Ch. 51..60

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 51-Mia felt a headache coming on when she saw the trending topic. She really didn’t want to be known for this.

But after checking out the trend, she realized there was only a photo of her and Liam walking into the venue.

There weren’t any photos of her face.

She relaxed a little. It was fine as long as there weren’t any photos of her. Still, what was up with the content?

Why were people talking about how she and Liam had gotten together three years ago and were only just revealing their relationship?

She supposed it was only to be expected of entertainment news. Her and Liam’s names were the only real things in this whole mess-everything else had been made up.

Mia explained everything to Gina. She told Gina how Liam was only a body double for Linden and that the paparazzi had gotten the wrong man.

Then, she went out to buy a whole bunch of stuff. They were all gifts that she’d prepared for Dominic and Eva; they could bring the things back to Nord City.

Mia looked at Liam. “Will the rumors cause any trouble for you?” “Nah. I’ve already spoken to the media-that photo of our backs is the only one that people will see. Don’t worry about having your face revealed.” Liam was actually a little sad about this. If only he could announce to the world that Mia was his precious cousin. It was too bad the timing wasn’t right.

Dominic said tentatively, “Mia, there must be many companies wanting to hire you now that you’ve won first place in the competition. Is there any company in particular that you’re interested in? Vista Properties is the organizer, so they must be offering the best conditions.” He was trying his best to hint that Mia should join Vista Properties. That way, he could arrange for his people to watch over her.

Vista Properties? Wasn’t that one of the companies belonging to Maya’s family?

Mia didn’t want to have anything to do with Maya, so she shook her head. “I’ve already gotten a part- time job somewhere else. Dominic.” Dominic was rather disappointed but didn’t say anything. Mia could work anywhere she wanted as long as she liked the place.

After sending Dominic and Eva off, Mia got ready to report for duty at Felix’s studio. On her way there, she received a call. “Hi, Ms. Bowen. I’m the manager of Barrett Group’s HR department.

“I’m actually calling to ask whether you’re interested in taking up a position with us. Your compensation and benefits are negotiable.” Barrett Group? Mia asked hesitantly, “Why do you want me to work for you?” Before this, Timothy had been trying to poach Zoe. He hadn’t known about Mia being Zoe. But after what had happened at the awards ceremony, Timothy had to know they were one and the same. Why was he still having The HR manager was caught off guard by this question. After a pause, he said, “Well, you are Zoe, after all. We reached out to your friend twice before this, but you rejected us both times.

“We just wanted to make it clear that our boss genuinely admires your talent and wants to invite you to take up a position with us. It’ll be beneficial for your career development.” Timothy admired her talent? Mia got goosebumps all over. She hurriedly said, “Sorry, but I’ve already agreed to take up a position at another studio. You can pass my thanks to your boss for his admiration, though.” “Ms. Bowen, I’m sure anyone would know which is the better choice between us and a regular studio.” “Yes, but there’s also something known as ‘first come, first serve.’ You’re one step behind them, so I’m gonna have to say no. Sorry about this.” Mia hung up and stared at her phone dazedly.

She honestly couldn’t understand why Timothy was still offering her an olive branch. Could it be that his people still weren’t aware of what had happened? That had to be it.

Meanwhile, the HR manager put his phone down before giving Timothy a tentative look. “I’m sure you heard what she said, Mr. Barrett. Ms. Bowen truly isn’t interested.” He had to admit that he found it weird, though. People wouldn’t normally turn down the opportunity to work at Barrett Group.

Timothy was poker-faced. “You can go now.” He took his phone out and checked his Instagram. When he saw the photo Mia had posted last night, he couldn’t help having mixed feelings.

As he recalled how she’d acted last night, he wanted nothing more than to trap her in his arms so he could teach her a lesson. He wanted to pinch away her dimples.

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 52-Mia seemed to have become a completely different person after signing those divorce papers. Timothy was finding her harder to read as time passed.

At this moment, his phone pinged. He saw a push notification for a trending topic-it was about Linden’s new relationship.

His brows furrowed tightly. He clicked on it to see a photo of Mia’s and another man’s backs. She wore her champagne-colored dress, which swished with every step she took.

“Yes, sir. Should I also look into which studio Mrs. Barrett has gone to?” Timothy gave him a cold look. “Don’t you have anything better to do? Get out!” Mia took a cab to Felix’s studio. It was located in a creative industry center that had been refurbished from an old steel plant. It exuded creative vibes.

Mia walked into the studio. The receptionist approached her and asked, “Are you here for an interview?” “You could say that. Is Felix in?” “Not at the moment. You can take a seat over there while waiting.” Mia headed to the visitor’s waiting area. Then, someone called out to her. “Mia Bowen?” She stopped and turned to see a familiar face. It was Wilhelmina. Mia was a little surprised. “What a coincidence.” “Indeed. What are you doing here?” Wilhelmina asked.

The receptionist came over with a glass of water. “She’s here for an interview, Wilhelmina.” Wilhelmina looked like she couldn’t believe her ears. “Would someone like you need to interview for a position at this tiny studio? Didn’t any of those established companies reach out to you?” It didn’t make sense that the first-place winner of the Fleur International Design Competition, who was also Zoe, the renowned designer, would show up at Felix’s studio. Besides, Mia was involved with Linden Lane!

Mia said calmly, “I have my considerations.” A hint of wariness flashed in Wilhelmina’s eyes. “Do you and Felix know each other?” “Yeah.” “How do you two know each other?”

Wilhelmina’s tone sounded a little odd. Mia was about to answer when Felix returned to the studio. He approached them and said, “You’re finally here, Mia.” Wilhelmina asked doubtfully, “Do you two know each other, Felix?” “Yeah. Mia was our junior in college; she’s a year below us. She had to drop out for personal reasons, though,” Felix said.

“Oh, I see. Mia’s a renowned designer, though. How did you get her to agree to join us? Don’t tell me you used your good looks and charisma to win her over.” Felix looked helpless. “Don’t say things like that, Wilhelmina.” Mia understood the situation now. Her sixth sense told her that Wilhelmina had a crush on Felix.

“Come to my office, Mia,” Felix said.

Mia nodded. She didn’t say anything else.

Wilhelmina watched as they went to Felix’s office. Then, she pulled out her phone to make a call, sounding sycophantic as she said, “Hi, is this Ms. Barrett? This is Wilhelmina Jones. Do you still remember me? We exchanged numbers at the awards ceremony last night.” “You’re that second-place winner, aren’t you? What is this about?” Shelly had just woken up. She’d thought Wilhelmina was Zoe but had turned out to be wrong. Surprisingly enough, Mia was actually Zoe.

This had put Shelly in such a bad mood that she hadn’t even had fun when partying last night. How could someone as plain and dull as Mia be Zoe?

Wilhelmina didn’t get mad at Shelly’s haughty tone. “Are you familiar with Mia Bowen, Ms. Barrett?” Shelly perked up at the mention of Mia. “What are you trying to say?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 53-Shelly was still full of pent-up frustration. She hadn’t had anywhere to vent it. To make matters worse, Laura had been singing Mia’s praises. It had irritated her to no end.

Wilhelmina said pointedly, “I saw her at a small studio there. It looked like she was there for an interview.” Shelly sat up in bed, all traces of drowsiness gone. “I need more details. Give me the address, too.” Wilhelmina gave her a quick rundown. After that, she turned to see Mia follow Felix out of his office. Felix announced, “We have a new member joining us today, everyone. Please give Mia a warm welcome!” Wilhelmina smirked. Mia had stolen her trophy and was even thinking of stealing the man she liked. How could she let Mia off the hook?

Mia officially started work the following day. She wanted to earn some money before she started her classes.

The receptionist approached her. “Mia, there’s a client asking for you.” “Me?” Mia found this odd. It was her first day of work. Why would a client be looking for her?

