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Upon noticing Mia’s presence, Tonya’s expression grew noticeably complex.
She then addressed Asher, saying, “Mr. Asher, when Mr. Shelbert arrives, remember what to say, okay? Let him stand by you. We’ll see who dares to challenge you then.” Tonya believed Mia’s status as the heiress of the esteemed Lane family carried no weight. After all, Asher still retained the position of the mayor’s grandson.
Mia scoffed, “Do you truly believe Mr. Shelbert would show up? Don’t be absurd. He wouldn’t involve himself in such an embarrassing affair.”
As soon as Mia’s words trailed off, Asher exploded and yelled, “You bitch, it’s all your fault!”
Upon hearing this, Mia turned to Asher and retorted, “If you’re looking for someone to blame, blame your mother. It’s her actions that have led to this situation.” “Mia, what nonsense are you filling my son’s head with?”
Suddenly, Luna rushed over. She had initially prepared to confront whoever had harmed Asher, only to discover it was none other than Mia’s son, Sage.
Luna hadn’t realized Mia had twins back then.
Mia’s expression soured. “With your son speaking so rudely, one can only question the values you’ve instilled in him. How does it benefit you to lead him down this path?”
“Mia, spare me your moral outrage. Your son initiated the conflict,” Luna countered sharply.
“Well, that’s because Asher insulted Sage first, saying he doesn’t have a father,” Mia shot back.
“But isn’t that the truth?” Luna retorted, a cold smile playing on her lips.
Mia’s expression shifted abruptly at Luna’s remark. She was on the brink of unleashing her anger when a tall figure approached from the side.
It was Timothy. With a stern demeanor, he interjected, “Luna, since when has Sage been without a father?”
As Timothy entered the office, Mia was momentarily taken aback. What was he doing here?
Luna, too, was caught off guard by Timothy’s sudden appearance. Her expression shifted uneasily as she countered, “What’s the issue? I didn’t say anything untrue, did I?
“You two are divorced, and Mia never bothered to inform you about Sage’s existence all these years. So, from Sage’s perspective, isn’t it as though he doesn’t have a father?”
“Enough!” Timothy’s voice held a stern edge as he addressed Luna “Look at the influence you’ve had on Asher. From today onward, you are not to be near him. I will take Asher back to the Barrett residence.”
“And who are you to make that decision? Asher is my son, for heaven’s sake. Besides, he’s destined to be Mr. Shelbert’s grandson. What could he possibly gain by returning to the Barrett family with you?”
There was a hint of madness in Luna’s gaze.
Ignoring Luna’s words, Timothy shifted his attention to Asher. “What about you? Do you want to stay with her?”
Asher remained silent, though Luna kept a firm hold on his hand. “Asher, please say something,” she urged.
After a moment, Asher finally spoke, “I want to stay with Mommy.”
Upon hearing Asher’s declaration, Luna arrogantly stated, “Did you hear that? Asher prefers to be with me. After all, I’m the one who truly cares for him and plans for his future.” Mia narrowed her eyes upon hearing Luna’s boasting. “You’re probably just planning for your own benefit, aren’t you?”
Feeling somewhat vulnerable after
Mia’s observation, Luna swiftly turned to Timothy. “If you intend to take Asher away, you may, but one condition-you must acknowledge only Asher as child.
“You cannot recognize Mia’s children as part of the Barrett family, nor can you designate any inheritance to them in the future.”
Mia scoffed in response. “As if I would be interested.”
Upon Mia’s words, Timothy’s gaze turned toward her, his expression betraying a mix of complexity and emotion.
Mia couldn’t ignore Timothy’s intense stare, yet she maintained her composure, confident that she hadn’t misspoken. Despite the option of a life of ease, she persisted in her relentless efforts, solely for the security of her children’s future.
Keen to incite conflict, Luna deliberately interjected, “Tim, take a look at this,” she taunted. “It appears your sincerity is lost on others.”
If Luna could drive a wedge between them and convince Timothy to transfer his assets to Asher, she would secure her future indefinitely.
Timothy, however, swiftly dismissed Luna’s provocation. “Enough. Since when have you earned the right to address me like that? Are we even remotely close?”
Luna’s pride took a hit, yet she persisted, refusing to yield. “Mr. Barrett, I’m simply offering advice. Sometimes, blood ties hold little weight. If the Lane family regards you so poorly, why subject yourself to their indifference?”
Timothy’s tone turned cold. “Luna, spare me your schemes. I’m well aware of your intentions. Since you’ve failed to raise Asher properly, there’s no reason for you to be near him.”
“Timothy, your audacity is astounding,” Luna retorted. “Have you forgotten Asher’s position as the mayor’s grandson? Why would he even consider returning to the Barrett family with you?
“Who’s to say you won’t discard him later? Remaining here offers him a promising future. Besides, Asher is no fool. He knows how to choose wisely.”
