Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
Seated nearby, Mia closely watched Ginger as she supervised Timothy’s meal.
Before long, Laura finally regained consciousness.
Without hesitation, Mia and her children swiftly changed into sterile gowns before entering the ward.
Upon seeing the silver-haired Laura, Mia approached and gently took her hand. “Grandma Laura,” she called out, her voice trembling with emotion.
Laura looked at Mia, then at Sage and Ginger, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Gently wiping away Laura’s tears, Mia whispered, “I kept the truth from you before. The children have always been here.”
At that moment, Ginger and Sage stepped forward. “Hello, Great-Grandma Laura,” they greeted her respectfully.
At that instant, Ginger presented a bouquet of fresh peonies. “Great-Grandma Laura, these flowers will surely help you feel better,” she said sincerely. Laura regarded the sweet, sincere Ginger with a weak nod. Then, her gaze shifted to Mia, as if she had something on her mind that she wanted to express. Leaning in closer to Laura, Mia asked softly, “What is it you want to say?”
“I-I’m just glad you’re okay,” Laura murmured.
Hearing Laura’s words, Mia’s eyes instantly filled with tears.
To her surprise, Laura still remembered what had happened five years ago. It seemed she understood it had been a calculated move directed at her.
Mia held Laura’s hand tightly as she spoke, “Grandma Laura, you must recover quickly. Sage and Ginger are growing up so fast and becoming increasingly mischievous. They need your guidance.” Laura managed a gentle smile and nodded in response, acknowledging Mia’s words.
For Sage, witnessing his cherished family member in such a vulnerable state was a deeply moving moment.
With determination evident on his face, Sage stepped forward and urged, “Great-Grandma Laura, you have to stay strong.”
As Sage stood before her, Laura was deeply moved by his resemblance to Timothy, which caused a lump to form in her throat.
Finding comfort in the knowledge that Timothy now had children of his own, Laura felt reassured, knowing that even if she were to pass away, Timothy wouldn’t be left alone.
Nonetheless, their visiting time was restricted as Laura needed to rest.
Shortly after, Mia escorted Sage and Ginger out of the hospital room, with Timothy quietly trailing behind.
Though his face remained stoic, his eyes betrayed a depth of emotion.
Addressing Timothy, Mia reassured him, “I’m confident Grandma Laura will get better. During her recovery, the children will stay by her side until she’s well enough to leave the hospital.” After so many years, the intricacies of Mia’s relationship with Timothy remained obscure.
Despite this, Mia understood that the bond between Laura and her children was not one she could simply sever.
Ginger’s expression turned solemn as she held Timothy’s hand, softly urging him, “Don’t forget to eat on time, okay?”
Timothy managed a strained smile in response. “I’ll make sure to do that.”
With a nod Mia prepared to leave with Sage and Ginger. Just as they were about to depart, Heath approached Timothy, his voice barely audible as he spoke, “We’ve located Luna.”
Upon hearing this, Timothy’s expression hardened. “Where is she?”
“She’s managed to infiltrate the cleaning staff, likely aiming to get close to Mrs. Barrett Senior,” Heath informed him.
Exhaling sharply, Mia remarked, “After all this time, we finally have a lead.”
Timothy’s lips formed a tight line as he commanded, “Apprehend her.”
“We can’t do that. To hold Luna accountable, we must have concrete evidence,” Heath countered.
“But I can’t jeopardize Grandma’s well-being,” Timothy insisted firmly.
“No one said Grandma Laura had to be in danger. We can have someone impersonate her. But we must proceed with caution. If it’s too obvious, Luna will detect the trap,” Heath suggested.
After a moment of consideration, Mia decided to play along with Luna’s charade.
With everything arranged, Mia left the hospital with Sage and Ginger as usual.
Nonetheless, an unsettling sensation gnawed at her, as if someone’s gaze lingered on her from behind.
It unmistakably felt like Luna.
However, unbeknownst to Luna, a trap awaited her at the hospital.
As Mia led her children back to Patricia’s house, she felt Sage’s questioning gaze upon her.
“Do you think this plan will really catch the bad person? Is there anything we can do to help?” Sage’s curiosity surfaced.
“We won’t need to intervene. He’s got it all under control.” Mia reassured Sage.
