Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Seeing Shelly take the bait, Mia nodded graciously and said, “Of course. But since you’re Mr. Barrett’s cousin, it seems a bit formal to discuss payment. Let’s consider it a gift from me to you.”
“Really?”
Shelly was elated. She hadn’t anticipated Mia’s generosity in simply giving her the bag. After all, it was a rare and expensive item.
As they exchanged WhatsApp contacts, Shelly tentatively asked, “Monalize, did you meet Tim on Xanier Island?”
“Yes, he reached out to me to purchase some reishi mushrooms.”
Mia’s gaze drifted toward the emergency room. “Anyway, how did Mrs. Barrett Senior end
Mia had looked into the Barrett family’s background, but all she found was information about Laura’s illness. The reasons behind her vegetative state remained a mystery.
What was clear, though, was that Laura’s deterioration had started around the time Mia left the Barrett family four years ago.
The timing of these two events sparked Mia’s suspicions, suggesting a possible connection between them.
Meanwhile, Shelly, still reveling in her newfound designer bag, spoke candidly, “It’s all because of Tim’s awful ex¨Cwife. She’s the one responsible for Grandma’s condition. Initially, Grandma was recovering well from her surgery, but then everything took a turn for the worse.”
Upon hearing the mention of the “awful ex¨Cwife,” Mia’s expression turned cold. “Is that so? Please, enlighten me. How exactly did this ex¨Cwife contribute to Mrs. Barrett Senior’s condition?”
Just as Shelly was about to speak, her gaze met Monalize’s, whose features bore a striking resemblance to Mia’s.
Shelly abruptly went quiet, guilt flickering in her eyes. Speaking with Monalize felt eerily similar to conversing with Mia herself.
Despite this, Shelly was determined not to abandon the limited edition bag she had just acquired. She mustered a forced smile and asked, “Monalize, what piques your interest about the past?”
Could this woman truly be Mia?
It seemed implausible. Mia was supposed to be dead, and no one dared to utter her name in Timothy’s presence.
Mia responded with a cryptic smile, “Well, Mr. Barrett mentioned that his ex¨Cwife bears a striking resemblance to me, so naturally, I’m curious about their history.”
Shelly breathed a sigh of relief. That explained it. Surely, this gracious woman standing before her couldn’t possibly be Mia.
At that moment, Luna arrived at the hospital. Rushing out of the elevator, she spotted Shelly standing with Monalize, yet the box containing the reishi mushrooms was nowhere in sight.
Luna’s heart sank, and she immediately called out, “Shelly!”
“Hey, Luna, you’re back too. Did you manage to find those shoes I asked for, the ones from the Black Pearl Series?”
Luna forced a smile as she replied, “Sorry, Shelly. I checked, but they didn’t have the shoes you wanted, so I didn’t bring them back.”
Shelly’s expression darkened as Luna’s words sank in.
Mia interjected, “Shelly, were you referring to the Vior Black Pearl collection shoes? What size do you wear?”
Shelly’s eyes lit up instantly. “I wear size 37.”
Mia feigned a disappointed sigh. “That’s a shame. I bought size 36 shoes when I was on Xanier Island, so they probably wouldn’t fit you. Otherwise, I would have gladly given you the shoes.¡®
“Really? You’d do that for me?”
Shelly swiftly changed her tune. “You know, Monalize, I actually wear sizes between 36 and 37, so this size might just fit. I’ve heard that this series tends to run large, so fingers crossed.
Observing Shelly’s greedy demeanor, Mia’s eyes betrayed a trace of mockery. It seemed that her former cousin¨Cin¨Claw was rather vain.
However, the truth was that the Vior Black Pearl series shoes didn’t typically run large. If anything, they tended to run slightly small.
But for Shelly, this was also a blessing in disguise. After all, any issue that could be resolved. with money wasn’t truly a problem.
Mia graciously responded, “Of course, I happened to pick up some new shoes during my time on Xanier Island as well. I’ve only tried them on once and haven’t actually worn them out yet. I hope you don’t mind, Shelly.”
“Not at all. Monalize, you’re too generous,” Shelly exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.
She was finally going to acquire those coveted Black Pearl shoes, along with the handbag she was about to receive. This time, Shelly was determined to exact her revenge on those snobbish ladies!
Observing Shelly’s expression, Luna couldn’t help but interject, “Shelly, those shoes seem to be on the smaller side. You might not be able to wear them.”
Shelly swiftly dismissed Luna’s concerns. Instead, she sounded rather pleased with herself.” Luna, I’ve been eyeing those shoes for a while now, and I’m quite knowledgeable about them. I’m sure you must be mistaken.”
Regardless of whether the shoes were large or small, Shelly was determined to acquire them.
Why would Luna attempt to spoil things at such a pivotal moment?
