Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Mia stood frozen in place, utterly stunned by his words.
Eventually, she lifted her gaze, a hint of resignation showing in her smile. “Had I heard those words six months ago, or even just a few months back, I would have been overjoyed. But now…”
“What’s changed?” Timothy asked. Observing Mia’s smile, Timothy felt a growing sense of unease settling in.
Her gaze remained firm as she responded, “Now, I’m convinced that divorce is the right choice.”
“If it’s about the twins, there’s no need for concern. I’ve promised to care for them as if they were my own, and I intend to honor that commitment!” Timothy reassured her.
Mia shook her head. “While the children are a factor, they’re not the primary concern. Timothy, I married you because I truly liked you back then.
“Now, I’m looking for a marriage that isn’t just about settling, but one where there’s real harmony between husband and wife.”
Timothy met her gaze. “If you’re expecting me to fall in love with you, I can’t promise that. However, as Mrs. Barett, you’ll have all the authority and privileges, sharing in everything I possess!”
From his perspective, sharing mutual benefits was the cornerstone of maintaining a relationship.
“But that’s not what I want,” Mia insisted. “I want to marry for love, above all else.”
Mia understood that Timothy wasn’t considering a divorce now because of Laura, yet she wasn’t willing to make compromises.
Eventually, Timothy became silent.
Mia withdrew her hand. “Mr. Barrett, it’s best if we part ways amicably.”
Upon hearing her words, Timothy tugged at his tie, feeling a wave of uncertainty unlike any he had experienced before.
He desperately wanted to hold onto Mia, yet he realized that despite his efforts, he couldn’t persuade her to stay.
Dealing with emotions was uncharted territory for Timothy, leaving him too uncertain to offer any assurances.
Unable to hold back any longer, Timothy finally asked, “So, is this why you’re in such a hurry to finish your credits? So you can return to Nord City with Connor and the twins?”
As Timothy voiced his thoughts, Mia’s expression betrayed unease. How had Timothy become aware of her plans?
Observing her reaction, Timothy recognized that he had struck a chord. Yet, despite this, he felt even more powerless.
“Mia, the Lane family’s situation is far more complex than my family’s. Moving to Nord City might not be the best choice. It’s wiser for you to stay here!”
At least within the Barrett family, Mia had Laura and Timothy to protect her.
“This is my decision!” Mia declared. Having already made up her mind to live with her brothers, she found Timothy’s words somewhat perplexing.
Despite Mia’s limited knowledge of her brothers¡® family situation, Timothy seemed surprisingly well- informed.
Had he conducted an investigation?
Nonetheless, it appeared that Timothy hadn’t discovered her relationship with Connor.
Was this a stroke of luck or a missed opportunity?
Looking up at Timothy, Mia said, “Well, I’ll be on my way then.”
“Wait, please take these items with you.”
Mia turned around and spotted the neatly packed items. They were most likely clothes, as the baby crib and stroller had probably been sent away earlier.
After a moment’s pause, she suggested, “Perhaps we should return these. Besides, Martha has already left, and she wouldn’t know.”
In response, Timothy furrowed his brows. “It’s not like I can’t afford these items. Just take them. You’re leaving anyway, aren’t you? Consider them as gifts for the babies.”
Mia was momentarily caught off guard. Didn’t Timothy dislike children?
At that moment, Mia struggled to grasp Timothy’s intentions.
She averted her gaze. “There’s still quite some time until the babies are due, and no one around me knows about my pregnancy. I don’t want to bring all this stuff home so early.”
Timothy’s eyes narrowed slightly. Did this mean Connor was unaware of her pregnancy?
Perhaps Mia had some reservations about Connor.
Considering this, Timothy’s demeanor lightened. “In that case, we can simply leave them in our home for now. You can retrieve them later when you have the time.”
“We’ll see. Besides, if you have children in the future, you can use them too.”
Timothy frowned. “I’ve already said I won’t have any biological children.”
Observing his serious expression, Mia felt even more reluctant to tell Timothy the truth about her pregnancy.
Nonetheless, she didn’t want her babies to grow up in a home lacking parental love.
After leaving the mall, Mia headed straight to campus to study, mindful of her upcoming exams.
“Mia?”
Hearing her name, Mia looked up and saw Dana.
“Dana, what have you been up to these past few days? I haven’t heard back from you at all. Last time, I even got the conductor’s autograph for you. If you had come, you could have taken a photo with him.”
“Mia, I had to deal with some issues at home, so I couldn’t make it.”
With a guilty expression, Dana continued, “What have you been busy with lately?”
“I’ve been focusing on my exams, trying to graduate as soon as possible. You know I’ve been delayed for
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a few years because I didn’t have enough social credits and electives,” Mia elaborated.
“What are your plans after graduation?”
“Well, I intend to go to Nord City after I graduate.” As Mia mentioned Nord City, a slight smile graced her lips. After all, her family resided there.
After chatting for a while, Dana excused herself to go to the restroom and stepped outside.
She discreetly dialed Maya’s number. “Hello, Ms. Lane. I’ve learned about Mia’s plans. She intends to relocate to Nord City after finishing her exams and graduating.”
“Move to Nord City? Are you sure that’s what she said?” Maya responded, her grip on the phone tightening.
How dare Mia, that bitch, plan to go to Nord City?
Could it be that Mia recalled something from her past, or perhaps the Lane family has already discovered Mia’s true identity?
But that couldn’t be possible; if the Lanes had found the real heiress, they would have announced it by now.
Maya’s expression hardened. “Find out why Mia is heading to Nord City, and do it quickly. We can’t afford to waste time.”
She was determined to uncover the reason before Mia’s relocation to Nord City.
If the situation was truly going downhill, she needed to act decisively and take preemptive measures!
After ending the call, Maya drove directly to the hospital to find Connor, intending to extract information from the Lanes.
She made her way to Connor’s office and found him there. “Connor, do you have a moment?” she inquired.
“I’m quite busy right now. What are you doing here?” Connor replied, his tone cold.
Taking a deep breath, Maya said, “Connor, I have some good news for you¨CI’ve located the true heiress of the Lane family.”
Upon hearing Maya’s words, Connor’s expression grew uneasy. Could it be that Maya was aware of
Mia’s true identity?
However, it didn’t make sense. If Maya truly knew who Mia was, her reaction wouldn’t be like this.
Connor quickly composed himself. “Is that so? Did you recall some clues from the orphanage that you hadn’t remembered before?”
Maya’s expression appeared somewhat awkward.
“Yes, it suddenly dawned on me recently. I bumped into her on campus, and because we used to be close friends, I immediately felt a sense of familiarity when I saw her.
“It wasn’t until yesterday that I realized she might be the person you’ve been searching for.”
“Why didn’t you inform us yesterday then?”
Connor’s gaze held a trace of scrutiny as Maya replied calmly, “There have been numerous false alarms over the years, and I didn’t want to disappoint you again.
“So, I discreetly arranged for someone to investigate and confirm her identity before telling you this good news.”
Observing Maya’s assured demeanor, Connor persisted, “Who is this person you’ve found?”
“Her name is Dana McQueen, a student in the Literature Department. We were both raised in the same orphanage. It wasn’t until we talked about our childhood that I recognized her.”
Connor acknowledged with a nod. “I’ll conduct a thorough investigation.”