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“Mia, do you have any further comments?”
Upon glimpsing the photo, Mia casually set her phone aside and remarked, “I don’t really have anything to say about it.”
Timothy leaned back, his gaze penetrating. “Aren’t you going to elaborate? Why did you fake your death and disappear in the first place? And was Ginger the child you were carrying?”
Mia met his gaze squarely. “Since we’ve reached this juncture, there’s no point in hiding anymore.”
While slipping the ring onto her finger, she remarked, “I must admit, I rather fancy this ring. But to downplay my excitement, I pretended to decline your proposal.”
Timothy narrowed his gaze. “What exactly are you implying?”
“I mean, Mr. Barrett, I see you as a great prospect for marriage¨Chandsome, wealthy, and kind to my daughter.
“That’s precisely why I played hard to get and traveled to Bern City to pursue you, though I couldn’t reveal my true feelings.
“Considering my resemblance to your ex¨Cwife, I thought it could be beneficial to reach out to Aunt Patricia. I wanted to explore more about your past relationship, hoping it could help us grow closer.”
“Mia, keep spinning your tale. Do you honestly think I’ll fall for it?”
“Well, Mr. Barrett, if you remain unconvinced, you’re welcome to verify with
Aunt Patricia. Despite my admiration for you, I refuse to be a substitute for someone else.”
As Mia spoke, she maintained an innocent and earnest demeanor, though internally, she was filled with anxiety.
Their eyes met for a moment.
“But I still have doubts,” Timothy said, tapping the table lightly.
“What would it take for you to trust me then?”
“Arrange for Ginger to receive her treatment in Bern City.”
Mia’s pupils narrowed. “That’s not possible.”
“Why not? Are you planning to take advantage of me to cure Ginger’s illness and then run away with her? Do you really think I’m that gullible?”
Timothy was well aware of Mia’s intentions.
Letting her take Ginger back to Nord City would pose a significant challenge for him to track them down again, especially since it was the territory of the Lane family.
Mia couldn’t help but curse inwardly, regretting her decision to visit Patricia so soon.
Despite this, Mia knew that the truth would inevitably surface. However, she hadn’t expected Timothy to monitor Patricia instead of her.
This explained wire Dominic hadn’t informed Patricia that Mia was still alive.
But what should Mia do next?
She forced herself to remain calm. “You’ve obviously confused me with someone else, Mr. Barrett.””
“If you want me to believe you, you must agree to leave Ginger in Bern City for her treatment. That’s my condition!”
Mia’s heart skipped a beat; she hadn’t expected Timothy to suggest leaving Ginger in Bern City for treatment.
It caught Mia completely off guard.
Recalling the photo Timothy had just shown her, it became apparent that Timothy must have had suspicions about her identity, prompting him to suggest leaving Ginger in Bern City for treatment.
It was clear that he didn’t buy her explanation earlier.
However, Mia realized it wasn’t the right time to confront Timothy, especially considering the risk of him refusing to donate bone marrow if things got heated.
She didn’t want to escalate the situation any further.
After a moment of contemplation, Mia simply nodded and replied, “Okay.”
Observing Mia’s swift agreement, Timothy narrowed his eyes slightly. He had assumed that proposing such a condition would provoke a reaction from her.
However, to his surprise, she agreed without hesitation.
What kind of scheme was she plotting?
Both Mia and Timothy kept their thoughts to themselves. Mia continued enjoying her ice cream before breaking the silence.
“By the way, Mr. Barrett, Shelly told me that Luna seems to be seriously injured. Did she break her foot or something?”
Sitting opposite Mia, Timothy’s gaze was penetrating. “You’ve grown quite close to Shelly, haven’t you?”
In the past, these two had constantly been at odds!
Mia responded with a meaningful smile. “Well, Shelly is going to be my future sister¨Cin¨Claw, so it’s important to maintain a good relationship, wouldn’t you agree?