However, despite Mia’s trust in
Timothy’s ability to manage this trivial
Matter, she still harbored.net concerns about his potential lack of restraint.
Arriving home with Sage and Ginger, Mia noticed the door was slightly ajar, and voices could be heard coming from inside.
As she pushed open the door, she saw their nosy neighbor, Diane Hemingway, chatting with a middle-aged woman and an unfamiliar man.
Upon laying eyes on Diane, Mia swiftly discerned the motive behind her visit.
Despite Patricia’s clear refusal earlier that morning, why did she still decide to show up in the evening?
Diane was in the company of two others, one of whom was a man.
The way he gazed at Mia left no doubt as to his identity.
Still, Mia couldn’t help but ponder Diane’s apparent lack of discretion in this situation.
“Ah, Ms. Lane, welcome home. We’ve been anticipating your return for quite a while,” Diane greeted warmly as she stood up.
“This is the friend I was telling you about, along with her son. Isn’t he quite dashing? I assure you, I have nothing but good intentions; Aunt Patricia and I are quite close, after all.”
Mia remained unfazed, her eyes fixed on Sage and Ginger. “Both of you, go back to your rooms.”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Diane interjected. “They’ve brought gifts for the children-luxurious chocolates, the kind favored by the affluent.”
Meeting Diane’s gaze, the middle-aged woman, Pamela Baker, assumed a touch of superiority. “Certainly, feel free to help yourselves. After all, you probably haven’t tasted such delicacies before. They’re quite expensive.”
Mia glanced disinterestedly at the candies arranged neatly on the table. Despite their fruit-flavored labels, she doubted their exorbitant cost.
After all, Sage and Ginger were accustomed to Eva’s homemade candies, crafted from only the finest ingredients.
Unperturbed, Mia calmly declined, “No, thank you. These sweets aren’t exactly nutritious. I’d rather the children not indulge in such snacks.”
With a touch of innocence, Ginger gazed up at Mia and added, “Mommy, Uncle says we shouldn’t eat these unhealthy candies. They’ll damage our teeth.”
Meanwhile, Sage maintained a serious demeanor as he quipped, “Candies of this quality wouldn’t even be considered at our home.”
With each comment from Sage and Ginger, Diane and Pamela’s expressions grew increasingly uncomfortable.
Displeased, Pamela snapped, “Noah, why are you still seated there?”
It was evident that someone as temperamental as Pamela might not fit well into their family dynamic.
In the next moment, Noah Young, the man in question, approached Mia, extending his hand eagerly.. “Ms. Lane, it’s a pleasure to meet you must say, I have a very positive first impression of you.
“I believe there’s much to gain from us getting acquainted. You’ll find that despite your ex-husband, there are still good men in this world.”
Noah’s words sent a wave of discomfort through Mia. She had never encountered such shameless audacity in a man before.
She withheld her hand, giving Noah only a fleeting glance. “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in pursuing a relationship or participating in a blind date.”
Unfazed, Noah continued, “Even if it’s not a blind date, we can still get acquainted. It won’t do any harm.”
Mia decided to be direct to convey her stance. “I’m not interested in getting to know you. It’s late, so I kindly ask that you leave now.”
Pamela’s anger surged upon hearing Mia’s response. “Ms. Lane, why the arrogance? Remember, you’re divorced with two children! How do you expect to compete with a younger woman?
“Just because your ex-husband was wealthy, do you think you can still attract another rich man? Sadly, you may have already passed your prime.”
Mia responded bluntly, her expression unyielding, “If that’s the logic you’re using, then by your son’s age, you should be considered worthless by now.”
“What’s with the attitude?” Pamela snapped.
“I’ve already rejected your matchmaking attempts, yet here you are shamelessly intruding without invitation. What kind of attitude do you seriously expect from me?” Mia shot back.
Following Mia’s assertive reply, Diane quickly interjected, “Ms. Lane, please don’t say that. I’m just worried about you.”
“And you,” Mia addressed Diane.
“You’re precisely what I’d anticipate from being her friend. It’s evident you both follow the same script, completely unable to grasp a straightforward refusal.” S
Diane was taken aback by Mia’s pointed words.
Turning to Patricia, she pleaded, “Aunt Patricia, please, I was only trying to assist her. After all, it’s incredibly challenging for a woman to raise children on her own.”