Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Maintaining his stoic expression, Timothy walked beside her. However, as his eyes fell on the back of her dress, a furrow appeared on his brow.
Together, they entered the hall.
Glancing back, Mia realized they were now out of the reporters’ sight. She turned to Timothy and expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for your help earlier. Without you, I would have definitely been embarrassed in front of the media!”
In the next instant, Mia felt a weight settle on her shoulders as Timothy removed his suit jacket and draped it over her.
Surprised, Mia looked at him and asked, “What are you doing? It’s not cold inside the hall. I don’t need to wear a jacket.”
“Your dress got torn when you stumbled earlier. Are you sure you want to go in like this without covering up?”
Mia regarded him skeptically. “Really?”
“You can choose not to believe me,” Timothy replied, unfazed.
After stealing a glance at him, Mia eventually decided to wear the jacket as she entered the hall. She didn’t want to risk any further embarrassment.
As she entered the hall and reached for a glass of champagne, someone approached her.
Isabella strutted over in her high heels, her demeanor proud and haughty. “Mia, I can’t believe you’re wearing another man’s jacket to the banquet. What kind of impression are you giving my brother?”
Raising an eyebrow, Mia responded, “Lewis and I have no relationship. As for whose jacket I wear to the banquet, do you have any say in it?” “But the news outside is all about you and Lewis getting engaged soon. This decision is made by both our families, and whether you agree or not doesn’t matter. So you’d better tone it down.”
Disgust flickered across Mia’s face. “My family has never agreed to me marrying Lewis. Don’t try to embellish yourselves.”
It had always been the Bowen family’s wishful thinking, and now they were even attempting to spread rumors through the media.
At that moment, a middle-aged woman approached Mia and said, “Ms. Lane, don’t be hesitant. My son truly adores you. If you consent, our family will organize a lavish wedding for you.”
Isabella chimed in, nodding vigorously. “Yes, Mom. But Mia is wearing another man’s jacket to the banquet. It’s obvious she doesn’t care about Lewis. Someone like her isn’t deserving of him.”
Noticing the jacket draped over Mia’s shoulders, Connie interjected, “Ms. Lane, the Bowen family holds considerable status as well. Once you marry into our family, you’ll be expected to abide by our rules and let go of any unfavorable habits.”
Mia found herself at a loss for words. She hadn’t anticipated the audacity of the Bowen family, attempting to impose their expectations on her so assertively.
In the past, Mia had worked to maintain peace between the two prominent families, never openly confronting the Bowens. However, when faced with their brazen behavior now, she felt compelled to assert herself.
Mia’s tone turned icy as she remarked, “Lewis has been engaged several times before, hasn’t he? And weren’t all of his previous fianc¨¦es from affluent families?
“Yet every time one of those heiresses became engaged to him, their family fortunes quickly dwindled, absorbed by yours.
“Is it just bad luck, or is Lewis simply a harbinger of misfortune for his wives? Marrying into the Bowen family seems to bring nothing but doom.”
“Mia, what nonsense are you talking about? Lewis is far from being a jinx to his wives!”
“If Lewis isn’t a curse to his wives, then how do you account for what happened to those wealthy heiresses he was previously engaged to? “Their fortunes disappeared once they became associated with your family, leaving them bankrupt. Would you care to elaborate?”
There was an undeniable air of suspicion hanging over the situation. Mia couldn’t comprehend the Bowens” attempt to shift blame onto her. It was utterly absurd!
Connie’s unease was palpable as she interjected, “The mismanagement of their family affairs has nothing to do with the Bowen family. We merely extended a helping hand by acquiring their family enterprise.”
“If your intentions were truly noble, then why did you call off the engagements immediately after acquiring their businesses?”
“Well, it’s a matter of our family’s status and reputation. My son cannot marry into a family that has faced financial ruin, can he?”
Mia’s smirk grew as she countered, “But those wealthy heiresses were thriving before becoming involved with your family. It’s only after their engagement to your family that their fortunes plummeted and bankruptcy ensued.
“If it’s not an issue with your family’s luck, then what else could it be? It seems clear that your son, Lewis, is the jinx to his wives!”
Connie was left momentarily speechless by Mia’s retort, her indignation evident. “Mia, don’t become too arrogant. The Bowen family holds considerable prominence in Nord City. Where does Lewis fall short compared to you?”
Isabella added, “Exactly. The Bowen family is currently in discussions with the esteemed Barrett family from Bern City regarding a substantial business venture. If it materializes, our family’s status will soar to new heights!
“With this partnership, the balance of power among the prominent families in both Bern City and Nord City could potentially undergo a significant shift!”
It seemed that the Bowens’ aspirations certainly reached for the sky. But what could possibly have motivated the Barrett family to consider collaborating with the Bowen family?
Mia couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Well then, congratulations in advance to you.”
Connie casually traced her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist, her demeanor dripping with arrogance.
“If you have any sense, you’d consider accepting this marriage proposal sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you might find it impossible to match the Bowen family’s status later on.”
“No way. I won’t agree to marry someone who is a bad omen, it’s just unappealing. Besides, I’m all about looks. Lewis is just too unattractive for me, nowhere near as good-looking as my bodyguard.”
Connie’s expression turned angry immediately.
