Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Upon saying this, Timothy was momentarily taken aback. His words had slipped out and sounded more as an unconscious suspicion than a deliberate statement.
Despite this, Timothy had indeed entertained suspicions that Mia was keeping something from him.
He had several other theories in his mind, and the one he vocalized was just one among them.
Upon careful consideration, Timothy realized that this speculation might be the most accurate. If Mia had nothing to hide, why would she be so insistent on his departure from Nord City?
Surely, she was concerned that he might uncover whatever secret she was concealing.
Considering Nord City belonged to the Lane family, Mia’s anxiety about his presence there seemed unwarranted.
Indeed, something felt amiss about the entire situation.
Caleb was caught off guard by Timothy’s statement. “Tim, why do you think it’s not Ginger who’s sick? Do you have any basis for that speculation?”
“If I had solid evidence to support my suspicion, I would have already investigated and resolved the matter. Right now, I don’t have any proof to back up my theory. It’s just that Mia’s behavior in this situation strikes me as odd,” Timothy explained.
“Tim, are you perhaps overanalyzing this? I highly doubt Mia would joke about something as serious as Ginger’s health. Besides, I don’t see any reason for her to deceive you.
“Even if she did, there must be a deeper motive behind it, don’t you think? Could it be possible that she’s after the bone marrow you donated?”
After all, human bone marrow was considered a rarity, not readily accessible to everyone.
Timothy remained silent. In reality, he hadn’t fully grasped the situation either; it was mere speculation on his part.
“But Tim, it’s hard to believe Mia would fabricate such a massive lie just to obtain your bone marrow. Remember the incident with Mrs. Barrett swapping the bone marrow? Mia was furious.
“She even restrained Mrs. Barrett and Luna. You saw it all happen, didn’t you? If Mia wasn’t motivated by Ginger’s health, why would she go to such extremes?” Caleb suggested.
“I understand. Honestly, it’s just speculation on my part.”
“Tim, I get that it’s only a theory. But if Mia isn’t doing this for her daughter, then who else could it be for? Her family? But that doesn’t make sense either.
“With so many siblings in the Lane family, the probability of finding a bone marrow match among them is higher. It wouldn’t be logical for Mia to turn to someone like you, who isn’t directly related.”
Caleb couldn’t help but feel puzzled by Timothy’s speculation. Timothy’s expression softened slightly as he nodded. “You’re right. If someone in the Lane family was ill, they could easily find a bone marrow match among themselves. There’d be no need to involve me. It seems my initial guess was likely incorrect.”
Now, Mia seemed like a bird soaring in the sky, visible from a distance, yet her thoughts remained obscure.
“Tim, where would you like to go now? I’ve heard you’ve been under a lot of stress in Nord City lately. How about I take you shopping or treat you to a meal to unwind?”
“I’m here willingly. If it becomes too overwhelming, I can always return to Bern City,” Timothy refused flatly.
“So, despite enduring so much, you still haven’t managed to win her back.”
“You’re not making this any easier. Please, shut up.”
Timothy picked up on the playful tone in Caleb’s words and responded casually, “Let’s just head to the branch office.”
Now, Timothy had to address the issue with the Bowens. He certainly hadn’t anticipated Ralph being the mastermind behind this collaboration.
Before long, the car pulled up outside the Barrett Group’s branch office.
Chapter 914
Heath hurriedly approached the car door and addressed Timothy respectfully, “Mr. Barrett, Mr. Hopkins still hasn’t shown up. We’ve tried reaching him multiple times.
“At first, he claimed to be busy. Now, he’s not even responding to our calls. I was actually about to call you to see if you’d be interested in going to find him.”
Timothy’s demeanor turned cold. “Where is he now?”
“Based on our investigation, he’s currently at a country club,” Heath responded.
“In that case, let’s head straight to the country club.”
Heath promptly joined Timothy and Caleb in the car.
Caleb glanced at Timothy and asked, “Tim, how do you plan to address this situation with Mr. Hopkins? It’s clear he’s engaged in questionable dealings with the Bowen family.
“Maybe he’s accepted a bribe or something similar. If you end this partnership, Mr. Hopkins will likely face repercussions, and Mrs. Barrett will undoubtedly demand an explanation from you.”
“I’ve already warned my mother in the past not to cover for Uncle Ralph. If she still intends to clean up his mess this time, then so be it,” Timothy stated firmly.
Either way, he would show no leniency this time.
Upon arriving at the country club, Timothy led his team directly to Ralph’s location.
Shortly after their arrival, Lewis’ car also pulled up outside.
With a concerned expression, Lewis turned to his assistant, Terry McKinnon. “Why are the Barretts suddenly proposing to renegotiate the partnership? Wasn’t the deal already finalized?”
Indeed, this collaboration held great importance for the Bowen family. They had even boasted about it extensively. If this partnership were to dissolve, how would they manage to get by in Nord City?
“Mr. Bowen, it seems the decision to terminate the partnership may have originated from the headquarters. My suspicion is that someone might be advocating for kickbacks or aiming to negotiate lower prices, which is why they’re pushing for this decision.
“Maybe you could engage with them and consider offering a bit more in terms of compensation? After all, this deal stands to bring profits to the Bowen family.”
