Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
What if Mia got upset and ignored him later?
“Don’t be absurd. Whatever comes our way, we face it together as brothers! A family stays united!”
Dominic led Nathan and Connor to the engagement venue, his expression resembling that of a soldier marching into battle.
However, upon arrival, there was no trace of Mia.
Dominic searched around but couldn’t find her. Could it be that she wasn’t showin up?
Maya smiled and asked, “Dominic, who are you looking for?”
Swiftly changing the subject, Connor inquired, “The engagement is about to begin; where’s the groom?”
Maya’s expression shifted uncomfortably upon hearing the question.
“Mrs. Barrett went to look for Tim,” she replied. For some inexplicable reason, she had a sinking feeling.
Just then, Sharon returned with a puzzled look. “How odd. I can’t get in touch with Tim on his phone, and Heath is also unresponsive.”
Shelly impulsively exclaimed, “On such an important day, do you think Tim might be considering running away from the wedding?”
The mention of “running away” made Maya
Iv uneasy
She hastily took out her phone to call Timothy, but it repeatedly displayed “no answer” on the other end. A profound sense of panic swept over her.
“It’s impossible. Tim was just here a moment ago. How could he suddenly change his mind and leave? There must be something holding him back.”
Sensing the tension, Sharon tried to diffuse the situation. “I agree. Tim must be caught up with something. He was with me just a while ago.”
Upon realizing her earlier comment was insensitive, Shelly swiftly added, “Yes, Timothy seems to be quite busy. There might be an urgent matter causing a delay. Shall we give it a little more time?
Mustering a smile, Maya addressed Shelly and Sharon. “Alright, everyone, please take your seats.
I’ll go touch up my makeup.”
Maya devised a reason to excuse herself and briskly directed Blake, “Where’s Timothy? Assign someone to track him down. After all, it’s not a large space.”
“Understood. I’ll proceed immediately.”
Maya remained in place, her eyelid twitching continuously.
Dominic approached, questioning. “Where did Timothy go?”
“Dominic, I’ve dispatched Blake to search for him. Considering the relatively small size of this place, we should receive updates shortly.”
Dominic couldn’t help but frown.
Maya’s expression shifted uncomfortably upon hearing the question.
“Mrs. Barrett went to look for Tim,” she replied. For some inexplicable reason, she had a sinking feeling.
Just then, Sharon returned with a puzzled look. “How odd. I can’t get in touch with Tim on his phone, and Heath is also unresponsive.”
Shelly impulsively exclaimed, “On such an important day, do you think Tim might be considering running away from the wedding?”
The mention of “running away” made Maya visibly uneasy.
She hastily took out her phone to call Timothy, but it repeatedly displayed “no answer” on the other end. A profound sense of panic swept over her.
“It’s impossible. Tim was just here a moment ago. How could he suddenly change his mind and leave? There must be something holding him back.”
Sensing the tension, Sharon tried to diffuse the situation. “I agree. Tim must be caught up with something. He was with me just a while ago.”
Upon realizing her earlier comment was insensitive, Shelly swiftly added, “Yes, Timothy seems to be quite busy. There might be an urgent matter causing a delay. Shall we give it a little more time?
Mustering a smile, Maya addressed Shelly and Sharon. “Alright, everyone, please take your seats. I’ll go touch up my makeup.”
Maya devised a reason to excuse herself and briskly directed Blake, “Where’s Timothy? Assign someone to track him down. After all, it’s not a large space.”
“Understood. I’ll proceed immediately.”
Maya remained in place, her eyelid twitching continuously.
Dominic approached, questioning, “Where did Timothy go?”
“Dominic, I’ve dispatched Blake to search for him. Considering the relatively small size of this place, we should receive updates shortly.”
Dominic couldn’t help but frown.
“But it’s your engagement day today. Regardless of how occupied Timothy may be, he shouldn’t vanish without a trace, especially when he’s unreachable. His behavior is truly unacceptable,” he retorted.
“Dominic, Tim has a demanding job. I can empathize with his situation.” Maya chimed in.
Dominic sighed. “Do as you wish. Since this is your decision, I won’t press further.”
He couldn’t comprehend what made Timothy so indispensable to Maya.
Unbeknownst to Maya, Timothy still harbored feelings for Mia.
Dominic returned to his seat, lowering his voice as he addressed Connor. “Where’s Mia? Why haven’t I seen her?”
“I’ll go find out.”
Connor had previously met Felix, Mia’s studio boss who was also present at the venue.
Standing up, Connor walked over to Felix. “Felix, do you mind if we have a quick chat?”
“Not at all. lid love to.”
In reality, Felix was also perplexed. Wasn’t Connor Mia’s brother? Why was he here today, attending Maya’s engagement ceremony and even seated in the family section?
Connor glanced around. “Is Mia not attending today?”
“She was supposed to be here, but there’s been no sign of her.
“I’ve messaged her on WhatsApp and called multiple times, but her phone is now completely turned off,” Felix expressed, his displeasure evident.
Given the significance of today’s engagement ceremony for the studio, Mia’s absence as the designer was highly embarrassing for him.
Upon hearing this, Connor promptly dialed Mia’s number, confirming that her phone was indeed switched off.
Something seemed amiss. Why was her phone turned off?
Connor glanced at Felix and inquired, “Has Mia not responded to any of your messages?”
“At first, she did. She mentioned encountering an issue that caused a slight delay but assured me she’d be here as soon as it was resolved. However, it’s been hours, and there’s still no sign of her.”
Connor felt a sense of unease. Mia wouldn’t just switch off her phone without reason. Something
Frowning, Connor inquired, “Did Mia explain the reason for her delay earlier this morning?”
“She mentioned running into her adoptive parents and said she’d be a bit late.”
“Adoptive parents?”
Connor couldn’t help but frown. Bob and Mary seemed to have a knack for causing trouble, showing up to bother Mia again.
Felix cautiously spoke up. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask since a moment ago.”
Connor turned his attention to Felix, asking, “What do you want to know?”
“I genuinely don’t have any ulterior motives. It’s just that seeing all of you at the engagement ceremony caught me by surprise. Are you somehow related to Ms. Lane? Mia has never mentioned this before.”
When Mia met Maya, her demeanor was distant, lacking the warmth a person might expect between relatives.
Connor raised an eyebrow, realizing he had almost forgotten about this matter.
Initially, they thought Mia would be present today, and there seemed to be no need to conceal their identities.
However, with Mia absent, the situation had taken an unexpected turn.
Clearing his throat, Connor explained, “Well, we’re distant relatives.”
Felix nodded in response and added, “Considering the significance of Ms. Lane’s engagement, it’s quite surprising that her family hasn’t made an appearance.”
“Engagement doesn’t carry the same weight as marriage. Societal norms have evolved.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Felix didn’t dwell too much on it, acknowledging his unfamiliarity with aristocratic family dynamics.
However, the revelation about Mia’s connection to the esteemed Lane family in Nord City caught him off guard.