Clasping Asher’s hand tightly, Luna fixed Timothy and Mia with a determined gaze. “Just watch. Asher and I will carve out a far superior life than either of you.”
Mia’s laughter burst forth abruptly, her eyes filled with disdain as she regarded Luna. “I’m intrigued by your unwavering confidence. Is it solely because you’re Mr. Shelbert’s illegitimate daughter? “Even if Asher were to rise to the position of the mayor’s grandson in the future, what significance would it truly hold?
“How does the influence of the Shelbert family measure up against that of the Lane family? Don’t presume that the Lane family’s deference to Mr. Shelbert translates into fear.”
Luna felt a surge of anger. “Fine, if that’s your perspective, let’s see how this unfolds. I won’t let this matter go easily.”
“Very well, I’ll be interested to see your next move,” Mia countered.
She refused to continue appeasing the situation. Luna seemed emboldened now, likely influenced by Raymond’s position as the mayor.
If Mia persisted in tolerating Luna’s audacious behavior, wouldn’t that suggest that the Lane family was intimidated by Raymond?
While Mia could endure personal conflicts with Luna, she couldn’t stand by idly when it involved net
Afterall, her children were her utmost priority.
Following Luna and Asher’s departure, Tonya also left without a word.
With a regretful demeanor, Casey addressed Mia, “Ms. Lane, I apologize. Asher’s behavior is.net best but due to his status, we’ve been hesitant to address it S
Mia nodded resolutely. “I understand, but Asher won’t be staying here much longer. I won’t allow anyone to endanger Sage’s well-being.”
As Mia left the room, Timothy walked beside her.
After a moment of silence, he spoke up, “I’ll ensure accountability for this situation. Asher can’t remain with Luna any longer.”
Having witnessed Asher’s behavior firsthand, Timothy finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
If Asher continued to be under Luna’s influence, his future would inevitably suffer.
Mia halted, fixing her gaze on
Timothy.”So, what’s your strategy? If Asher stays with Luna, what sort of individual do you envision him becoming? I doubt I need to spell it Out.”
“I understand. I’ll find a way to remove Asher from that situation,” Timothy affirmed.
“It might not be so simple. Mr. Shelbert has always desired a male heir to continue his family legacy. Since he doesn’t have a son, a grandson would likely suffice.
“My point is he won’t easily allow you to take Asher away, especially since legally, Asher is Luna’s biological child. If you pursue custody, you have no legal standing,” Mia explained.
It appeared that resolving this matter would be challenging unless Timothy voluntarily disclosed the truth about Asher’s parentage. However, Mia knew this was highly improbable. Moreover, Luna would likely escalate her actions if Timothy were to reveal his true identity.
Timothy hesitated before asking, “Is Sage okay? I heard they were in a fight.”
“You should be more concerned about Asher,” Mia replied. “After all, Nicholas taught Sage self-defense techniques, and he ended up pinning Asher to the ground and giving him quite a beating.”
Timothy breathed a sigh of relief at Mia’s words. He knew Sage had faced many challenges growing up.
Upon hearing about the altercation earlier, Timothy swiftly put everything else aside and hastened to Sage’s side.
However, he hadn’t expected Asher to be the one involved in the fight with Sage.
Mia paused before continuing, “Regarding Luna’s ankle tattoo, I’ve conducted some investigation. I strongly suspect she was behind the attack back then.
“When I hinted to Luna that Grandma Laura would soon wake up and recover, her reaction was quite telling. She seemed unusually anxious about the prospect of Grandma Laura regaining consciousness.”
Timothy’s expression grew serious. “I’ve also initiated a reinvestigation into the maids from that time. Though we haven’t uncovered concrete evidence, some witnesses recall seeing Luna sneaking upstairs to visit Grandma.”
“But we lack direct evidence, don’t we?”
Even if Mia were to confront Luna head-on, there was no way to conclusively incriminate her.
Lowering his gaze, Timothy reassured her, “Since you’ve considered it thoroughly, I trust you have a plan in place. Whatever it is, I’ll stand by you.”
Mia acknowledged his support with a nod. “Got it, those are your words, not mine. When the time is right, I’ll fill you in on the details.”
After a brief exchange, Mia left the kindergarten. However, Timothy trailed behind her. “Where are you headed? Let me give you a lift,” he suggested. “No, thank you. I have my own car. Besides, I’m heading to the office,” Mia declined.
“I’m confident that a partnership between Aide Castle Hotel and the Barrett Group would be mutually advantageous. With my expertise in Bern City, I can ensure the hotel’s development reaches
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unprecedented heights.”
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Glancing back at Timothy, Mia responded, “I’ll need some time t consider this. There are other potential collaborators, so I must weigh my options carefully S
“Regardless of their identity or what they bring to the table in terms of investment or management, none of them can match my capabilities,” Timothy asserted confidently.
“That may not necessarily be true,” Mia countered.