Upon learning that the headquarters had decided to cancel the collaboration, Lewis’ thoughts immediately turned to Mia’s bodyguard, Timothy, who had been pushing for the termination of the partnership. For a brief moment, Lewis even entertained the notion that Timothy could potentially be the CEO of the Barrett Group.
However, after Terry’s explanation, Lewis became convinced that it was the deputy manager of the branch office who was seeking additional bribes. Consequently, he deliberately made things difficult for them. Lewis was somewhat irritated. “Arrange for more funds to be prepared. Once we secure this partnership with the Barrett family, the Bowen family’s influence in Nord City will skyrocket. At that point, I won’t even bother to acknowledge the Lanes.”
As Lewis approached the door, he was intercepted by a man standing guard.
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Hopkins is currently in a meeting with a VIP guest,” the guard explained.
Lewis countered, “What VIP guest? I had a scheduled appointment with him to discuss certain matters. We’ve met numerous times before, haven’t we?”
Nonetheless, the guard remained unmoved. “I apologize, but Mr. Hopkins is currently unavailable to meet with anyone else.”
Lewis hastily slipped a wad of cash to the guard. “We’re old friends, right? Can’t you just give me a hint about who Mr. Hopkins is meeting with?”
The guard swiftly took the money and whispered, “Mr. Barrett is inside.” Lewis’ expression shifted to one of shock. “Is he really here?”
This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.
Chapter 915
Lewis thought it would be a good idea to meet with the CEO of the Barrett Group to discuss their upcoming partnership.
The guard nodded in response. “Yes, I’m sure of it.”
“So, buddy, could you please cut me some slack? I just want to have a brief chat with Mr. Barrett. Our two companies are about to collaborate, and I’ve only met Mr. Gomez so far. I haven’t had the chance to meet Mr. Barrett yet.”
Terry interjected cautiously, “It seems they have urgent matters to handle today, so it might not be the best time for you to meet with him. “Mr. Bowen, perhaps it would be best if you leave for now. After all, Mr. Barrett prefers not to be disturbed in such situations. We wouldn’t want to leave a negative impression on him, you know?”
Upon hearing this, Lewis couldn’t help but recall the recent discussions at the company headquarters regarding the potential termination of their partnership.
Concerned about making a negative impression on Mr. Barrett, Lewis quickly replied, “That’s fine, I won’t disturb him then. But could you please let Mr. Hopkins know that I stopped by?”
Terry nodded in response. As he watched Lewis depart, he breathed a sigh of relief. Who could have predicted that Timothy would personally visit Nord City?
After all, he had previously shown little interest in the affairs of the branch office.
Certainly, Timothy’s sudden appearance in Nord City at this critical juncture was unexpected, and to add to the complexity, he became aware of the collaboration with the Bowen family.
Hopefully, with Ralph being his uncle, Timothy would kindly choose to overlook the situation.
Half an hour later, Timothy emerged from the room with a stern expression. “I refuse to proceed with this partnership with the Bowen family. Without my authorization, the finance department will not release any funds.
“If you insist on going ahead with the Bowens, it will be entirely your decision. You’ll have to fund it yourself and bear the full consequences.” Timothy was reluctant to linger any longer. After all, Ralph had employed similar tactics in the past—acting clueless while being fully aware of his actions.
“Timothy, you little troublemaker, stop right there. What’s the meaning of this? I’m your uncle, for heaven’s sake. We’ve put in so much effort to negotiate this collaboration. And just when we’re on the brink of sealing the deal, you’re saying it’s all off? If this gets out, how will I maintain my standing in Nord City?” Ralph argued as he tried to keep up with Timothy.
Ralph continued to chase after Timothy, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “When you kicked me out of the Barrett Group, I came to Nord City and built this subsidiary from the ground up. Do you realize it was on the brink of collapse before I stepped in? Without my efforts, would it have flourished to its current state?”
The more Ralph dwelled on it, the more his anger intensified. He was Timothy’s uncle, for crying out loud.
Despite his efforts, Ralph found himself trapped in Nord City, unable to return to Bern City. Just as a partnership seemed within reach, Timothy’s interference shattered his hopes.
Timothy spoke coldly, “Each branch operates under its own set of rules; it’s all part of the company’s regulations.”
“Why does it matter if there are some trivial rules? Since you essentially own the company, isn’t it all about your authority in the end? As long as you don’t interfere with our collaboration here, you can pretend you’re unaware, and then there won’t be any issues,” Ralph countered.
“That’s not an option,” Timothy replied curtly.
With those words, he made his way toward the exit.
Given the circumstances, Timothy would never consent to this collaboration, particularly with the Bowen family publicizing their partnership with the Barrett family in Nord City. Such actions could undoubtedly jeopardize the Lane family’s interests in the future. Regardless, Timothy was determined not to let such foolishness continue unchecked.
“Timothy, are you trying to push me over the edge? I’m your uncle, for goodness’ sake, one of the few blood relatives you have. Do you really want to treat me so harshly?” Ralph protested.
Timothy remained silent, but Caleb stepped forward to block Ralph’s path. “Shall I jog your memory about all the embezzlement and bribery you were involved in at the Barrett Group, including those shady deals you orchestrated?
“If it weren’t for Tim stepping in back then, you’d probably be behind bars by now and still wouldn’t be out. And yet, you have the nerve to call Tim heartless? Dealing with leeches like you, he’s the one who’s really got the short end of the stick,” Caleb said matter-of-factly.