“But, Mr. Barrett, let’s not change the subject. Since we’re being candid today, there’s a question I’ve been curious about for some time.”
“Go ahead.”
“What exactly is your relationship with Luna, and is Asher your son?”
Timothy paused, placing his utensils on the table. “Are you feeling jealous?”
Seeing Timothy’s irritated expression, Mia forced a smile. “Of course, I’m feeling jealous. Mr. Barrett, I heard Luna played a role in your divorce from your ex¨Cwife. I don’t want to go through that again!”
Timothy’s lips tightened. “The past is complicated, but my relationship with Luna isn’t what you’re assuming. And as for Asher, he’s not my son.
“If Asher isn’t yours, why has Luna been able to stay in the Barrett family all this time, with Mrs. Barrett treating Asher like her grandson? There must be a reason behind it, right?”
Mia had previously questioned Shelly about Asher’s identity, but Shelly wasn’t entirely certain either.
With a solemn expression, Mia awaited Timothy’s response.
Timothy’s deep voice broke the silence. “I cannot disclose Asher’s identity, but he is definitely not my illegitimate son.”
While this statement didn’t directly address Mia’s question, she decided not to press the matter further. If Timothy wasn’t willing to talk, there was no point in pushing him.
Continuing to press the issue might make her seem overly jealous, and Mia knew she wasn’t that petty.
However, Mia couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right, especially considering the tattoo on Luna’s ankle. Yet, she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
Nonetheless, Mia eagerly looked forward to visiting Ryan again once she returned to Nord City.
Perhaps recovering her memories would shed light on the truth of what happened in the past.
Shortly after, Mia received a WhatsApp message from Peyton. “The Barrett Group wants to collaborate with Aide Castle. Should we decline?”
Upon reading the message, Mia arched her eyebrows in surprise. This development was certainly unexpected.
After a moment of consideration, she replied, “Hold off on rejecting them. Send me the proposal so I can review it first.”
Given the Barrett family’s esteemed position as the top aristocratic lineage in Nord City, collaborating with them could undoubtedly help Aide Castle establish a foothold in the city. 2)
Therefore, hastily dismissing such an opportunity would be unwise.
Meanwhile, Timothy quickly finished his lunch and informed Mia, “I’ll drop you off at the hospital first. Once my afternoon meeting wraps up, I’ll come over.
“Alright then, let’s have dinner together this evening,” Mla sald, glancing at Timothy with a nuanced expression. “Remember not to overwork yourself. Pursuing wealth endlessly isn’t the answer, after all.”
Timothy squinted slightly, a playful tone in his voice as he said, “Are you actually concerned about me?”
“Don’t you like being cared for, Mr. Barrett?”
Despite this, Mia found herself increasingly frustrated. She knew that if Timothy worked overtime, it could potentially delay the bone marrow donation.
In truth, Mia couldn’t care less about her contemptible ex¨Chusband’s well¨Cbeing!
She believed that investing emotional energy in men only led to disappointment.
After leaving the restaurant and getting into the car, Heath began to brief Timothy on their work progress. “Mr. Barrett, the folks over at Aide Castle have responded, stating they will consider the collaboration.
“We’ve sent over the proposal, but they’ve mentioned that a decision will only be made after their boss reviews it.”
Upon hearing this, Mia felt a sense of contentment. She knew she’d have to wait until she returned to the hospital to review the proposal from the Barrett family.
Massaging his temples, Timothy murmured, “Have they uncovered the mastermind behind Aide Castle?”
Mia blinked nervously, feeling slightly taken aback. Were they truly delving into the identity of the boss for this collaboration?
At that moment, she was a bit flustered.
Considering Timothy had already uncovered Mia’s disguise during her visit to Patricia, she certainly didn’t dare to underestimate his capabilities. She felt anxious about the possibility of her identity being exposed.
Heath spoke up, “We haven’t discovered that yet, but we know the Lane Group is responsible for constructing Aide Castle.”
“The Lane Group?”