She walked over to the visitor’s waiting area to see two women seated on the couch-Sharon and Shelly. Her expression faltered. “What are you two doing here?” Shelly eyed her. “To get an interior designer to handle the renovations for our home, of course. Timothy needs to renovate his marital home; he’s getting rid of all the old stuff.” Sharon chimed in, “Exactly. My son’s marrying a young woman from an affluent family, so it’s only right for him to have the house done up properly. That way, he won’t put the family name to shame. This time, we have to throw a grand wedding. We can’t sweep things under the rug like we did in the past.” Mia took a deep breath. “I can’t accept this deal. You should look for someone else.” Sharon and Shelly were obviously doing this on purpose. She didn’t want to be at their beck and call.

“What, are you gonna turn down clients that are serving themselves up on a silver platter?” Shelly crossed her legs. “Didn’t you put in so much effort for that competition to score deals from wealthy people like us? I’ll lodge a complaint against you if you dare turn us away.” She’d even brought Sharon with her to teach Mia a lesson.

Sharon pulled out a check. “Go ahead and fill in whatever amount you want as compensation. You might come from a regular family, but your taste isn’t too bad.” Mia didn’t accept the check. Sharon raised an eyebrow at this. “Why are you allowing this to bother you when I don’t mind? You’d be a fool to turn down the opportunity to make money. Go ahead and take the check. This deal alone will be enough to keep you going for at least half a year.” In the end, Mia smiled and accepted the check. She filled in a number before handing the check back to Sharon. She said coldly, “As long as you’re willing to pay this amount, I’ll accept the deal.” “At least you know what’s good for you. Aunt Sharon won’t be petty with you.” Shelly took the check. When she saw the number of zeroes written there, her eyes bulged. “100 million dollars? Rob a bank, why don’t you?” Mia smiled faintly. “I’m being transparent with my pricing.” “Being paid 100 thousand dollars is as high as a dumb interior designer like you can go. How dare you demand 100 million dollars? How greedy can you be? Let’s go, Shelly!” Sharon shot to her feet.

Shelly got up as well. She said smugly, “It doesn’t matter how good you are at what you do, Mia. You could win all the competitions in the world, but you’d still be working for others. You’re not like us-we were born with silver spoons in our mouths. You’ll never catch up with us, no matter how hard you work.” Mia retorted, “Indeed, I can’t compare to you in terms of wealth. But you’re no match for me in terms of being a proper human being.” This pissed Sharon off. “What’s that supposed to mean? You’re so rude!” Shelly said, “What would an orphan like her know about manners, Aunt Sharon? Think about how her half- dead uncle’s lying in the hospital. Who knows when he’ll die? How could he possibly have the time to teach. her anything about manners?” Mia grabbed a glass of water from the table and splashed it all over Shelly. “Shut up!”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 54-Mia was fine with people insulting her, but she wouldn’t allow anyone to say anything against James and Patricia.

Shelly shrieked, “Have you lost your mind, Mia? I’m sure as hell gonna lodge a complaint against you!” At this moment, Felix came over after hearing the commotion. Shelly immediately screeched, “Are you the boss? I want to lodge a complaint against this bitch!” Mia put the glass down and looked at Felix. “I’m sorry about this, Felix. I don’t think I’m a good fit for your studio.” She couldn’t get Felix and his studio in trouble.

“Hold it. You’re not the one who should go.” Felix looked at Shelly and Sharon coldly. “I’m gonna have to ask you two to leave. This isn’t the place for you wealthy people. We work hard for every penny that we earn, and we do it with our consciences clear. We don’t need your money.” Mia didn’t expect Felix to stand up for her. Shelly and Sharon were so pissed that they screeched for a while longer before storming off.

Wilhelmina furrowed her brows when she saw this. She, too, hadn’t expected Felix to stand up for Mia. She hated this!

After Shelly and Sharon left, Mia turned to Felix. “I’m sorry about that.” “It’s not a big deal. They were obviously here to pick on you. Stop worrying about it and focus on your work,” Felix said.

Mia nodded. Since Felix had so much faith in her, she had to give it her all.

Shelly and Sharon changed out of their damp clothes when they got home. After that, Sharon called Timothy to complain about Mia. “You should’ve seen how Mia acted, Timothy!

“We went to her studio to give her some work to do, but she demanded we pay her 100 million dollars before splashing water all over us. She’s such a rude, wild woman!” Timothy frowned. “Which studio did you go to?” “Some nondescript studio at the creative industry center. You have to avenge me, Timothy! I can’t believe Mia had the nerve to treat me like that! All she did was win a dumb competition; does she think she can act so obnoxiously because of that?” Timothy didn’t hear the other things that Sharon said. After hanging up, he said to Heath, “Get another interior designer to handle the renovations for my home.” “I’ll get on it right away, sir.” Heath wasn’t surprised in the least. They’d already gone through several designers at this point.

Timothy said, “Hold on. I want you to switch to a studio located at the creative industry center.” “You’ve never trusted these small studios, Mr. Barrett,” Heath said.

“Cut the crap and do as I say.” Timothy tugged his tie loose. Ever since Mia had left and Kaleb had changed the furnishings at home, nothing had seemed right to Timothy. He’d switched designer after designer, but none of them had been able to meet his expectations.

Now, he had to admit that Mia knew a thing or two about interior design.

When Mia returned home that night, she saw that Bob and Mary were there to cause trouble again. Bob’s leg was still in a cast, though. He’d obviously yet to fully recover.

Mary was screeching at Patricia in the living room. “Give us the money! Mia’s family must’ve paid you handsomely, but we’re the ones who adopted her. What right do you have to take the money?” Mia walked in. “Let’s not talk about whether Aunt Patricia actually received any money. Even if she did, I’d burn it all rather than let you have it.” She went to the kitchen and grabbed a kettle of water that Patricia had just boiled. Then, she strode back to the living room. “Are you leaving or not? If you’re not going anywhere, how about I help you take a hot shower?” Mary blanched at the sight of the kettle. She and Bob scurried out of the house, clamoring as they went.” You’re an imbecile and an ingrate, Mia! Just wait!” After chasing Mary and Bob away, Mia looked at Patricia. “Everything’s okay now, Aunt Patricia. I’ll always be here for you.” novelbin Patricia wiped her tears. “You’ve always been a good child, Mia. You’re obedient and grateful to those who treat you well.” Mia consoled Patricia. When she went to work the following day, she received an online order that specifically requested her to handle the designs.

Mia checked the address. It was familiar. Wasn’t this the marital home she’d lived in for three years?

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 55-A hint of mockery flashed in Mia’s eyes as she looked at the order. She’d furnished every inch of the marital home with her heart, and a certain someone had disregarded it like it meant nothing. Now, they even wanted her to design a new home for her ex-husband and his first love!

They’d crossed the line with this!

It looked like they wouldn’t let her off the hook; they were constantly trying to provoke her. Since backing down wouldn’t resolve the problem, Mia would probably be better off facing them directly.

As long as they weren’t afraid of the consequences, what would she have to fear?

Mia’s eyes flashed coldly. She called the number indicated in the order. Heath’s voice rang out awkwardly on the other end of the line. “Ahem. Mrs. Barrett.” “You don’t have to call me that now that we’ve signed the divorce papers. I’ll cut to the chase-you guys are the ones behind that online order, right?” Heath nodded. “Yes.” “I’ll accept it, but I have a condition. I want to be paid tenfold,” Mia said.

“I’ll have to check with Mr. Barrett on this, Mrs. Barrett.” Heath hurried into Timothy’s office after hanging up. Mr. Barrett, Mrs. Barrett just contacted me on the order. She said that she’ll only accept the deal if she’s paid tenfold.” Timothy stopped writing. “Tenfold? She wants a million dollars?” She hadn’t changed one bit. She had the nerve to demand a fee of one million dollars!

He leaned back. “Do you think she’s worth that price?” “We’ve already gone through five designers, Mr. Barrett. All of them asked for more than 100 thousand dollars, so we’ve already spent more than 500 thousand dollars on them. It’d actually be worth it if we could spend a little more to hire a designer who can get the job done,” Heath said.

Timothy raised an eyebrow at him. “How are you so sure that I’ll be happy with her designs?” Heath fell silent. Hadn’t Timothy switched designers so many times because he hadn’t been happy with any of their designs?