Luna was aware of Shelly’s vanity, yet she was determined not to let Monalize prevail.
She discreetly took Shelly aside and murmured, “Shelly, how can you be so quick to accept gifts from her? Haven’t you noticed the uncanny resemblance she bears to someone?”
Was Shelly that oblivious?
Shelly’s demeanor grew slightly uneasy as she responded, “I’m aware that Monalize resembles Mia. However, they’re not the same person; it’s just a coincidence that they look alike.”
“Shelly, you’re too naive. You don’t understand how dangerous she could be. She might be a cunning witch, possibly Mia resurrected, seeking revenge,” Luna cautioned, her voice barely above a whisper.
Upon hearing Luna’s words, Shelly’s expression froze. “That’s unlikely. They simply share a resemblance, that’s all,” she insisted.
If it were indeed Mia, she wouldn’t be so generous with these designer items.
Observing the two women exchanging whispers, Mia gave Shelly a subtle smile before speaking, “Shelly, I’ve already instructed my assistant to bring over the bag and shoes. You can simply pick them up later.”
“Really? Monalize, you’re too kind,” Shelly exclaimed.
She was thrilled about the designer items and eagerly approached Mia, brimming with excitement.
Luna’s tone sharpened. “Monalize, it’s your first time meeting Shelly today, yet you’re offering her luxury items out of nowhere. It makes one wonder if you have hidden motives.”
Shelly, feeling a bit uneasy after Luna’s remark, cautiously asked, “Yeah, Monalize, why are you being so generous to me all of a sudden?”
Could there be an ulterior motive behind her actions?
Mia let out a sudden chuckle. “Shelly, it’s just a bag I never used and a pair of shoes Bought once. Do you seriously think this qualifies as me being kind to you? You seem rather maive and easily influenced, don’t you?”
Shelly’s expression momentarily stiffened, feeling too embarrassed to reply. She could only shoot Luna a silent glare, blaming her for the awkward situation.
After all, Shelly was also an heiress of the Barrett family; bow could she be swayed by just two luxury items?
Luna persisted, “Shelly, I’m doing this for your own good.”
Mia couldn’t help but chuckle in response. “Shelly, Luna i’r at fault here. Plus, I have plenty of unused bags, shoes, and clothes that I don’t have anyone to share wi
“When I met you today, I sensed a connection and decided to give you the handbag and shoes. If you’re uncomfortable about it, we can just forget about the whole thing.
“Don’t say that, Monalize. There’s nothing improper about this. I also feel a connection with you, and since I lack female friends, having someone like you to share things with brings me a lot of joy.”
Shelly felt somewhat anxious about the possibility of losing the handbag and shoes that were within her reach, especially since she had already mentioned them in the group chat.
If Shelly couldn’t produce the handbag and shoes now, she knew she would face mockery from those snobbish women.
Casting a smirk in Luna’s direction, Mia remarked, “However, being suspected of having hidden intentions can pose quite a challenge for me.”
“Don’t worry about it, Monalize. Luna isn’t familiar with our affluent lifestyle; she comes from a modest background,” Shelly chimed in.
As Shelly’s words trailed off, Mia couldn’t help but notice Luna’s expression darken considerably.
Was Luna struggling to handle the insult?
How had the situation escalated to this extent?
Mia glanced at Luna, then quickly covered her mouth, faking a smile. “Shelly, let’s not say things like that. We wouldn’t want to upset Ms. Maynard.”
“Luna is incredibly understanding; she won’t take offense,” Shelly insisted.
Mia couldn’t help but notice Luna struggling to maintain her composure.
“I understand, but for individuals like us who casually indulge in luxury items, bags and shoes are merely superficial possessions. Ms. Maynard seems to attach excessive importance to them,” Mia remarked.
Shelly readily agreed, “Exactly. For people from more modest backgrounds, a luxury item could represent their entire year’s salary, so they tend to attach great significance to it.”
A hint of bitterness flashed in Luna’s eyes. Despite her inner turmoil, she forced a composed expression and inquired, “Shelly, how is Grandma Laura’s condition?”
“They’re still doing everything they can to save her. It’s difficult to predict when it will all be over,” Shelly replied.
Glancing at the time, she realized it was already quite late. Had Laura’s condition not suddenly deteriorated, Shelly wouldn’t have been summoned to the hospital by Harriette to attend to Laura.
After all, Harriette had made it clear that she needed to behave well in front of Timothy to continue receiving her monthly allowance.
Were it not for financial considerations, Shelly wouldn’t have found herself at the hospital in the dead of night, pretending to be dutiful.
Moments later, Timothy and Caleb emerged from the consultation room.
Luna hurried over. “Tim, how’s Grandma? I heard she received the reishi mushroom. What did the doctor say?”
Luna displayed apparent concern for Laura, yet deep down, she dreaded the prospect of Laura waking up.