Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Timothy could lend them money so that they could purchase a house. Then, he could buy them a car. He might even be able to find everyone a high-paying job!
Mia’s breath hitched. She had already agreed to divorce Timothy. If he lent her parents money, she would be no different from a gold digger.
Mia looked at Mary and Mildred before speaking,
“You heard it loud and clear just now. I wear the pants in this household. I have the final say, and his words won’t count.”
Mary doubted Mia’s words. “I call bullshit. Timothy is rich. The one in charge of everything is definitely him, not you. Right, Timothy?”
Mia pursed her lips and looked at Timothy anxiously, expecting the latter to say no. She prayed that Timothy caught the hint from what she had said earlier.
Timothy tidied his sleeves and ordered, “Come here.” Mia was puzzled by the instruction, but she walked toward Timothy nonetheless to see what he was trying to do.
As soon as she approached the man, Timothy grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into his arms.
Mia stiffened. She gazed at Timothy wide-eyed.
Timothy then lifted his head to address the two greedy women on the couch. “I am rich, yes.”
Mildred and Mary exchanged glances and grinned, celebrating their impending victory.
But the next moment, Timothy added, “But I give all my money to Mia. Mia gets to decide how to spend it.”
His masculine voice echoed in Mia’s mind. They were so close to each other. Her nose could pick up the faint minty scent of Timothy, and she could hear his beating heart.
Timothy gazed down and whispered, “Do what you want with my money. I’m fine with everything.”
Mia scrutinized the handsome face before her.
Despite his soothing voice, Timothy’s soul-reaching eyes did not make way for his mysterious mind.
Mia was lost. Why was Timothy helping her all of a sudden?
Mia composed herself and turned to Mary and Mildred.
The celebratory grin on their faces froze, clearly not expecting that Timothy would give Mia the right to veto everything. Would Mary and Mildred regret what they did just now? Either way, it felt good to be vindicated.
Mary pressed on shamelessly. “Mia, Timothy lets you decide. Just lend us the money already.”
Mildred nodded too. “Timothy is so generous. Surely you won’t be stingy and petty?” Gosh, shameless people were always the loudest.
Mia answered coldly, “I’d rather donate to a charity than lend you money. Just give up.”
“How dare you, Mia! We adopted you and funded your education. Now that you have your brothers and rich husband to fall back on, you want to kick us away? No way!”
Brothers? Timothy stared into Mia’s eyes. “What brothers?”
Within seconds. Timothy felt that Mia had become a stranger to him.
Mary sneered, “It’s one of those relationships, you know? Guys love jumping in to protect the girls as long as they sweetly call them their “big brothers” in the coyest way possible.”
Several of Mia’s “brothers” appeared and took the assets under Patricia’s name. They even got into a fight.
Mary was convinced that there was more to these “brothers’ than met the eye.
Timothy squinted, recalling the man who picked Mia up in his helicopter, and the mysterious man who paid the hospital ten years’ worth of hospital bills. Timothy still couldn’t identify those men until now. Could they be Mia’s “brothers”?
Not one to let Mary insult her brothers, Mia barked, “Holly, take them away. If they make a scene, ask the security to call the police.
Mary scowled, “Mia, you’re an ungrateful daughter. You ought to be slapped!”
Mildred slumped to the ground, “Oh, Lord! What have I done to deserve this granddaughter of mine? She abandoned her family as soon as she found a rich husband.”
Unfamiliar with the scene before her, Holly wasn’t sure what to do.
Mia was deeply embarrassed.
Timothy grabbed a mug nearby and smashed it against the ground.
He hollered, “Mia told you to leave. So leave!”
Timothy looked fearsome when he was angry.
Mia turned to look at Timothy incredulously. Was he trying to protect her?
However, Timothy’s foul mood managed to stop Mildred from continuing her antics.
She saw that Timothy was angry so she got up and left the house while making a fuss.
Mary was afraid of Timothy as well. Since Mildred had left, Mary figured that she should zip her mouth and make herself scarce.
Just like that, peace returned to the living room.
Mia looked at the shattered mug on the floor and smiled bitterly. “You can laugh at me now.”
Yes, her family was ridiculous and unreasonable.
Patricia helped Mia cover it up for three years but Mary and Mildred found them.
The cat was out of the bag.
Perhaps she accidentally exposed herself when she posted the photos on social media. She was too happy.
Timothy thought about it and proposed, “Knowing your foster parents, they won’t stop until you give them the prize money. I can get you a lawyer to settle this dispute.”
“No need.” Mia turned Timothy down. She could ask Jason for help.
Timothy frowned, not taking the rejection well. “Why? Because you think my lawyer sucks?”
“Don’t get it wrong. I know a lawyer too. I don’t want to bother you.”
Timothy suppressed his anger. “He’s one of your ¡®brothers,’ hm?”
Mia nodded. “Yeah.”
Jason did help her.
All her brothers were kind to her.
Timothy yanked at his own tie in exasperation upon hearing Mia’s affirmative response.
“He sure takes good care of you then. He picked you up with his helicopter, let you stay in a five-star hotel, settled the hospital bill for you, and now, he’s settling the financial dispute for you.”
Mia’s “brother” sure knew how to win a woman’s heart.
No wonder Mia was ready to divorce him. She had already found a new beau!
Mia was shocked. “What medical bill?”
Timothy glared at Mia. “Yeah, play dumb. Aren’t you trying to look all vulnerable so that men would flock to protect you? Congratulations then. You found yourself a gullible ATM.”
Mia stiffened.
So, Timothy believed in what Mary said. He thought that she had found someone else.
Mia cast down her eyes and faked nonchalance. “Thank you.” She saw no need to clarify the misunderstanding Timothy currently harbored.
Mia’s grateful response only fueled Timothy’s rage. He pressed his lips and uttered, “Mia, behave now. Don’t get all chummy with another man.”
Mia rebutted plainly, “But we’re divorced.”
“As long as we haven’t headed to the city council to finalize it, you remain married to me. You can’t flirt with other men unless you don’t love yourself.”
“Let’s find a day and visit the city council then.”
Timothy tossed away his tie angrily. “So, you’re doing this again. You know Laura doesn’t want us to get a divorce. Is this a threat now?”
“I’m not trying to coerce you or something.” Mia looked at Timothy and continued matter-of-factly, “We can finalize the divorce in secret. We don’t have to tell Laura before she gets her surgery.”
“You think Laura is a fool?” Timothy grabbed Mia by her chin. “You want to divorce me this badly. Is it because you can’t wait to marry your new boyfriend? Can you deal with the consequences if Laura catches wind of this?
Timothy’s powerful grip began to hurt her jaw.
Mia narrowed her eyes. “I just want to make way for Ms. Lane. I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”
“This has nothing to do with Maya!” Timothy wasn’t marrying Maya anyway. He looked at Mia haughtily and warned. “I’ll say it once. If your crazy antics upset Laura, I’ll make you and your new boyfriend pay the price.”
Mia’s heart sank into an icy pond. In Timothy’s eyes, she was nothing but a harlot. She knew the protective side of him just now was an illusion.
No, he wasn’t even protective. He merely handed the problem back to her. It was all her wishful thinking.
Mia swatted Timothy’s hand away and said sternly, “Don’t you worry about that. I care more than anyone about Laura. To convince her to get her surgery done, I can do anything.”
Mia turned around to grab the bag on the sofa, but Timothy seized her wrist. “Stay right here.”