After a while, Timothy asked, “So, what do you think?” Heath said tentatively, “It is a little expensive. Maybe we should forget it.” Timothy frowned. “Have her accept the order. I won’t pay her the remainder of the fees if I’m not happy with her work.” It wouldn’t be that easy to earn his money!

Heath nodded and left the office. He wiped the sweat from his brow. It was getting harder and harder to guess 1/2 Soon, Mia received a call from Heath. She smirked and happily accepted the deposit. Cha-ching-that was 200 thousand dollars in her pocket!

She got ready to head to the marital home to scope out the place. Before leaving, she realized she’d run out of folic acid. As she passed by a pharmacy, she dropped by to get a bottle each of folic acid and vitamins. Then, she switched the contents. She had to be careful before the divorce was finalized.

Mia took a cab to her marital home. One of the maids, Holly Stow, was pleasantly surprised to see her. “What are you doing here, Mrs. Barrett?” “To work, of course.” Mia smiled and entered the hall. It was familiar to her, but many of the decorations had been changed. Somehow, they just didn’t go well together. She looked at the new curtains. “Who switched these?” Holly said cautiously, “Kaleb did. I heard he did it on Ms. Lane’s orders.” Mia wasn’t surprised to hear this. After all, on the day that she’d been kicked out of this place, Maya had mentioned that she would change everything in the villa.

A hint of mockery flashed past her eyes. “It’s good that things have been changed. Out with the old and in with the new, right?” “Don’t be mad, Mrs. Barrett. Mr. Barrett was furious when he learned about Kaleb changing the furnishings. He even had Kaleb fired,” Holly said.

“Really?” Mia was surprised. Kaleb had been sent here by Sharon, yet Timothy hadn’t hesitated to have him fired. She supposed he’d genuinely been angry. It made sense, though. Timothy was a clean freak and had a compulsive streak. He was hard to deal with.

“Could you help me record the things that have been changed, Holly? I’ll deal with the renovations, but you’ll have to help me coordinate things a little,” Mia said.

“Of course, Mrs. Barrett. But aren’t you gonna see what things are like upstairs?” Mia lowered her gaze. “No. That won’t be necessary.” She didn’t want to head upstairs to see traces of Timothy and Maya’s life together-not even in the slightest.

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 56-Mia kept a mental record of all the changes that had been made to the living room so that she had an idea of what to change. She would work on the draft at home.

At this moment, someone rang the doorbell. Holly answered the door to see two women standing outside.” May I know who you’re looking for?” “Out of the way, you. I want to see the lady of the household.” “Yeah, get out of our way. I’m your boss’ mother-in-law!” Holly was shoved aside. She didn’t have the chance to stop them from barging into the house. “What are you two doing? You can’t come in!” Mia heard all of this from her seat on the couch. Her expression shifted as she turned to look at the women who’d barged into the villa. “What are you two doing here?” Her adoptive grandmother, Mildred Hort, felt the leather couch. “I didn’t expect you to marry someone so well- off, Mia. If not for Jimmy’s slip of the tongue, I wouldn’t have any idea that your husband lived in such a huge villa!” Mary chimed in, “Didn’t you tell us that your husband was a poor bastard? You said you needed the money to pay for your uncle’s hospital bills and that you’d dropped out of college to cook and clean for your husband. It turns out you have maids at home! You’ve been lying this whole time, Mia!” Only then did Mia realize how Mary and Mildred had found their way here. Jimmy Lloyd was a cab driver, and they lived in the same village. Jimmy had once dropped her off in the neighborhood, but she hadn’t told him which villa she lived in. They shouldn’t have been able to find her here.

Mary was green with envy at the sight of the spacious, beautiful villa. “You’re a little bitch, Mia. Why didn’t you tell us that you’d married someone so well-off? We could’ve done with the money! Do you know how difficult it was for us to find you? We had to knock on every door here, you know!” Mia’s blood boiled when she heard that. “How shameless can you two be? Get the hell out of here! No matter how well-off my husband is, it has nothing to do with you!” Mildred slapped herself on the thigh and started wailing. “If you dare kick me out of here, you little bitch, I’ll make sure all your neighbors know about this so they can see who’s right and who’s wrong. Do you think it’s right for you to kick your mother and grandmother out now that you’ve hit the jackpot?” This was the first time in Mia’s life that someone had infuriated her so much she was trembling. How could there be such shameless people on this earth?

If she were anywhere else, she would just turn and leave. But this was the Barrett residence. She didn’t want Timothy to see how shameless her adoptive family could be.

Mary said greedily, “If you think we’re embarrassing you, you’d better give us all the money you have. I heard you won a million dollars from that competition you were in. Since your husband’s so rich, I don’t think you’d need the money, right?

“Your brother needs the money so he can get married when he’s older, though. He won’t be able to find a wife if he’s broke!” Mia snorted. “My money has nothing to do with you people.” “Fine, then. If you refuse to give us money, have your husband buy your brother a nice house. That’ll be enough for your brother to get married,” Mildred said.

Mary was delighted by this. “Yes, that would be for the best. In fact, you’d better get us a villa that’s just like this one!” They even had the nerve to demand a villa!

Mia picked up the fruit platter on the table and flung it at them. Her gaze was frosty as she snarled, “I told you to get the hell out of here. You’re dreaming if you think you can get a dime out of me.

“Also, if you dare cause a scene here, I’ll call the cops on you. This is an affluent neighborhood, not the countryside!” “What’s going on here?” At this moment, a cold, sharp voice rang out. Mia turned to see Timothy walk into the villa. He wore a neatly pressed suit. He’d obviously rushed over from the office.

Mia’s heart sank. She wanted to resolve this before he found out. Why was he home in the day?

A wave of bitterness washed over her. Why did Timothy always have to catch her when she was at her lowest?

Timothy strode into the villa. He’d caught Mia throwing the fruit platter earlier; it was at odds with her usual obedient, demure act.

He swept a gaze over the shards of glass on the floor. He frowned. “What in the world is going on?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 57-Before Mia could say anything, Mildred piped up sycophantically. “You must be Timothy. Honestly, Mia didn’t even tell us about her marrying you. We didn’t expect you to be so outstanding! This must be a blessing from the heavens.

“If Mia ever acts up or throws a tantrum, you can let me know. I’ll teach her a lesson!” Mary smiled and added, “Yes, exactly. We’re a family now, so we should help each other out whenever necessary.” novelbin Timothy had long since looked into Mia’s background. He knew she was an orphan but that a couple had adopted her. Despite that, she’d grown up with her aunt. That alone was enough to tell him that Mia’s adoptive parents weren’t exactly great people.

He looked at Mary and Mildred coldly. “What do you guys want?” Mary’s eyes lit up. “It’s simple, really. The little bitch won a million dollars in prize money from that competition she participated in, yet she didn’t bother asking whether we needed anything.

“Her brother’s going to start dating soon. Who knows when he’ll get married? All he needs now is a house so he can get married, yet she’s not even willing to pay for that.” Mia couldn’t take it anymore. She shouted at Mary and Mildred, “Get the hell out of here right now!” She should’ve been more forceful earlier and had the security guards kick them out. That way, Timothy wouldn’t be aware of this mess.

Mary stood up straight. “This house belongs to Timothy, not you. If he hasn’t said anything, what gives you the right to kick me out?” Mia clenched her fists tightly. She felt ashamed. She didn’t even dare to look Timothy in the eye, afraid that she would see mockery and scorn there. Her dignity was already hanging by a thread; she didn’t want it to be destroyed right before the divorce.

Mildred and Mary’s sudden appearance here had ruined everything, though. Mia lowered her eyes self- deprecatingly. She didn’t look at Timothy or say anything.

She supposed this was a good opportunity for Timothy to tell Mary and Mildred about the divorce. Timothy could also let them know that she had no right to make any decisions in this household.

Once Mary and Mildred realized they couldn’t get anything out of her, they would probably leave. It would be for her good.

After a moment of silence, Timothy said, “She calls the shots in this household.” Huh?

Mia stared at him in shock. He was poker-faced as usual, and his eyes were like vortexes. She couldn’t read him, but one thing was clear-there wasn’t any mockery or scorn in his eyes.

