Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Timothy looked down at her, his gaze intense. “That’s why I’m relying on you now,” he said in a low, raspy voice.
Mia averted her gaze. “You must be daydreaming. Anyhow, please wait for me outside. I need to change.”
Timothy exited the lounge and stood alone outside.
It didn’t take long before several individuals approached, and Timothy immediately recognized the leader as Chuck, the man who had attempted to touch Mia earlier.
It was clear they had ill intentions.
Chuck wore a sinister expression as he said, “Hey buddy, do me a favor and step aside.”
Timothy blocked the doorway and replied coldly, “Absolutely not.” “How much money do you want? Just name your price.”
Chuck opened his wallet and pulled out a stack of bills, tossing it at Timothy. “You’re just a money- hungry little bodyguard, aren’t you? Let me in, and there’s more where that came from.”
Timothy immediately sensed Chuck’s ulterior motives toward Mia. There was no way he would allow him to enter.
With a stern expression, Timothy retorted, “I couldn’t care less about money. You’d better leave!”
If this were Bern City, Timothy would have dealt with Chuck long ago! Chuck’s demeanor shifted abruptly. “Hey buddy, don’t embarrass yourself. You’re a Zalantis bodyguard, right? Let’s see what you’re capable of today. Take him down!”
With that, Chuck strode forward with two other bodyguards by his side, clearly intent on forcing their way in.
Timothy remained unfazed. He swiftly gained the upper hand against the two accompanying bodyguards, overpowering them effortlessly. Witnessing Timothy’s impressive skills and recalling his past as an assassin from Zalantis, Chuck’s bravado wavered. He became agitated and threatened, “You filthy bodyguard, mark my words! If you dare to provoke me, you’ll regret it!”
After Chuck departed, Timothy remained standing in silence, his hand instinctively reaching to massage his arm. It seemed that the scuffle moments earlier had aggravated an old injury.
He waited patiently outside the room for a while, but Mia didn’t emerge. Was changing clothes supposed to take this long?
Concern crept in as he knocked on the door. “Mia, are you done?” Silence greeted him from inside.
Recalling Chuck’s earlier behavior, Timothy’s worry intensified. What if something had happened to Mia?
Without hesitation, he pushed open the door and entered the room. Finding it empty, he proceeded to the nearby restroom. Knocking on the door, he called out, “Mia, are you okay?”
As Timothy pushed open the restroom door, he was met with the sight of Mia’s bare back, her dress caught at her slender waist.
Timothy stood frozen in place, completely taken aback by the unexpected scene unfolding before him. Flustered, his Adam’s Apple bobbed up and down nervously.
Hearing someone barging in, Mia whirled around and exclaimed, “Timothy, what are you doing here? Get out!”
Startled, Timothy quickly averted his gaze. “I’m sorry, I thought there was an emergency.”
“Well, I do have a bit of a situation here,” Mia admitted.
Attempting to fix the zipper of her dress, Mia struggled in vain. Despite her efforts, the zipper remained stuck.
With a hint of resignation, Mia finally said, “Timothy, close your eyes and come in.”
Taken aback by her request, Timothy turned his head toward her, but Mia’s firm command echoed in the room, “Close your eyes and no peeking!”
Obediently, Timothy shut his eyes. Turning around, he asked somewhat helplessly, “So, what do you need me to do?”
“Take three steps forward,” Mia instructed.
As Timothy followed her command, he felt something beneath his foot, suddenly realizing he might have stepped on Mia’s dress. “What are you doing?” Mia suddenly exclaimed.
Reacting swiftly, Timothy opened his eyes and reached out to steady Mia as she stumbled forward.
Blushing furiously, Mia covered her chest and glared at him. “Timothy, did you intentionally step on my dress?” she said through gritted teeth. Mia had initially asked Timothy to come in and assist with fixing the zipper on the back of her dress.
She had only requested him to take three steps forward, but unexpectedly, Timothy had stepped directly onto her dress with one foot, causing her to nearly lose her balance!
And worst of all, her body had almost been exposed!
Timothy glanced down at Mia in his arms and remarked, “You instructed me to take three steps forward.”
