Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
“But my husband has been dead for so many years, and you suddenly appear to conduct a paternity test. Who would believe such nonsense?”
“As long as genetic information is stored, genetic identification can be performed at any time,” Luna said.
Sharon couldn’t believe it. “When did my husband store genetic information?”
Luna beamed with pride. “He did it for the sake of Asher’s father, so that he can prove his identity through these series of arrangements.”
Sharon’s face turned ashen. She looked up at Timothy and asked, “Tim, is everything she said true?”
Timothy held his silence for a moment before finally responding, “Yes.”
Sharon’s scream pierced the air. “Timothy, how could you keep such a huge secret from me? How dare you bring back this bitch’s child into the Barrett family? Isn’t he just an illegitimate child born outside? Why should we even care? They should just die outside and have no place in the Barrett family. Do you have no regard for me as your mother? Why are you using this to humiliate me?”
Sharon was consumed by such immense anger that she felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort throughout her entire being.
She had suspected the true identity of Asher, but she never anticipated that Asher was actually the child of her husband’s illegitimate child. Throughout the years, she had embraced Asher as her o grandson. However, she never expected that he was a little bastard.
Mia observed Sharon, who was in hysterics, and suddenly felt a pang of pity for her. Timothy had not handled the situation appropriately.
Mia’s curiosity grew as she wondered why Timothy would bring the illegitimate child back to the Barrett family. In her view, this was completely out of character for Timothy. It made her question the true motives behind his actions.
Timothy replied, “This was Dad’s last wish.”
“So, your father was aware of this and had been keeping it from us? When did you find out about it?”
“I was unaware of this until Luna’s sudden appearance five years ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? You still kept it from me.”
Luna smiled and said, “That’s because you always desired a grandson. It just happens that Asher shares the blood of the Barrett family. Timothy has no intention of marrying or having children, and he plans to groom Asher as his heir. There’s no need for him to disclose the truth to you.”
“Shut up!”
Chapter 1023
Sharon angrily pointed at Luna and exclaimed, “Does that child, born of you and that scoundrel, deserve to carry the blood of our Barrett family? Absolutely not! I’ll never acknowledge your existence for as long as I live. You can forget about ever being a part of our Barrett family!”
At that moment, Sharon had completely lost the posture of a wealthy lady and appeared as disoriented as a street shrew.
Luna responded with unwavering determination, “Haha, really? The lady outside seems to have a strong affection for him. She insists that Mr. Barrett Senior treated my late husband exceptionally well, even acknowledging him as if he were an heir. It’s unfortunate that my husband’s health was not good, and he passed away due to a minor accident. Otherwise, he would have been able to return to the Barrett family and claim the inheritance.”
“You’re talking nonsense. After my husband died, all his inheritance went to my son. You don’t have any right to claim it.”
“That’s because you are unaware of the existence of that will. Otherwise, how do you think I managed to stay in the Barrett family for so long without any hassle? My son Asher inherited 5% of the shares of the Barrett Group from my husband, which now stands in Asher’s name.”
Upon hearing these words, Raymond’s eyes lit up. With this kind of connection, collaborating with the Barrett family would be the most powerful alliance.
Mia glanced at Luna in surprise. She didn’t expect Luna to keep the secret so well hidden. Something was not right.
Sharon suddenly collapsed and exclaimed, “He actually left 5% of the shares for that illegitimate child. This is too much. Why should he leave 5% of the shares for that bastard?”
Luna proudly declared, “I’ve told you that my husband was highly favored by Mr. Barrett Senior. If Mr. Barrett Senior hadn’t passed away prematurely and my husband’s health hadn’t failed, it’s uncertain who would be in charge of the Barrett family today.”
Mia suddenly questioned, “Luna, if you owned shares, why would you still be living in such a financially restricted situation?”
Because of Luna’s superficial personality, if she had gotten the shares, she would have become very wealthy. However, from Luna’s previous state, it was evident that she did not possess significant wealth. Luna’s expression changed slightly. “Because I keep a low profile.”
Sharon glared at Timothy and exclaimed, “Tim, how could you allow that rascal to snatch away 5% of your shares? You don’t have to deal with them, let alone bring them back into the Barrett family.” “Mom, this is the will that Dad left behind. It can’t be altered. It has already been notarized, and a lawyer has been appointed to handle it. Even if I were to disregard it, the will would still be executed,” Timothy explained.
Then, his gaze fell upon Mia. “The shares have been transferred to Asher. The funds are to be managed by trusted individuals and can only be accessed when Asher comes of age. The money may only be used for educational purposes or for Asher’s benefit. Otherwise, it is to remain untouched.”
Mia immediately understood that there was an arrangement. No wonder Luna was so humble and reserved while she was with the Barrett family.
It seemed that Timothy also realized that Luna was not a good person, so he made such an arrangement. It was important to note that Luna was quite tolerant before, as she had not shown her true colors for five years.
Luna was feeling a hint of discontent. “In any case, once my son reaches adulthood, all of this will be his. He’s not just an ordinary boy. He’s also a part of the Barrett family. Moreover, he’s the grandson of the president.”
In the near future, he might become the heir of the presidential family, and he won’t have to respect the Barrett family ever again.
Chapter 1024
Raymond’s expression shifted. It would be truly remarkable if there were still shares within the Barrett family. If they had this connection, he wouldn’t have to worry about lacking a family to collaborate with in the future. Even the Lane family paled in comparison to such a connection.