Had he just said that she called the shots in this household?

If not for her hearing every word he’d said, she would’ve thought she was dreaming. Was that something Timothy could even say?

Mia wasn’t the only one who was stunned. Mary and Mildred were equally taken aback. They exchanged looks of disbelief.

Then, Mildred said shamelessly, “Since you’ve married an outstanding man who treats you so well, Mia, I’m sure you’re not lacking anything. Why don’t you give your brother one of your smaller properties, then?” Mary wasn’t as obnoxious as before. Her tone was gentler as she said, “Think about how we adopted you when you were younger, Mia. You grew up safe and sound because we took you in, and look at the man you’ve married now.

“We’re not asking for much-all we want is for you to cough up some money to buy a home for your brother so he can get married. He’s your brother, you know! You can’t stand by and watch him struggle to make it in life.” Mia took a deep breath. “I’ll say this one last time-my money is going to go to Uncle James’ hospital fees. I have no right to give it to anyone else.” Mildred turned to Timothy. “Our family isn’t too well-off, Timothy. Can you lend us some money since Mia’s brother needs to buy a home?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 58-“Grandma!” Mia cut Mildred off as soon as Mildred brought up borrowing money. She looked away, too embarrassed to meet Timothy’s eyes.

Despite being rejected many times, Mildred was still shameless enough to ask for money.

“Grandma? You never saw me as your grandmother. It’s your younger brother we’re talking about, and we shouldn’t leave him high and dry.” Mildred then turned to Timothy. “Will you help us, Timothy?” Mary nodded enthusiastically on the side too. Timothy was rich, which meant that she could live comfortably in the future.

Timothy could lend them money so that they could purchase a house. Then, he could buy them a car. He might even be able to find everyone a high-paying job!

Mia’s breath hitched. She had already agreed to divorce Timothy. If he lent her parents money, she would be no different from a gold digger. novelbin Mia looked at Mary and Mildred before speaking, “You heard it loud and clear just now. I wear the pants in this household. I have the final say, and his words won’t count.” Mary doubted Mia’s words. “I call bullshit. Timothy is rich. The one in charge of everything is definitely him, not you. Right, Timothy?” Mia pursed her lips and looked at Timothy anxiously, expecting the latter to say no. She prayed that Timothy caught the hint from what she had said earlier.

Timothy tidied his sleeves and ordered, “Come here.” Mia was puzzled by the instruction, but she walked toward Timothy nonetheless to see what he was trying to do.

As soon as she approached the man, Timothy grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

Mia stiffened. She gazed at Timothy wide-eyed.

Timothy then lifted his head to address the two greedy women on the couch. “I am rich, yes.” Mildred and Mary exchanged glances and grinned, celebrating their impending victory.

But the next moment, Timothy added, “But I give all my money to Mia. Mia gets to decide how to spend it.” His masculine voice echoed in Mia’s mind. They were so close to each other. Her nose could pick up the faint minty scent of Timothy, and she could hear his beating heart.

Timothy gazed down and whispered, “Do what you want with my money. I’m fine with everything.” Mia scrutinized the handsome face before her.

Despite his soothing voice, Timothy’s soul-reaching eyes did not make way for his mysterious mind.

Mia was lost. Why was Timothy helping her all of a sudden?

Mia composed herself and turned to Mary and Mildred.

The celebratory grin on their faces froze, clearly not expecting that Timothy would give Mia the right to veto everything. Would Mary and Mildred regret what they did just now? Either way, it felt good to be vindicated.

Mary pressed on shamelessly. “Mia, Timothy lets you decide. Just lend us the money already.” Mildred nodded too. “Timothy is so generous. Surely you won’t be stingy and petty?” Gosh, shameless people were always the loudest.

Mia answered coldly, “I’d rather donate to a charity than lend you money. Just give up.” “How dare you, Mia! We adopted you and funded your education. Now that you have your brothers and rich husband to fall back on, you want to kick us away? No way!” Brothers? Timothy stared into Mia’s eyes. “What brothers?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 59-Within seconds. Timothy felt that Mia had become a stranger to him.

Mary sneered, “It’s one of those relationships, you know? Guys love jumping in to protect the girls as long as they sweetly call them their “big brothers” in the coyest way possible.” Several of Mia’s “brothers” appeared and took the assets under Patricia’s name. They even got into a fight.

Mary was convinced that there was more to these “brothers’ than met the eye.

Timothy squinted, recalling the man who picked Mia up in his helicopter, and the mysterious man who paid the hospital ten years’ worth of hospital bills. Timothy still couldn’t identify those men until now. Could they be Mia’s “brothers”?

Not one to let Mary insult her brothers, Mia barked, “Holly, take them away. If they make a scene, ask the security to call the police.

Mary scowled, “Mia, you’re an ungrateful daughter. You ought to be slapped!” Mildred slumped to the ground, “Oh, Lord! What have I done to deserve this granddaughter of mine? She abandoned her family as soon as she found a rich husband.” Unfamiliar with the scene before her, Holly wasn’t sure what to do.

Mia was deeply embarrassed.

Timothy grabbed a mug nearby and smashed it against the ground.

He hollered, “Mia told you to leave. So leave!” Timothy looked fearsome when he was angry.

Mia turned to look at Timothy incredulously. Was he trying to protect her?

However, Timothy’s foul mood managed to stop Mildred from continuing her antics. novelbin She saw that Timothy was angry so she got up and left the house while making a fuss.

Mary was afraid of Timothy as well. Since Mildred had left, Mary figured that she should zip her mouth and make herself scarce.

Just like that, peace returned to the living room.

Mia looked at the shattered mug on the floor and smiled bitterly. “You can laugh at me now.” Yes, her family was ridiculous and unreasonable.

Patricia helped Mia cover it up for three years but Mary and Mildred found them.

The cat was out of the bag.

Perhaps she accidentally exposed herself when she posted the photos on social media. She was too happy.

Timothy thought about it and proposed, “Knowing your foster parents, they won’t stop until you give them the prize money. I can get you a lawyer to settle this dispute.” “No need.” Mia turned Timothy down. She could ask Jason for help.

Timothy frowned, not taking the rejection well. “Why? Because you think my lawyer sucks?” “Don’t get it wrong. I know a lawyer too. I don’t want to bother you.” Timothy suppressed his anger. “He’s one of your ‘brothers,’ hm?” Mia nodded. “Yeah.” Jason did help her.

All her brothers were kind to her.

Timothy yanked at his own tie in exasperation upon hearing Mia’s affirmative response.

“He sure takes good care of you then. He picked you up with his helicopter, let you stay in a five-star hotel, settled the hospital bill for you, and now, he’s settling the financial dispute for you.” Mia’s “brother” sure knew how to win a woman’s heart.

No wonder Mia was ready to divorce him. She had already found a new beau!

Mia was shocked. “What medical bill?” Timothy glared at Mia. “Yeah, play dumb. Aren’t you trying to look all vulnerable so that men would flock to protect you? Congratulations then. You found yourself a gullible ATM.” Mia stiffened.

So, Timothy believed in what Mary said. He thought that she had found someone else.

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 60-Mia cast down her eyes and faked nonchalance. “Thank you.” She saw no need to clarify the misunderstanding Timothy currently harbored.

Mia’s grateful response only fueled Timothy’s rage. He pressed his lips and uttered, “Mia, behave now. Don’t get all chummy with another man.” Mia rebutted plainly, “But we’re divorced.” “As long as we haven’t headed to the city council to finalize it, you remain married to me. You can’t flirt with other men unless you don’t love yourself.” “Let’s find a day and visit the city council then.” Timothy tossed away his tie angrily. “So, you’re doing this again. You know Laura doesn’t want us to get a divorce. Is this a threat now?” “I’m not trying to coerce you or something.” Mia looked at Timothy and continued matter-of-factly, “We can finalize the divorce in secret. We don’t have to tell Laura before she gets her surgery.” “You think Laura is a fool?” Timothy grabbed Mia by her chin. “You want to divorce me this badly. Is it because you can’t wait to marry your new boyfriend? Can you deal with the consequences if Laura catches wind of this?