“But I didn’t mean for you to take such large strides. The bathroom is small; why would you take such big steps?”
“Are you blaming me for this?”
“Of course I am! Whose fault do you think it is?”
“Fine, I’ll release you then.”
“Wait, wait!” Mia hastily reached out and grabbed his arm. “You can’t let go just yet!”
Observing her embarrassed expression, a hint of amusement flickered in Timothy’s eyes. “Then, how would you like me to hold you?”
“Close your eyes first,” Mia instructed.
However, Timothy didn’t comply this time.
He looked down at her and reasoned, “You’re asking me to help you put on this dress, right? But how can I do that if I close my eyes?”
Mia fell silent, realizing the implication of her request.
Timothy continued, “We were once married and even have children together. What’s there to be shy about in front of me?”
“I’m not shy.”
“Stay still.”
Timothy remained silent thereafter. Once he had steadied Mia, he positioned himself behind her.
As he looked at Mia’s beautiful, fair back, a depth of emotion shone in his eyes.
Noticing the stuck zipper at her waist, Timothy swiftly crouched down behind her.
Mia grasped her dress tightly, her gaze drifting upward to the ceiling. She couldn’t shake the feeling of Timothy’s penetrating stare boring into her.
Soon, she heard the rustle of movement behind her; it seemed that Timothy was adjusting the zipper of her dress.
As his fingers brushed against her back, Mia’s body involuntarily flinched, a hint of discomfort creeping in.
“Why are you moving?” Timothy’s voice rumbled from behind her.
“I’m just feeling a bit itchy,” Mia replied, feeling the temperature in the bathroom inexplicably rising.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, she asked, “Are you done?”
“Almost.”
“It’s just a zipper. Why are you taking so long?”
As Mia’s words trailed off, she heard the sound of the zipper gradually ascending from her waist, inch by inch.
She drew in a deep breath, feeling her heart race.
Timothy stood behind Mia, leaning down to her ear as he whispered, “I’ve never assisted a woman with her dress like this before.”
Mia jerked her head in surprise, breaking free from his embrace. “Well, I suppose that just goes to show our relationship wasn’t all that remarkable. You’ve never lent me a hand with my attire!”
Timothy fell into a contemplative silence. “Perhaps I haven’t been as attentive to you as I should have been.”
“Mr. Barrett, it’s reassuring to hear you acknowledge that, but at the moment, I have no shortage of men who treat me well.”
With that, Mia adjusted her dress and briskly made her way back to the lobby.
There, she helped herself to a glass of water, trying to calm the fluttering of her heart caused by Timothy’s close proximity moments ago. It was an unsettling sensation, to say the least.
As Timothy emerged, he casually leaned against the doorframe. “Do you consider Chuck as someone who treats you well?”
Turning around, Mia noticed Timothy lounging against the door frame, his usual seriousness replaced by a relaxed, laid-back demeanor. Taken aback, Mia spoke out, “Chuck is well-known among elite circles for his greed and lust. I’m not oblivious to that.”
“In that case, you’d better keep your distance from him in the future. Whenever you encounter him, make sure you have a bodyguard with you.”
“Are you that afraid of him?”
“It’s not him I’m worried about; it’s your safety. Earlier, while you were changing in the lounge, Chuck showed up with two bodyguards and attempted to bribe me to let him in. Can you imagine what he might have done if he had gotten inside?”
Mia’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Are you serious?”
“I have no reason to deceive you,” Timothy replied earnestly.
Mia’s expression turned icy. “That fool has been overseas for years and only recently returned. It seems he still hasn’t grasped the protocols among the elites here in Nord City.”
Putting on his sunglasses, Timothy informed, “It’s time for you to make your entrance.”
As Mia stepped out in her newly changed dress, she heard a woman’s desperate cries for help echoing from the end of the hallway.
What could be happening?
As Mia proceeded down the corridor, her eyes fell upon a disturbing scene: a man was forcefully pinning down a woman, his voice dripping with rage as he threatened her, “lI warned you! If you don’t comply, I’ll make sure you regret it, and your reputation will be in tatters!” Instantly recognizing the man as Chuck Jones, the same individual Timothy had mentioned earlier, Mia’s blood boiled.