Sharon was utterly devastated. As she stared at Luna’s smug expression, she realized she had been deceived and left in ignorance like a fool for the past five years. No woman could endure her husband’s infidelity, let alone witness the children of his mistress snatch away the Barrett family’s rights!
She snatched the kettle next to her and hurled it at Luna’s face, screaming frantically, “Does that insignificant brat you brought into this world have any right to claim to be part of our Barrett family?” Luna was suddenly scalded by boiling water, causing her to scream in agony. The situation quickly turned chaotic for a moment.
Mia watched the scene from the side and was stunned. A drop of water from the kettle which splashed on the back of her hand felt like she had just been stung.
She could not imagine the excruciating pain Luna experienced when that kettle of water had been poured directly on her body!
“Are you okay?” Timothy asked as he took Mia’s hand and placed it in the ice bucket used to chill the wine on the table.
Mia was momentarily stunned. “Actually, I’m totally fine. Only a drop of water from the kettle fell on me.”
“The back of your hand is red. What if there are scars?” Timothy said in a serious tone as he squeezed her wrist.
Mia experienced a distinct sensation on her wrist, causing her to display an unusual expression.
She grabbed a nearby pastry with her other hand and observed the commotion as she indulged in her pastry.
Luckily, she was seated on the other side, avoiding the scalding water with only a minor splatter.
On the other hand, Raymond ended up being scalded by a significant amount of hot water. Jasmine stepped forward immediately to grab Raymond and said with a worried look, “Dad, are you okay? You’ve been splashed with boiling water! Let me wipe it off for you right away.”
Raymond was furious. He never expected Sharon to pour boiling water on Luna directly. His hand was burned, and it was now throbbing with pain.
Luna stood there, screaming alone, while nobody stepped forward to offer her assistance. The situation turned chaotic.
At that moment, as the waiter was serving the food, he noticed someone who seemed to be t
He quickly asked Luna, “Excuse me, Madam, are you all right?” S
“Are you blind? I’ve been burned. Fetch me some ice cubes!”
“There are ice cubes on the table. I’ll get them for you right away.”
Luna angrily exclaimed, “Hurry up! I’m in so much pain!”
However, when the waiter approached the table, he discovered that the ice bucket had already been used. Mia hesitated. “Should I just let her use it?” After all, she didn’t wasn’t scalded at all.
The waiter quickly replied, “Thank you.”
She had just pulled her hand away when Timothy firmly pushed it back in. He said in a serious tone, “Your hand is not healed yet.”
Mia fell silent for a moment before saying, “I think I’m okay.”
Could he not clearly see who was seriously injured? Luna was the person whom Sharon intentionally splashed with her own hands, not her!
Timothy frowned. “The burn needs to be soaked for at least half an hour. You must not remove your hand until the secretary brings the burn medicine.”
Raymond felt a burning pain on the back of his hand, and he noticed that Mia didn’t get burned at all. A few drops of hot water splashing her hand shouldn’t cause any injuries.
Jasmine couldn’t help but ask, “Mia, are you seriously injured?”
“Not at all. He’s just overreacting,” Mia assured, passing the ice bucket directly to Jasmine. Without wasting a moment, Jasmine applied the ice on Raymond.
At that moment, Luna cried out, “Dad!”
Chapter 1025
At that moment, a palpable awkwardness filled the air. Mia arched her eyebrows and took in the scene before her, a sudden urge to burst into laughter welling up inside her.
Obviously, Luna was the most seriously injured person present. However, instead of attending to her, Raymond grabbed the ice bucket and tended to himself first. The supposed deep love between father and daughter had ironically resulted in them abandoning each other when disaster struck.
Raymond reacted instantly with a bright smile and said, “Luna, why don’t you soak your hands in it as well and then go straight to the hospital to prevent any scarring?”
Luna’s face paled with anger, but she swiftly regained her composure and refrained from losing her temper at this crucial moment.
She realized that Raymond was her sole supporter at the moment. Deep down, Luna had always been aware of Raymond’s self-centered nature. It was evident when he abandoned her mother and herself. Luna cried and said aggrievedly, “Dad, I’m fine. There’s only one ice bucket. You should use it. I blame myself for your injury. I would feel guilty if you were hurt.”
Upon hearing Luna’s words, Raymond was overcome by a rush of guilt. “Luna, don’t worry. I’ll definitely seek justice for you!”
“Thank you, Dad.”
Luna couldn’t help but shoot Sharon a sinister glare. Luna’s heart brimmed with anger as she imagined herself stabbing a knife into Sharon. How dare this despicable old woman scald her with boiling water! Nevertheless, she rationally reminded herself that taking action at that moment was not practical. After all, murder was illegal. If she wanted to seek revenge against someone, there would always be opportunities in the future. Where there was light, there was hope.
Now that she was helpless and powerless, she had no choice but to endure it. Without being able to endure it, she would have never been able to get to where she was at the moment without the support of the Barrett family.
Luna knew Raymond could take her back, mostly because of the Barrett family and Asher’s connection to them. Since she was injured, she could use this trick to gain his sympathy and achieve her goals. After witnessing this scene, Sharon pointed at Luna and exclaimed, “You cunning troublemaker! Stop your pretentious acts. You sure are good at deceiving men.”
After hearing those words, Raymond frowned and glanced at Timothy, demanding, Mr. Barrett, I need an explanation for today’s incident. Luna is my daughter, and I’ve owed her a great deal over the years. Mrs. Barrett directly insulted her and caused her harm. You should be aware of the repercussions Mrs.
Barrett will face if I decide to involve the police.”