Filed to story: Mia Bowen and Timothy Barrett Novel
“Where are you going? You can leave after you have your fill.”
Maya sprang up from her seat and chased after him. “Tim!”
He took big strides out of the restaurant without looking back.
She stood right there as her eyes shone with an evil glint.
She wouldn’t give up that easily.
After a few days¡® rest, Mia fully recovered from the cold.
Liam especially bought two tickets to an auction. “Mia, are you interested in charity auctions?”
Mia had only known charity auctions by words. She spared a glance at the tickets. “Aren’t those where only rich people hang out?”
“It was supposed to be a schedule for that famous actor, but he didn’t want to go. So, I have to fill in his place. Just buying a few things there will do. You want to come along?”
“Okay.” Mia nodded, wanting to go along with Liam. It would be her first time at a charity auction.
After receiving a positive response, he texted in “One Big Happy Family” immediately. “Reaching out to
Dominic for sponsorship. Mia agreed to come along with me to a charity auction.”
Five people wired him money in a heartbeat, all solely for Mia’s allowance to be spent at the charity auction.
Liam whistled at the notification received upon the successful transactions. “Thank you for the support, brothers. Love you all.”
Jason texted, “No embezzlement allowed unless you’re expecting a lawyer’s letter.”
Liam replied with a crying emoji, torn by how Jason saw him that way.
If there were a list of a target of Liam’s schemes, Mia’s name would never appear on it.
That night, Mia and Liam went to the charity auction together.
The line of luxurious cars caught her eye. As she guessed, only people loaded with cash could attend such an event.
“Mia, if you see anything you like, just buy it.”
She blinked at him. “Liam, aren’t we here to buy things for that actor?”
“It’s his money anyway. He won’t mind spending this little amount of money.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” No matter how she thought about it, it was immoral to splurge on someone else’s money.
She would never do such a thing anyway.
They talked while heading to the venue.
He handed the bidding number to her. “Nature’s calling. Mia, find your seat according to this number.”
She nodded. While she was searching for her seat, a strong perfume caught her attention.
Frowning, she lifted her head only to find Shelly standing beside Maya.
Mia’s hand that was covering her nose fell to her side in disbelief, not expecting that ill¨Cfated encounter.
“Mia Bowen, what are you doing here?” Shelly strode up to her in disbelief, sizing her up. “Do you know what kind of place this is?”
“I know. A charity auction.”
Shelly purposely showed off her branded bag. “You know that very well, and yet you’re here? Anything here costs at least hundreds of thousands.
“It’s the number you’ll never see in your bank account after decades of working. How dare you come here! Who gave you the guts to do so?”
Mia remained indifferent. “Definitely not you.”
Maya joined. “Don’t put it that way, Shelly. A person can still gain experience from attending the event.”
“You’re right. It’s a place where the poor might not be able to come even once in their lifetime.
“Mia Bowen, I’m warning you, Maya is going to marry Timothy this weekend. Better make faster progress on the renovation and not delay the wedding.”
A sense of triumph adorned Maya’s smile.
Despite that, there was no nuance in Mia’s expression. “Better look for the right person, ladies. I’m not the person in charge of that house.”
“What’s with that attitude, Mia Bowen?” Shelly had never liked that expression on Mia’s face.
At that moment, Maya called aloud, “Timothy!”
Mia raised her head and waved. Timothy was making his way into the venue in a linen suit complemented with a dark¨Cgrey tie.
She picked the color of the suit herself in the past.
Previously, he loved dressing up in dark colors, so she chose a lot of light¨Ccolored suits.
Yet, she never saw him wearing them.
Now, he appeared younger in that light shade.
As a matter of fact, handsome men looked good in anything.
Still, she never expected him to show up in light¨Ccolored clothes because he never wore them.
Mia’s eyes fixated on Timothy when he trod in their direction. She couldn’t shift her gaze away from his suit.
She was almost certain that it was the suit she picked for him a few months ago.
It was the time when Maya hadn’t shown up, and he hadn’t suggested a divorce.
Timothy’s brows creased the moment he saw the bidding number in Mia’s hand.
Maya welcomed him with a grin. “Timothy, it’s a surprise to see Ms. Bowen here, isn’t it? Shelly and I found it weird, so we were talking to her.”
Shelly quickly added fuel to the fire. “Timothy, I’m pretty sure she hooked up with a man. Otherwise, considering her status, she wouldn’t have been able to show up here.
“It’s her fate to stay poor forever, yet she keeps dreaming of being a Cinderella.”
Mia’s expression turned cold.
Liam snorted from her behind. “No wonder I smelled something foul from afar. Not even your strong perfume can cover that foul smell coming from your mouth.
“You should return home and cleanse your mouth before stepping outdoors. It’ll be bad to wither those poor flowers outside.”
His words made Shelly’s blood boil.
The shade and layers of powder scarcely hid her fuming cheeks. “Timothy, did you hear that? How dare he insult me!”
Timothy’s eyes turned icier when he noticed Liam’s presence. It seemed this was the man Mia came with.
A smile spread across Mia’s lips when she looked over her shoulder at Liam.
His sharp tongue never failed to amuse her once, and he managed to voice out her thoughts.
He stood next to her side casually while staring at Timothy shrewdly.
A few days ago, Connor mentioned that Mia fainted due to illness, as well as the fact that Timothy took her to the hospital and hired a caretaker.
As a man himself, Liam saw through Timothy’s intentions easily.
But, according to Liam’s standards, Timothy didn’t deserve Mia at all.
Liam flashed a dashing smile. “Be mindful of how your people behave, Mr. Barrett. Don’t let them loose and bite anyone. Otherwise, someone might bite you in the back one day.”
Timothy’s thin lips pursed. “I don’t need a lesson from you.”
Noticing the tense atmosphere between the men, Mia felt her heart jumping out of her chest.
This was freaking Timothy Barrett! And Liam was challenging him!
She was aware that Liam was standing up for her, so she pulled his arm. “Let’s go. The auction is starting soon.”
He wanted to say more but followed her in the end, figuring that it was Timothy’s luck for now.
The provocative glare from Liam ruined Timothy’s mood.
Maya cooed, “Calm down, Timothy. Liam acts that way all the time. He often gets in people’s bad books in show business when he was in Nord City. That’s why he stays under the radar.
“If someone exposes his sharp tongue, he might lose his fanbase.”
Shelly couldn’t follow. “Isn’t he that famous actor’s stuntman?”
Maya explained, “Liam does have a stuntman, but I can recognize him. That person is my cousin, Liam Lane. He’s not a stuntman. But his agency is using the stuntman to shield Liam away from scandals.”