Timothy’s powerful grip began to hurt her jaw.

Mia narrowed her eyes. “I just want to make way for Ms. Lane. I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.” “This has nothing to do with Maya!” Timothy wasn’t marrying Maya anyway. He looked at Mia haughtily and warned. “I’ll say it once. If your crazy antics upset Laura, I’ll make you and your new boyfriend pay the price.” Mia’s heart sank into an icy pond. In Timothy’s eyes, she was nothing but a harlot. She knew the protective side of him just now was an illusion.

No, he wasn’t even protective. He merely handed the problem back to her. It was all her wishful thinking.

Mia swatted Timothy’s hand away and said sternly, “Don’t you worry about that. I care more than anyone about Laura. To convince her to get her surgery done, I can do anything.” Mia turned around to grab the bag on the sofa, but Timothy seized her wrist. “Stay right here.” “Let go of me!” Mia resisted, and the bag in her hand fell to the ground.

A white container rolled out. As soon as she saw the container, Mia gasped.

Oh, no!

The next moment, Timothy forcefully grabbed her to face him. “You’d do anything for Laura’s surgery?” Mia met Timothy’s gaze. “Yes.” 1/2:

Timothy’s eyes hardened, and his tender lips broke apart. “Laura said that she would only get the surgery if you’re pregnant.” Pregnant? Mia’s eyes faltered. The corners of her eyes caught the bottle of folic acid on the ground. She didn’t know how to respond.

“Why are you so quiet now? Weren’t you awfully talkative just now?” Recalling what Laura told her in the hospital, Mia could no longer contain her anger.

“What do you want me to say? Huh? Do you want to have sex with me and make me pregnant?” “No way,” Timothy refused categorically. He knew it. Mia was trying to pull a reverse psychology trick. novelbin “There’s another solution.” Mia looked at Timothy.

Timothy continued, “I’m all ears.”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 51-Mia felt a headache coming on when she saw the trending topic. She really didn’t want to be known for this.

But after checking out the trend, she realized there was only a photo of her and Liam walking into the venue.

There weren’t any photos of her face.

She relaxed a little. It was fine as long as there weren’t any photos of her. Still, what was up with the content?

Why were people talking about how she and Liam had gotten together three years ago and were only just revealing their relationship?

She supposed it was only to be expected of entertainment news. Her and Liam’s names were the only real things in this whole mess-everything else had been made up.

Mia explained everything to Gina. She told Gina how Liam was only a body double for Linden and that the paparazzi had gotten the wrong man.

Then, she went out to buy a whole bunch of stuff. They were all gifts that she’d prepared for Dominic and Eva; they could bring the things back to Nord City.

Mia looked at Liam. “Will the rumors cause any trouble for you?” “Nah. I’ve already spoken to the media-that photo of our backs is the only one that people will see. Don’t worry about having your face revealed.” Liam was actually a little sad about this. If only he could announce to the world that Mia was his precious cousin. It was too bad the timing wasn’t right.

Dominic said tentatively, “Mia, there must be many companies wanting to hire you now that you’ve won first place in the competition. Is there any company in particular that you’re interested in? Vista Properties is the organizer, so they must be offering the best conditions.” He was trying his best to hint that Mia should join Vista Properties. That way, he could arrange for his people to watch over her.

Vista Properties? Wasn’t that one of the companies belonging to Maya’s family?

Mia didn’t want to have anything to do with Maya, so she shook her head. “I’ve already gotten a part- time job somewhere else. Dominic.” Dominic was rather disappointed but didn’t say anything. Mia could work anywhere she wanted as long as she liked the place.

After sending Dominic and Eva off, Mia got ready to report for duty at Felix’s studio. On her way there, she received a call. “Hi, Ms. Bowen. I’m the manager of Barrett Group’s HR department.

“I’m actually calling to ask whether you’re interested in taking up a position with us. Your compensation and benefits are negotiable.” Barrett Group? Mia asked hesitantly, “Why do you want me to work for you?” Before this, Timothy had been trying to poach Zoe. He hadn’t known about Mia being Zoe. But after what had happened at the awards ceremony, Timothy had to know they were one and the same. Why was he still having The HR manager was caught off guard by this question. After a pause, he said, “Well, you are Zoe, after all. We reached out to your friend twice before this, but you rejected us both times.

“We just wanted to make it clear that our boss genuinely admires your talent and wants to invite you to take up a position with us. It’ll be beneficial for your career development.” Timothy admired her talent? Mia got goosebumps all over. She hurriedly said, “Sorry, but I’ve already agreed to take up a position at another studio. You can pass my thanks to your boss for his admiration, though.” “Ms. Bowen, I’m sure anyone would know which is the better choice between us and a regular studio.” “Yes, but there’s also something known as ‘first come, first serve.’ You’re one step behind them, so I’m gonna have to say no. Sorry about this.” Mia hung up and stared at her phone dazedly.

She honestly couldn’t understand why Timothy was still offering her an olive branch. Could it be that his people still weren’t aware of what had happened? That had to be it.

Meanwhile, the HR manager put his phone down before giving Timothy a tentative look. “I’m sure you heard what she said, Mr. Barrett. Ms. Bowen truly isn’t interested.” He had to admit that he found it weird, though. People wouldn’t normally turn down the opportunity to work at Barrett Group.

Timothy was poker-faced. “You can go now.” He took his phone out and checked his Instagram. When he saw the photo Mia had posted last night, he couldn’t help having mixed feelings.

As he recalled how she’d acted last night, he wanted nothing more than to trap her in his arms so he could teach her a lesson. He wanted to pinch away her dimples.

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 52-Mia seemed to have become a completely different person after signing those divorce papers. Timothy was finding her harder to read as time passed.

At this moment, his phone pinged. He saw a push notification for a trending topic-it was about Linden’s new relationship.

His brows furrowed tightly. He clicked on it to see a photo of Mia’s and another man’s backs. She wore her champagne-colored dress, which swished with every step she took.

“Yes, sir. Should I also look into which studio Mrs. Barrett has gone to?” Timothy gave him a cold look. “Don’t you have anything better to do? Get out!” Mia took a cab to Felix’s studio. It was located in a creative industry center that had been refurbished from an old steel plant. It exuded creative vibes.

Mia walked into the studio. The receptionist approached her and asked, “Are you here for an interview?” “You could say that. Is Felix in?” “Not at the moment. You can take a seat over there while waiting.” Mia headed to the visitor’s waiting area. Then, someone called out to her. “Mia Bowen?” She stopped and turned to see a familiar face. It was Wilhelmina. Mia was a little surprised. “What a coincidence.” “Indeed. What are you doing here?” Wilhelmina asked.

The receptionist came over with a glass of water. “She’s here for an interview, Wilhelmina.” Wilhelmina looked like she couldn’t believe her ears. “Would someone like you need to interview for a position at this tiny studio? Didn’t any of those established companies reach out to you?” It didn’t make sense that the first-place winner of the Fleur International Design Competition, who was also Zoe, the renowned designer, would show up at Felix’s studio. Besides, Mia was involved with Linden Lane!

Mia said calmly, “I have my considerations.” A hint of wariness flashed in Wilhelmina’s eyes. “Do you and Felix know each other?” “Yeah.” “How do you two know each other?”

Wilhelmina’s tone sounded a little odd. Mia was about to answer when Felix returned to the studio. He approached them and said, “You’re finally here, Mia.” Wilhelmina asked doubtfully, “Do you two know each other, Felix?” “Yeah. Mia was our junior in college; she’s a year below us. She had to drop out for personal reasons, though,” Felix said.

“Oh, I see. Mia’s a renowned designer, though. How did you get her to agree to join us? Don’t tell me you used your good looks and charisma to win her over.” Felix looked helpless. “Don’t say things like that, Wilhelmina.” Mia understood the situation now. Her sixth sense told her that Wilhelmina had a crush on Felix.

“Come to my office, Mia,” Felix said.

Mia nodded. She didn’t say anything else.

