Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Timothy pursed his lips, and his expression darkened.
Shelly dared not continue speaking when she saw Timothy’s reaction.
At that moment, the light in the operating room turned green. The doctor who was treating Laura came out of the room, and Mia was the first to ask, “How is she?”
“Her condition is not great. We need to schedule her surgery as soon as possible.”
Mia watched as Laura was wheeled out. Laura looked very weak as she needed the help of a ventilator to breathe. Mia instantly teared up, feeling overwhelmed at the sight.
Three years ago, when she had nothing at all, it was Laura who had shown her care and kindness.
The elderly woman was moved to a private ward, and the members of the Barrett family followed behind her.
Timothy said coldly, “The rest of you can leave. Don’t crowd the room.”
Sharon then asked their relatives to leave, and they went home one by one.
Mia followed Laura into her ward. Soon after, Laura woke up and held her hand tightly.
With teary eyes, Mia said, “Grandma Laura, let’s have the surgery, okay?”
The old lady shook her head, still resisting surgery.
Mia didn’t know what to do. Should she tell Laura the truth or not?
Timothy’s hand rested on Mia’s shoulder while he looked at Laura and said, “Grandma, please rest well. We’ll visit you later.”
The old lady blinked a few times, then fell back into a drowsy state.
Mia left the ward as Laura lay in the hospital bed in a weak state. Her heart ached for Laura.
Then, Mia wiped away her tears and left the hospital while caressing her abdomen. She needed to think carefully about this matter.
Timothy watched her leave the hospital coldly.
Sharon said to Timothy, “Son, listen to me. You should divorce this woman immediately and not tell your grandmother. Once your grandmother undergoes surgery, it’ll be too late for her to do anything, even if she learns the truth.”
Timothy maintained a stern expression and said, “I won’t deceive Grandma.”
He turned to his secretary and said, “Have you found the doctor you were looking for?”
“Yes, we’ve found someone. They’re experts in this field and are willing to perform the surgery for Mrs. Barrett
Senior.”
“Very well. Arrange everything as soon as possible, and ask the doctors to come over quickly.”
The two women beside Timothy exchanged glances. Shelly couldn’t help but speak up, “Timothy, didn’t you say that Maya’s brother would perform the surgery for Grandma Laura? I heard that he’s the best doctor in this field.”
“I can’t wait that long.”
He would never fight an unwinnable battle.
Shelly felt that something was going wrong. If that was the case, then what would happen to Maya? She needed to inform Maya about this.
After a sleepless night, Mia woke up and touched her pregnant belly. She was unable to make a decision..
She decided to call her fifth cousin, Jason.
He answered immediately and asked, “Mia, what’s the matter? Do you need money from me?”
Mia was somewhat amused by his joke. She said, “Jason, I want to consult you about something.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
“I have a friend who has been married to her husband for several years, and they recently agreed to get a divorce. However, she discovers that she’s pregnant but doesn’t want to reveal it to her husband’s family. She wants to keep the child with her.”
“That’s easy to deal with. After the divorce, she can raise the child by herself. The father has no right to the child’s custody. Generally, the child stays with the mother.”
Mia breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “What if the father’s family finds out before their divorce is processed and wants to take custody? How can she regain custody?”
“Mia, is this friend of yours very close to you?”
“Well, we have a decent relationship.”
“Since she’s your good friend, I’m willing to be her lawyer. I’ll ensure that your friend regains custody of her child no matter what.”
“Okay, I’ll let her know. I’m not sure what sort of decision she’ll make.”
Then, Mia hung up the phone. Despite the reassurance from Jason, she didn’t feel much better. After all, it was not easy to win a legal battle against the Barrett family, which was very wealthy and influential.
However, Mia couldn’t bear to see Laura suffer from illness without doing anything.
In the afternoon, Mia went straight to the hospital.
As soon as she walked out of the elevator, she saw Maya standing before Timothy. The two were very close, almost as if they were embracing each other.
Mia stopped in her tracks. She then said loudly, “It seems I came at the wrong time.”
Timothy’s expression stiffened when he heard her voice, and he subconsciously stepped back, widening the distance between him and Maya.
When Maya turned around and saw Mia, a hint of provocation flashed across her eyes. “It’s fine. There’s nothing between us anymore.”
Mia felt a tightness in her chest. She wanted to turn and leave but thought of Laura’s condition, so she decided to stay instead. She walked toward the two of them.
Mia looked at Maya and said calmly, “When is Grandma Laura’s surgery going to start?”
Maya couldn’t meet Mia’s eyes. She answered with feigned composure, “That depends on many factors. It should be soon if things go well.”
Mia knew what Maya was implying.
She looked at Timothy and said, “Let’s go to the courthouse now and get a divorce.”
Timothy’s face remained stoic. “Do you believe that divorce is the solution?”
“Well, I intend to convince Grandma to undergo the surgery,” Mia asserted.
Timothy’s eyes narrowed as he inquired, “And how do you plan on doing that?”
Mia hesitated momentarily before replying. “That’s none of your concern.”
At that moment, the hospital room’s door swung open, revealing Martha. “Ms. Mia, Mrs. Barrett Senior wishes to have a conversation with both you and Mr. Barrett. She has matters to discuss.”
Standing close by, Maya interjected with a hopeful smile, “I’ve also come to visit Mrs. Barrett Senior.”
“I regret to inform you that Mrs. Barrett Senior has no intention of seeing you,” Martha responded awkwardly.
A rigid expression settled on Maya’s face. She watched with resentment as Timothy entered the room with Mia.
Mia felt the weight of Maya’s intense gaze on her as she entered the hospital room. Nonetheless, she couldn’t let herself be distracted by it.
She held Laura’s cold hands gently. “Grandma, are you feeling any better today?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
In an attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere, Laura replied with humor, “I might be under the weather, but I’m far from knocking on death’s door,” though her pale complexion hinted at her frail condition.
Timothy, however, responded with seriousness. “Grandma, I’ve arranged for your surgery next week.”
With unyielding resolve, Laura shot back, “I’ve made myself clear. I won’t proceed with the surgery!
“My decision stands unless I get to witness the birth of my great¨Cgrandson. Without that hope, there’s little that keeps me going.”
Growing frustrated, Timothy snapped, “Are you attempting to use your health as leverage against me, Grandma?”
Unfazed, Laura retorted, “If that’s your interpretation, then so be it.”
Mia felt a profound sense of guilt as she observed Laura’s frailty.
She realized that Laura’s refusal for surgery stemmed from concern for her welfare.
Laura harbored a genuine fear¨Cif the surgery didn’t yield positive results and Mia couldn’t recover, she wouldn’t be there to protect her in the challenges ahead.
Yet, Mia had decided to end her marriage with Timothy, directly conflicting with Laura’s wishes.
Having grown up an orphan, Mia faced hardships from her foster parents, finding solace only in the kindness
Patricia had shown her.
Over the last three years, Laura had warmly welcomed Mia into her life, treating her as a cherished granddaughter. Mia grappled with a deep concern for Laura’s deteriorating health.
Truly, the surgery couldn’t be delayed any longer.
In a decisive moment, Mia lightly placed Laura’s hand onto her belly, declaring, “Grandma, I’m going to have a baby.”
A heavy silence enveloped the hospital room.