesn’t concern you, and you don’t need to know the truth.” Mia remained resolute.
“As a bone marrow donor, don’t I have the right to know the truth? Don’t I have the right to know who I have saved?”
Mia pursed her lips and pondered if she could keep hiding the truth from Timothy.
She met his gaze. “Whether you know it or not, it won’t change anything. I’m grateful to you for helping the person who received your bone marrow.” “Mia, do you think I care about your gratitude? Do you have any idea how relieved I was when I found out Ginger wasn’t actually sick?”
She hung her head in silence. She didn’t want anyone to think ill of Ginger or judge her daughter because of a supposed illness. But at that time, Sage’s condition had left her with no choice.
She never expected Timothy to uncover the truth about the bone marrow transplant recipient. Plus, she had no clue how he had managed to figure it out.
“Mia, even if you told me who the transplant recipient was, I wouldn’t hold it against you. I can’t take back what I did. Donating it to save a life was simply the right thing to do, and I have no regrets.”
She felt a weight lift off her shoulders upon hearing that. “If it truly doesn’t bother you, then there’s no need for further discussion.”
Mia wanted to leave, but Timothy caught her wrist. “If it’s not a big deal, why are you keeping it a secret? Why won’t you tell me who it is?”
“You just said you wouldn’t mind this, so why all the relentless questioning?”
His expression darkened. “I know. Was it another child who received my bone marrow?”
Mia froze and realized Timothy had indeed guessed the truth.
She averted her eyes anxiously. “What other child? You’re jumping to conclusions.”
Timothy stated, “Mia, do you really think I’m that naive? That I can be fooled by you so easily?
“If Ginger wasn’t the one who needed the transplant, why did you come all the way to Bern City and tell me about it?
“How could it be a coincidence that happened to be a match? You there s a high chance of mot a match, didn’t you?”
W
being
He retorted, “A coincidence? Are you still lying to me and calling it a coincidence? How could it be?
“You came to me knowing the chances were high. Only close blood relatives have a high chance of matching for a bone marrow transplant.
“That means the person who received my bone marrow was related to me. Who else could it be besides my child?”
Mia realized she couldn’t keep up the act any longer. Timothy was more perceptive than she gave him credit for. But now that the truth was out she felt it no longer held any significance.
So, she met his gaze head-on and confessed, “You’re right. It wasn’t Ginger who was sick. It was another child.”
Chapter 979
Mia felt a rush of relief flood through her as she finally confessed the truth.
Keeping this secret had been a heavy burden, and she longed for the day when Sage could come out into the public without having to hide anymore. Timothy was stunned by the revelation. “Two children? A boy and a girl?”
A whirlwind of emotions swept through him. He never imagined she was pregnant with twins.
The idea of having his own children seemed like a distant dream. But now, not only did they exist, there were two of them.
Mia pushed Timothy away and retorted, “Yes, they’re twins. But what gives you the right to ask about my other child now? Do you even know how hard it was for me to bring them into this world?
“When I fell at the Barrett villa, I nearly lost both of them due to a miscarriage. The doctors had given up hope. They said my children’s chances of survival were almost nonexistent. Where were you then?”
He froze upon hearing that and said bitterly, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
She countered, “Your apology won’t change anything. If saying sorry solved everything, why would we even need the police?
“Both children were born prematurely. One struggled to breathe, while the other wasn’t breathing at all.
“The doctors battled tirelessly to save him, but he was left with severe complications. They cautioned that even if he survived, he might face mental disabilities. Despite all the odds, I chose to keep him.”
She glared at Timothy and continued, “Do you even know how hard I fought to keep him alive? What gives you the right to ask about him?”
He hadn’t realized how risky the twins’ birth had been. Even more shocking was that one of them had stopped breathing at birth.
He glanced at the furious Mia. Though he longed to reach out to her, he found himself unable to move.
He cleared his throat and said, “I know apologies won’t change anything now, but can you give me a chance?”
“No,” she replied firmly. “I won’t let you see him.”
Timothy’s breath caught in his throat. “Even if he’s disabled, he’s still my child. I won’t let anything happen to him.”
Mia retorted, “What’s the point of growin saying this now? The children are gup in my family. They are well cared for and provided for.
“He doesn’t need anything from you. I just need you to stay away from us and stop causing disruptions in our lives. With that, she pushed him away. .
Timothy had been oblivious to Mia’s struggles over the years. It wasn’t until now that he realized his ignorance, after hearing her speak of the challenges of childbirth.
S
“No need, Mr. Barrett. Our relationship ended the day we divorced four years ago. My children and I have moved on,” Mia replied.
Mia turned back angrily and met Timothy’s cautious gaze. She had never seen him look so petty before.
Chapter 980
Timothy asked softly, “May I know if the child is a boy or a girl?”
“Does it matter?” Mia responded.
“No. I’m just asking out of curiosity. How is his condition now? Is there anything else I can do to help with his treatment?”
Her feelings were a blend of emotions as she conveyed, “His current progress in physical recovery is promising. But it’s not a complete recovery. “The duration of the ongoing treatments required for him to achieve full health remains uncertain.”
Timothy asked anxiously, “What’s his illness? I’ll gather the best medical team in Bern City right away. I refuse to believe we can’t nurse him back to health.”
“Okay. Please don’t say things like that. He is receiving treatment at my family home. One day, he will recover,” Mia said.
“Can I see him?”
Thinking of how Sage had reacted to Timothy earlier, Mia hesitated before saying, “He doesn’t want to see you.”
Timothy struggled emotionally and asked, “Does he really hate me?”
Mia nodded. “Yes. The children have completely different personalities.
“In their eyes, you’re the one who abandoned us. So, he won’t acknowledge you or like you. Seeing you won’t do anything good for his well-being.”
His expression contorted as a range of emotions coursed through him. After a moment of silence, he said somberly, “If he doesn’t want to see me, I won’t force myself into his life either.”
“It’s probably best that way.”
Mia turned and walked into the research institute without looking back.
Timothy stood alone by the roadside and watched her retreating figure. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he nearly lost his balance.
Heath, who had been watching from a distance, hurried over to support him. “Mr. Barrett, are you okay?”
After all, he had watched from outside when the commotion happened at the research institute.
Timothy had rushed in alone to intervene heroically. They had remained outside to give him the spotlight.
Leaning against the car door,
Timothy gazed in the direction of the research institute. Mia’s words echoed in his mind, and he e