Wilhelmina watched as they went to Felix’s office. Then, she pulled out her phone to make a call, sounding sycophantic as she said, “Hi, is this Ms. Barrett? This is Wilhelmina Jones. Do you still remember me? We exchanged numbers at the awards ceremony last night.” “You’re that second-place winner, aren’t you? What is this about?” Shelly had just woken up. She’d thought Wilhelmina was Zoe but had turned out to be wrong. Surprisingly enough, Mia was actually Zoe.

This had put Shelly in such a bad mood that she hadn’t even had fun when partying last night. How could someone as plain and dull as Mia be Zoe?

Wilhelmina didn’t get mad at Shelly’s haughty tone. “Are you familiar with Mia Bowen, Ms. Barrett?” Shelly perked up at the mention of Mia. “What are you trying to say?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 53-Shelly was still full of pent-up frustration. She hadn’t had anywhere to vent it. To make matters worse, Laura had been singing Mia’s praises. It had irritated her to no end.

Wilhelmina said pointedly, “I saw her at a small studio there. It looked like she was there for an interview.” Shelly sat up in bed, all traces of drowsiness gone. “I need more details. Give me the address, too.” Wilhelmina gave her a quick rundown. After that, she turned to see Mia follow Felix out of his office. Felix announced, “We have a new member joining us today, everyone. Please give Mia a warm welcome!” Wilhelmina smirked. Mia had stolen her trophy and was even thinking of stealing the man she liked. How could she let Mia off the hook?

Mia officially started work the following day. She wanted to earn some money before she started her classes.

The receptionist approached her. “Mia, there’s a client asking for you.” “Me?” Mia found this odd. It was her first day of work. Why would a client be looking for her?

She walked over to the visitor’s waiting area to see two women seated on the couch-Sharon and Shelly. Her expression faltered. “What are you two doing here?” Shelly eyed her. “To get an interior designer to handle the renovations for our home, of course. Timothy needs to renovate his marital home; he’s getting rid of all the old stuff.” Sharon chimed in, “Exactly. My son’s marrying a young woman from an affluent family, so it’s only right for him to have the house done up properly. That way, he won’t put the family name to shame. This time, we have to throw a grand wedding. We can’t sweep things under the rug like we did in the past.” Mia took a deep breath. “I can’t accept this deal. You should look for someone else.” Sharon and Shelly were obviously doing this on purpose. She didn’t want to be at their beck and call.

“What, are you gonna turn down clients that are serving themselves up on a silver platter?” Shelly crossed her legs. “Didn’t you put in so much effort for that competition to score deals from wealthy people like us? I’ll lodge a complaint against you if you dare turn us away.” She’d even brought Sharon with her to teach Mia a lesson.

Sharon pulled out a check. “Go ahead and fill in whatever amount you want as compensation. You might come from a regular family, but your taste isn’t too bad.” Mia didn’t accept the check. Sharon raised an eyebrow at this. “Why are you allowing this to bother you when I don’t mind? You’d be a fool to turn down the opportunity to make money. Go ahead and take the check. This deal alone will be enough to keep you going for at least half a year.” In the end, Mia smiled and accepted the check. She filled in a number before handing the check back to Sharon. She said coldly, “As long as you’re willing to pay this amount, I’ll accept the deal.” “At least you know what’s good for you. Aunt Sharon won’t be petty with you.” Shelly took the check. When she saw the number of zeroes written there, her eyes bulged. “100 million dollars? Rob a bank, why don’t you?” Mia smiled faintly. “I’m being transparent with my pricing.” “Being paid 100 thousand dollars is as high as a dumb interior designer like you can go. How dare you demand 100 million dollars? How greedy can you be? Let’s go, Shelly!” Sharon shot to her feet.

Shelly got up as well. She said smugly, “It doesn’t matter how good you are at what you do, Mia. You could win all the competitions in the world, but you’d still be working for others. You’re not like us-we were born with silver spoons in our mouths. You’ll never catch up with us, no matter how hard you work.” Mia retorted, “Indeed, I can’t compare to you in terms of wealth. But you’re no match for me in terms of being a proper human being.” This pissed Sharon off. “What’s that supposed to mean? You’re so rude!” Shelly said, “What would an orphan like her know about manners, Aunt Sharon? Think about how her half- dead uncle’s lying in the hospital. Who knows when he’ll die? How could he possibly have the time to teach. her anything about manners?” Mia grabbed a glass of water from the table and splashed it all over Shelly. “Shut up!”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 54-Mia was fine with people insulting her, but she wouldn’t allow anyone to say anything against James and Patricia.

Shelly shrieked, “Have you lost your mind, Mia? I’m sure as hell gonna lodge a complaint against you!” At this moment, Felix came over after hearing the commotion. Shelly immediately screeched, “Are you the boss? I want to lodge a complaint against this bitch!” Mia put the glass down and looked at Felix. “I’m sorry about this, Felix. I don’t think I’m a good fit for your studio.” She couldn’t get Felix and his studio in trouble.

“Hold it. You’re not the one who should go.” Felix looked at Shelly and Sharon coldly. “I’m gonna have to ask you two to leave. This isn’t the place for you wealthy people. We work hard for every penny that we earn, and we do it with our consciences clear. We don’t need your money.” Mia didn’t expect Felix to stand up for her. Shelly and Sharon were so pissed that they screeched for a while longer before storming off.

Wilhelmina furrowed her brows when she saw this. She, too, hadn’t expected Felix to stand up for Mia. She hated this!

After Shelly and Sharon left, Mia turned to Felix. “I’m sorry about that.” “It’s not a big deal. They were obviously here to pick on you. Stop worrying about it and focus on your work,” Felix said.

Mia nodded. Since Felix had so much faith in her, she had to give it her all.

Shelly and Sharon changed out of their damp clothes when they got home. After that, Sharon called Timothy to complain about Mia. “You should’ve seen how Mia acted, Timothy!

“We went to her studio to give her some work to do, but she demanded we pay her 100 million dollars before splashing water all over us. She’s such a rude, wild woman!” Timothy frowned. “Which studio did you go to?” “Some nondescript studio at the creative industry center. You have to avenge me, Timothy! I can’t believe Mia had the nerve to treat me like that! All she did was win a dumb competition; does she think she can act so obnoxiously because of that?” Timothy didn’t hear the other things that Sharon said. After hanging up, he said to Heath, “Get another interior designer to handle the renovations for my home.” “I’ll get on it right away, sir.” Heath wasn’t surprised in the least. They’d already gone through several designers at this point.

Timothy said, “Hold on. I want you to switch to a studio located at the creative industry center.” “You’ve never trusted these small studios, Mr. Barrett,” Heath said.

“Cut the crap and do as I say.” Timothy tugged his tie loose. Ever since Mia had left and Kaleb had changed the furnishings at home, nothing had seemed right to Timothy. He’d switched designer after designer, but none of them had been able to meet his expectations.

Now, he had to admit that Mia knew a thing or two about interior design.

When Mia returned home that night, she saw that Bob and Mary were there to cause trouble again. Bob’s leg was still in a cast, though. He’d obviously yet to fully recover.

Mary was screeching at Patricia in the living room. “Give us the money! Mia’s family must’ve paid you handsomely, but we’re the ones who adopted her. What right do you have to take the money?” Mia walked in. “Let’s not talk about whether Aunt Patricia actually received any money. Even if she did, I’d burn it all rather than let you have it.” She went to the kitchen and grabbed a kettle of water that Patricia had just boiled. Then, she strode back to the living room. “Are you leaving or not? If you’re not going anywhere, how about I help you take a hot shower?” Mary blanched at the sight of the kettle. She and Bob scurried out of the house, clamoring as they went.” You’re an imbecile and an ingrate, Mia! Just wait!” After chasing Mary and Bob away, Mia looked at Patricia. “Everything’s okay now, Aunt Patricia. I’ll always be here for you.” novelbin Patricia wiped her tears. “You’ve always been a good child, Mia. You’re obedient and grateful to those who treat you well.” Mia consoled Patricia. When she went to work the following day, she received an online order that specifically requested her to handle the designs.

Mia checked the address. It was familiar. Wasn’t this the marital home she’d lived in for three years?

