Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Was Mia unknowingly welcoming danger into her own home?
After Peyton left, Timothy settled on the edge of the bed, observing Mia’s peaceful slumber. She hadn’t removed her makeup and was still dressed in her evening gown.
Soon, Gertrude arrived with the hangover soup, her voice trembling as she presented it. “I-I’ve brought it here.”
Timothy remained silent, paying no attention to Gertrude’s presence. Moments later, she brought a box over. Timothy’s gaze turned cold as he asked, “What’s this?”
“It’s makeup remover pads. Whenever Ms. Mia becomes intoxicated, I’m responsible for assisting her in removing her makeup and changing her attire.”
Without uttering a word, Timothy took the box from Gertrude. “I’ll take care of it. You may leave now.”
Gertrude’s hand paused in midair, recalling Peyton’s instructions. After a moment of hesitation, she nervously insisted, “This is my duty.”
As Timothy removed his sunglasses, his narrowed eyes revealed his impatience.
Gertrude was instantly petrified, unable to utter a word. She hurried out of the bedroom, feeling intimidated by the imposing Timothy, though she couldn’t deny he was quite handsome!
Though Peyton had instructed Gertrude to monitor Timothy closely, she found it difficult to comply.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Timothy delicately removed Mia’s makeup using the cotton pads. He understood the importance of ensuring Mia didn’t sleep with makeup on, knowing it could harm her skin.
Timothy’s awkward movements revealed his lack of experience in such tasks. He had never done anything like this before.
However, despite his unfamiliarity, Timothy displayed unexpected patience.
The next morning, Mia woke up with a yawn. Stretching lazily, she glanced around at the familiar ceiling, her mind still somewhat foggy. She vaguely remembered attending a business gala last night, followed by a slight incident; it seemed she had indulged a bit too much in alcohol.
But how had she managed to make it back home?
“Are you awake?” Timothy’s deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
As Mia turned her head, she spotted Timothy sitting on the sofa by the window. He wore a white shirt, no tie, with several buttons undone. Lazily lounging on the sofa, Timothy held something in his hand, his gaze fixed upon it.
When Mia caught sight of what Timothy was holding, her mind went blank—it was a photo album!
Mia quickly leaped out of bed and hurried over, her voice tinged with urgency. “Why are you casually browsing through someone else’s belongings?”
She swiftly retrieved the photo album from Timothy’s hand, her heart pounding with apprehension. The thought of Timothy stumbling upon pictures of her children filled her with uneasiness.
If Timothy were to discover Sage’s photos, all her efforts could be jeopardized.
Knowing Timothy’s sharp intellect, Mia feared he might connect the dots.
As Timothy’s hand came up empty, he regarded Mia with curiosity. “Why are you so jittery? Are there scandalous photos hidden inside?” He hadn’t even begun to peruse the album.
Mia breathed a sigh of relief at his assumption. “Well, there are indeed some personal photos of mine in there. I certainly can’t allow you to see them.”
She clutched the album tightly, discreetly scanning its contents to ensure Timothy didn’t catch sight of anything suspicious.
To her surprise, all the photos of her and the children from inside the bedroom seemed to be missing.
What could this mean?
Had Peyton preemptively taken care of these potential risks?
“Well, Peyton definitely deserves a bonus for this!” Mia mused silently to herself.
Observing Mia’s cryptic behavior, Timothy’s curiosity about the photo album was piqued further. What exactly was she concealing?
Clearing her throat, Mia spoke up, “By the way, what are you doing in my room?”
“Last night, someone got drunk, and I ended up spending the entire night taking care of her. She was even talking in her sleep the whole time.”
Mia regarded him skeptically. “What did I say during my sleep?”
Had she unintentionally revealed something while sleep-talking? Timothy’s expression grew complex. “Mia, it seems like you really despise me; you were even cursing me in your dreams!”
As Mia drifted off to sleep last night, Timothy had remained by her side, only to hear her angry murmurs directed at him.
A twinge of guilt flashed across Mia’s face as she recalled the tumultuous dreams from the previous night.
Nonetheless, she swiftly composed herself and confidently remarked, “It must have been memories resurfacing.”
“Did anything come back to you?”
Mia shook her head. “No, not really. It was simply a chaotic dream. But in it, someone was rather bothersome. It’s baffling how I ever fell for you in the past!”
Timothy pursed his lips tightly. “I’m sorry.”
Upon hearing his apology, Mia’s expression shifted uncomfortably. “Better late than never. Anyway, please leave. I need to freshen up and change clothes.”