Isabella chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. “Mom, she’s referring to that bodyguard standing next to her. Since Mia is wearing his jacket, there must be something going on between them.”
Connie directed a scornful glare at Timothy standing nearby. “He’s just a lowly bodyguard without a penny to his name. Can he even compare to Lewis?”
Mia couldn’t contain her laughter. “Who knows, your son might not measure up to my bodyguard after all!”
Indeed, Timothy was far from an ordinary bodyguard.
However, Mia didn’t want to deal with Isabella and Connie any longer. She turned to the nearby staff and instructed, “Since Mrs. Bowen and her daughter are not interested in attending my banquet, please escort them out.”
Connie grew furious. “Mia, do you think I care about attending your banquet? If it weren’t for Lewis’ sake, I wouldn’t be here at all. Isabella, let’s go!”
“Yeah. Once our family teams up with the Barretts, the Lanes won’t stand a chance. Mia will surely beg to marry Lewis then!”
“Hmph, I can’t wait to see her arrogance crumble!”
As Mia watched the mother and daughter depart, she couldn’t help but feel frustrated. “Those two must have some serious issues.”
It sure seemed like they forgot to take their medication, as they were living in a dream world every day.
Glancing at Timothy beside her, Mia questioned, “Are you seriously considering collaborating with the Bowen family? With their lack of intelligence, won’t you be concerned about dragging down the Barrett family?”
Mia believed that if Timothy was going to collaborate, he should at least partner with someone intelligent.
What was the point of teaming up with the Bowen family if it was akin to digging his own grave?
Mia’s disbelief was evident as she gazed at Timothy.
He was supposed to be savvy in business, so why would he choose to collaborate with the Bowens? It simply didn’t make sense to her! Timothy responded curtly, “I’m not directly overseeing the projects in Nord City.”
“But as the CEO of the Barrett Group, shouldn’t you have control over all projects?”
“Given the scale and scope of our operations, I can’t micromanage every detail. Besides, the projects we’re working on in Nord City are relatively small, so they don’t require my direct supervision.”
Mia remained skeptical. “Small-scale projects? Then why is the Bowen family behaving as if they’ve taken over the entire Barrett Group?” Earlier, Isabella and Connie had even boasted about surpassing the Lane family as the top powerhouse in Nord City.
A frown formed on Timothy’s face. “There’s no point in arguing with irrational people.”
“You’re right,” Mia agreed, swiftly setting aside thoughts of the Bowen family.
She went on to greet and converse with the individuals involved in the movie release. After all, that was her main reason for being there today. Soon after, a few elite young men glanced at Mia and remarked, “It’s really hot today. Why are you still wearing such a thick suit jacket?” “Yeah, Mia, take off your jacket. It’s so hot, and your dress looks amazing. You don’t need to hide it.”
“Exactly, you have a fantastic figure. Why bother about others’ opinions?”
Feeling a bit warm herself, Mia smiled sheepishly and explained, “I had a mishap while checking in earlier and accidentally ripped my dress.”
One of the young men, Chuck Jones, approached and offered, “Let me see where it got torn. Perhaps I can fix it for you.”
As he spoke, he reached out to take off Mia’s jacket.
Mia’s expression darkened, seemingly ready to react, but someone firmly grabbed Chuck’s wrist. In a cold tone, the person roared, “Don’t you dare lay your filthy hands on her!”
Mia turned around and saw Timothy standing behind her, feeling relieved at his protective stance.
Suddenly, having such a loyal bodyguard seemed like a blessing. Chuck, however, grew visibly angry and addressed Timothy arrogantly, saying, “You filthy bodyguard, I advise you to let go, or you’ll regret it!” Stepping forward, Mia glanced at Timothy and suggested, “Perhaps you should release him. This isn’t Zalantis, where lawlessness prevails. Committing murder here is illegal.”
Chuck’s expression shifted abruptly. “Wait, did you say he’s a bodyguard from Zalantis?”
Mia maintained her composure and responded, “That’s correct. He’s a bodyguard that Dominic specifically hired from Zalantis. Although he used to be a professional hitman, his focus now is on ensuring my safety.”
Timothy exchanged a meaningful glance with Mia but remained quiet. Seeing the change in Chuck’s expression, Mia added, “I apologize for any confusion. My bodyguard is new to this role and isn’t yet familiar with local customs. Please bear with him.”
At that instant, Timothy fetched a bag he had been carrying. “These were sent over by Mr. Dominic.”
“Oh, so these clothes are from him,” Mia remarked, shifting her attention to the affluent young men nearby. “I’ll go change into a different outfit first. Please continue to enjoy yourselves.”
Upon hearing Dominic’s name, the group of young men fell silent immediately.
After all, Dominic had a reputation for being fiercely protective of Mia. As they headed to the lounge, Mia glanced at Timothy and remarked, “You acted pretty swiftly just now.”
He even knew to use Dominic’s name to intimidate those young men and assert dominance.
Timothy handed her the bag and replied casually, “I’m still catching up to your level. Who would’ve guessed I’d end up as a Zalantis hitman?” “If I hadn’t brought it up, those guys wouldn’t have backed off so quickly. They just see you as a regular bodyguard.”
“It doesn’t bother me. Let them try something if they want.”
“This isn’t Bern City, and right now, you’re just a bodyguard without much support.”