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 55-A hint of mockery flashed in Mia’s eyes as she looked at the order. She’d furnished every inch of the marital home with her heart, and a certain someone had disregarded it like it meant nothing. Now, they even wanted her to design a new home for her ex-husband and his first love!

They’d crossed the line with this!

It looked like they wouldn’t let her off the hook; they were constantly trying to provoke her. Since backing down wouldn’t resolve the problem, Mia would probably be better off facing them directly.

As long as they weren’t afraid of the consequences, what would she have to fear?

Mia’s eyes flashed coldly. She called the number indicated in the order. Heath’s voice rang out awkwardly on the other end of the line. “Ahem. Mrs. Barrett.” “You don’t have to call me that now that we’ve signed the divorce papers. I’ll cut to the chase-you guys are the ones behind that online order, right?” Heath nodded. “Yes.” “I’ll accept it, but I have a condition. I want to be paid tenfold,” Mia said.

“I’ll have to check with Mr. Barrett on this, Mrs. Barrett.” Heath hurried into Timothy’s office after hanging up. Mr. Barrett, Mrs. Barrett just contacted me on the order. She said that she’ll only accept the deal if she’s paid tenfold.” Timothy stopped writing. “Tenfold? She wants a million dollars?” She hadn’t changed one bit. She had the nerve to demand a fee of one million dollars!

He leaned back. “Do you think she’s worth that price?” “We’ve already gone through five designers, Mr. Barrett. All of them asked for more than 100 thousand dollars, so we’ve already spent more than 500 thousand dollars on them. It’d actually be worth it if we could spend a little more to hire a designer who can get the job done,” Heath said.

Timothy raised an eyebrow at him. “How are you so sure that I’ll be happy with her designs?” Heath fell silent. Hadn’t Timothy switched designers so many times because he hadn’t been happy with any of their designs?

After a while, Timothy asked, “So, what do you think?” Heath said tentatively, “It is a little expensive. Maybe we should forget it.” Timothy frowned. “Have her accept the order. I won’t pay her the remainder of the fees if I’m not happy with her work.” It wouldn’t be that easy to earn his money!

Heath nodded and left the office. He wiped the sweat from his brow. It was getting harder and harder to guess 1/2 Soon, Mia received a call from Heath. She smirked and happily accepted the deposit. Cha-ching-that was 200 thousand dollars in her pocket!

She got ready to head to the marital home to scope out the place. Before leaving, she realized she’d run out of folic acid. As she passed by a pharmacy, she dropped by to get a bottle each of folic acid and vitamins. Then, she switched the contents. She had to be careful before the divorce was finalized.

Mia took a cab to her marital home. One of the maids, Holly Stow, was pleasantly surprised to see her. “What are you doing here, Mrs. Barrett?” “To work, of course.” Mia smiled and entered the hall. It was familiar to her, but many of the decorations had been changed. Somehow, they just didn’t go well together. She looked at the new curtains. “Who switched these?” Holly said cautiously, “Kaleb did. I heard he did it on Ms. Lane’s orders.” Mia wasn’t surprised to hear this. After all, on the day that she’d been kicked out of this place, Maya had mentioned that she would change everything in the villa.

A hint of mockery flashed past her eyes. “It’s good that things have been changed. Out with the old and in with the new, right?” “Don’t be mad, Mrs. Barrett. Mr. Barrett was furious when he learned about Kaleb changing the furnishings. He even had Kaleb fired,” Holly said.

“Really?” Mia was surprised. Kaleb had been sent here by Sharon, yet Timothy hadn’t hesitated to have him fired. She supposed he’d genuinely been angry. It made sense, though. Timothy was a clean freak and had a compulsive streak. He was hard to deal with.

“Could you help me record the things that have been changed, Holly? I’ll deal with the renovations, but you’ll have to help me coordinate things a little,” Mia said.

“Of course, Mrs. Barrett. But aren’t you gonna see what things are like upstairs?” Mia lowered her gaze. “No. That won’t be necessary.” She didn’t want to head upstairs to see traces of Timothy and Maya’s life together-not even in the slightest.

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 56-Mia kept a mental record of all the changes that had been made to the living room so that she had an idea of what to change. She would work on the draft at home.

At this moment, someone rang the doorbell. Holly answered the door to see two women standing outside.” May I know who you’re looking for?” “Out of the way, you. I want to see the lady of the household.” “Yeah, get out of our way. I’m your boss’ mother-in-law!” Holly was shoved aside. She didn’t have the chance to stop them from barging into the house. “What are you two doing? You can’t come in!” Mia heard all of this from her seat on the couch. Her expression shifted as she turned to look at the women who’d barged into the villa. “What are you two doing here?” Her adoptive grandmother, Mildred Hort, felt the leather couch. “I didn’t expect you to marry someone so well- off, Mia. If not for Jimmy’s slip of the tongue, I wouldn’t have any idea that your husband lived in such a huge villa!” Mary chimed in, “Didn’t you tell us that your husband was a poor bastard? You said you needed the money to pay for your uncle’s hospital bills and that you’d dropped out of college to cook and clean for your husband. It turns out you have maids at home! You’ve been lying this whole time, Mia!” Only then did Mia realize how Mary and Mildred had found their way here. Jimmy Lloyd was a cab driver, and they lived in the same village. Jimmy had once dropped her off in the neighborhood, but she hadn’t told him which villa she lived in. They shouldn’t have been able to find her here.

Mary was green with envy at the sight of the spacious, beautiful villa. “You’re a little bitch, Mia. Why didn’t you tell us that you’d married someone so well-off? We could’ve done with the money! Do you know how difficult it was for us to find you? We had to knock on every door here, you know!” Mia’s blood boiled when she heard that. “How shameless can you two be? Get the hell out of here! No matter how well-off my husband is, it has nothing to do with you!” Mildred slapped herself on the thigh and started wailing. “If you dare kick me out of here, you little bitch, I’ll make sure all your neighbors know about this so they can see who’s right and who’s wrong. Do you think it’s right for you to kick your mother and grandmother out now that you’ve hit the jackpot?” This was the first time in Mia’s life that someone had infuriated her so much she was trembling. How could there be such shameless people on this earth?

If she were anywhere else, she would just turn and leave. But this was the Barrett residence. She didn’t want Timothy to see how shameless her adoptive family could be.

Mary said greedily, “If you think we’re embarrassing you, you’d better give us all the money you have. I heard you won a million dollars from that competition you were in. Since your husband’s so rich, I don’t think you’d need the money, right?

“Your brother needs the money so he can get married when he’s older, though. He won’t be able to find a wife if he’s broke!” Mia snorted. “My money has nothing to do with you people.” “Fine, then. If you refuse to give us money, have your husband buy your brother a nice house. That’ll be enough for your brother to get married,” Mildred said.

Mary was delighted by this. “Yes, that would be for the best. In fact, you’d better get us a villa that’s just like this one!” They even had the nerve to demand a villa!

Mia picked up the fruit platter on the table and flung it at them. Her gaze was frosty as she snarled, “I told you to get the hell out of here. You’re dreaming if you think you can get a dime out of me.

“Also, if you dare cause a scene here, I’ll call the cops on you. This is an affluent neighborhood, not the countryside!” “What’s going on here?” At this moment, a cold, sharp voice rang out. Mia turned to see Timothy walk into the villa. He wore a neatly pressed suit. He’d obviously rushed over from the office.

Mia’s heart sank. She wanted to resolve this before he found out. Why was he home in the day?

A wave of bitterness washed over her. Why did Timothy always have to catch her when she was at her lowest?

Timothy strode into the villa. He’d caught Mia throwing the fruit platter earlier; it was at odds with her usual obedient, demure act.

He swept a gaze over the shards of glass on the floor. He frowned. “What in the world is going on?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 57-Before Mia could say anything, Mildred piped up sycophantically. “You must be Timothy. Honestly, Mia didn’t even tell us about her marrying you. We didn’t expect you to be so outstanding! This must be a blessing from the heavens.