Mia couldn’t take the risk of letting Timothy stay in her bedroom and potentially finding any clues.
As she stepped out of the dressing room, she lightly touched her face and murmured, “Did Gertrude forget to moisturize my skin after removing my makeup last night? It feels so dry.”
Timothy’s voice cut through the air. “Gertrude didn’t mention that to me.”
His words puzzled Mia.
She turned to him and asked, “Wait, did you remove my makeup last night?”
It was then that Mia realized she was dressed in a nightgown instead of the evening gown she remembered having on.
Her hand halted in mid-air as she looked directly at Timothy. “Hold on a second, who changed my clothes last night?”
Timothy arched an eyebrow. “What do you think?”
“Timothy, you’re just a bodyguard. How dare you change my clothes?” Remaining composed, Timothy answered, “Since you’ve given birth to my daughter, it’s only fitting that I take care of you in return.”
Mia was utterly stunned by his response.
Her face turned red with embarrassment, and she impulsively grabbed a pillow from the bed, hurling it at him. “Who asked you to take care of me!”
Bloody hell!
Blushing intensely, Mia quickly made her way into the dressing room. Once inside, she firmly closed the door behind her and hid her face in her hands, overwhelmed with embarrassment.
Mia’s mind felt foggy, and she could only vaguely recall the car ride back to Meadowview Estate.
However, she couldn’t quite remember how she had ended up back in her bedroom and had managed to remove her makeup and change her clothes; it was a blur in her memory.
It was evident that alcohol had its consequences.
As Timothy glanced toward the dressing room, a slight smirk tugged at his lips. It seemed Mia was much more well-behaved when she was asleep.
A short while later, Mia emerged from the dressing room dressed in fresh attire.
She couldn’t help but notice Timothy lounging on the sofa, still wearing yesterday’s security uniform. His sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing his muscular forearms.
Even in simple work attire, Timothy exuded an undeniable charm. His refined demeanor radiated through, even without the embellishment of a high-end tailored suit.
Glancing over, Timothy spoke up, “Do I cut a fine figure?”
Mia quickly snapped back to reality. “Mr. Barrett, you certainly have a striking appearance. You’d fit right into the entertainment industry, perhaps even better than in the business world.”
“Just now, your secretary knocked on the door. He seemed to have some work-related matters to discuss.”
“It’s probably related to the incident from last night’s banquet.”
Without delay, Mia made her way downstairs to the living room, where Peyton awaited. “What’s the issue?”
“Ms. Mia, regarding the incident at yesterday’s banquet, we’ve conducted some discreet investigations. Since Mr. Chuck’s return to the country, he has grown quite close to Lewis, almost as if they were longtime pals.”
“Long-time pals, my foot! They’re more like birds of the same feather.” Mia was puzzled. Where did the Bowens find the audacity to assume she would marry into their family?
“Ms. Mia, Harper Martinez, the woman previously harassed by Mr. Chuck, has decided to file a police report. However, Mr. Chuck’s family has been pressuring her to settle the matter privately.
“If our team were not still present at the hospital, she would likely be under the control of the Jones family by now.”
Mia’s expression hardened as she recalled the events of last night. “Arrange for a lawyer to assist Harper. If she needs legal support, our lawyer will handle it.”
“Ms. Mia, by doing so, the Jones family will undoubtedly target you.” Mia leaned back, a touch of mockery glinting in her eyes. “I’ll be waiting. Are the Joneses truly bold enough to conspire against me?” During this time, Mia had been staying in Xanier Island and Bern City. She hadn’t expected trouble to find her so soon after leaving for just a few days.
Mia was determined to ensure the success of Harper’s lawsuit, aiming to make both the Jones family and the misguided Bowen family understand the consequences of their actions.
“Why would the Bowen family dare to plot against you?” Timothy’s displeasure was evident as he approached, having overheard their conversation.
Mia arched an eyebrow. “Do you seriously not know the reason? The Bowen family is proudly proclaiming their collaboration with the esteemed aristocrats of Bern City, the Barrett family, with aspirations to become the leading force in Nord City. Where else do you think their confidence is coming from?”
Timothy’s expression tightened. “I genuinely had no prior knowledge of this situation. The collaboration between the Bowen family and the Barrett Group’s branch is nothing more than minor deals.”
“Would you like to return to Bern City to verify this, Mr. Barrett?” Timothy met her gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Are you trying to use this as a reason to send me away from Nord City? Unfortunately, that won’t work.”
“Then when do you plan to leave? Do you intend to stay by my side as a lowly bodyguard, enduring the stigma of being labeled as a penniless loser?”