“If Mia ever acts up or throws a tantrum, you can let me know. I’ll teach her a lesson!” Mary smiled and added, “Yes, exactly. We’re a family now, so we should help each other out whenever necessary.” novelbin Timothy had long since looked into Mia’s background. He knew she was an orphan but that a couple had adopted her. Despite that, she’d grown up with her aunt. That alone was enough to tell him that Mia’s adoptive parents weren’t exactly great people.

He looked at Mary and Mildred coldly. “What do you guys want?” Mary’s eyes lit up. “It’s simple, really. The little bitch won a million dollars in prize money from that competition she participated in, yet she didn’t bother asking whether we needed anything.

“Her brother’s going to start dating soon. Who knows when he’ll get married? All he needs now is a house so he can get married, yet she’s not even willing to pay for that.” Mia couldn’t take it anymore. She shouted at Mary and Mildred, “Get the hell out of here right now!” She should’ve been more forceful earlier and had the security guards kick them out. That way, Timothy wouldn’t be aware of this mess.

Mary stood up straight. “This house belongs to Timothy, not you. If he hasn’t said anything, what gives you the right to kick me out?” Mia clenched her fists tightly. She felt ashamed. She didn’t even dare to look Timothy in the eye, afraid that she would see mockery and scorn there. Her dignity was already hanging by a thread; she didn’t want it to be destroyed right before the divorce.

Mildred and Mary’s sudden appearance here had ruined everything, though. Mia lowered her eyes self- deprecatingly. She didn’t look at Timothy or say anything.

She supposed this was a good opportunity for Timothy to tell Mary and Mildred about the divorce. Timothy could also let them know that she had no right to make any decisions in this household.

Once Mary and Mildred realized they couldn’t get anything out of her, they would probably leave. It would be for her good.

After a moment of silence, Timothy said, “She calls the shots in this household.” Huh?

Mia stared at him in shock. He was poker-faced as usual, and his eyes were like vortexes. She couldn’t read him, but one thing was clear-there wasn’t any mockery or scorn in his eyes.

Had he just said that she called the shots in this household?

If not for her hearing every word he’d said, she would’ve thought she was dreaming. Was that something Timothy could even say?

Mia wasn’t the only one who was stunned. Mary and Mildred were equally taken aback. They exchanged looks of disbelief.

Then, Mildred said shamelessly, “Since you’ve married an outstanding man who treats you so well, Mia, I’m sure you’re not lacking anything. Why don’t you give your brother one of your smaller properties, then?” Mary wasn’t as obnoxious as before. Her tone was gentler as she said, “Think about how we adopted you when you were younger, Mia. You grew up safe and sound because we took you in, and look at the man you’ve married now.

“We’re not asking for much-all we want is for you to cough up some money to buy a home for your brother so he can get married. He’s your brother, you know! You can’t stand by and watch him struggle to make it in life.” Mia took a deep breath. “I’ll say this one last time-my money is going to go to Uncle James’ hospital fees. I have no right to give it to anyone else.” Mildred turned to Timothy. “Our family isn’t too well-off, Timothy. Can you lend us some money since Mia’s brother needs to buy a home?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 58-“Grandma!” Mia cut Mildred off as soon as Mildred brought up borrowing money. She looked away, too embarrassed to meet Timothy’s eyes.

Despite being rejected many times, Mildred was still shameless enough to ask for money.

“Grandma? You never saw me as your grandmother. It’s your younger brother we’re talking about, and we shouldn’t leave him high and dry.” Mildred then turned to Timothy. “Will you help us, Timothy?” Mary nodded enthusiastically on the side too. Timothy was rich, which meant that she could live comfortably in the future.

Timothy could lend them money so that they could purchase a house. Then, he could buy them a car. He might even be able to find everyone a high-paying job!

Mia’s breath hitched. She had already agreed to divorce Timothy. If he lent her parents money, she would be no different from a gold digger. novelbin Mia looked at Mary and Mildred before speaking, “You heard it loud and clear just now. I wear the pants in this household. I have the final say, and his words won’t count.” Mary doubted Mia’s words. “I call bullshit. Timothy is rich. The one in charge of everything is definitely him, not you. Right, Timothy?” Mia pursed her lips and looked at Timothy anxiously, expecting the latter to say no. She prayed that Timothy caught the hint from what she had said earlier.

Timothy tidied his sleeves and ordered, “Come here.” Mia was puzzled by the instruction, but she walked toward Timothy nonetheless to see what he was trying to do.

As soon as she approached the man, Timothy grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

Mia stiffened. She gazed at Timothy wide-eyed.

Timothy then lifted his head to address the two greedy women on the couch. “I am rich, yes.” Mildred and Mary exchanged glances and grinned, celebrating their impending victory.

But the next moment, Timothy added, “But I give all my money to Mia. Mia gets to decide how to spend it.” His masculine voice echoed in Mia’s mind. They were so close to each other. Her nose could pick up the faint minty scent of Timothy, and she could hear his beating heart.

Timothy gazed down and whispered, “Do what you want with my money. I’m fine with everything.” Mia scrutinized the handsome face before her.

Despite his soothing voice, Timothy’s soul-reaching eyes did not make way for his mysterious mind.

Mia was lost. Why was Timothy helping her all of a sudden?

Mia composed herself and turned to Mary and Mildred.

The celebratory grin on their faces froze, clearly not expecting that Timothy would give Mia the right to veto everything. Would Mary and Mildred regret what they did just now? Either way, it felt good to be vindicated.

Mary pressed on shamelessly. “Mia, Timothy lets you decide. Just lend us the money already.” Mildred nodded too. “Timothy is so generous. Surely you won’t be stingy and petty?” Gosh, shameless people were always the loudest.

Mia answered coldly, “I’d rather donate to a charity than lend you money. Just give up.” “How dare you, Mia! We adopted you and funded your education. Now that you have your brothers and rich husband to fall back on, you want to kick us away? No way!” Brothers? Timothy stared into Mia’s eyes. “What brothers?”

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 59-Within seconds. Timothy felt that Mia had become a stranger to him.

Mary sneered, “It’s one of those relationships, you know? Guys love jumping in to protect the girls as long as they sweetly call them their “big brothers” in the coyest way possible.” Several of Mia’s “brothers” appeared and took the assets under Patricia’s name. They even got into a fight.

Mary was convinced that there was more to these “brothers’ than met the eye.

Timothy squinted, recalling the man who picked Mia up in his helicopter, and the mysterious man who paid the hospital ten years’ worth of hospital bills. Timothy still couldn’t identify those men until now. Could they be Mia’s “brothers”?

Not one to let Mary insult her brothers, Mia barked, “Holly, take them away. If they make a scene, ask the security to call the police.

Mary scowled, “Mia, you’re an ungrateful daughter. You ought to be slapped!” Mildred slumped to the ground, “Oh, Lord! What have I done to deserve this granddaughter of mine? She abandoned her family as soon as she found a rich husband.” Unfamiliar with the scene before her, Holly wasn’t sure what to do.

Mia was deeply embarrassed.

Timothy grabbed a mug nearby and smashed it against the ground.

He hollered, “Mia told you to leave. So leave!” Timothy looked fearsome when he was angry.

Mia turned to look at Timothy incredulously. Was he trying to protect her?

However, Timothy’s foul mood managed to stop Mildred from continuing her antics. novelbin She saw that Timothy was angry so she got up and left the house while making a fuss.

Mary was afraid of Timothy as well. Since Mildred had left, Mary figured that she should zip her mouth and make herself scarce.

Just like that, peace returned to the living room.

Mia looked at the shattered mug on the floor and smiled bitterly. “You can laugh at me now.” Yes, her family was ridiculous and unreasonable.

Patricia helped Mia cover it up for three years but Mary and Mildred found them.

The cat was out of the bag.

Perhaps she accidentally exposed herself when she posted the photos on social media. She was too happy.

Timothy thought about it and proposed, “Knowing your foster parents, they won’t stop until you give them the prize money. I can get you a lawyer to settle this dispute.” “No need.” Mia turned Timothy down. She could ask Jason for help.

Timothy frowned, not taking the rejection well. “Why? Because you think my lawyer sucks?” “Don’t get it wrong. I know a lawyer too. I don’t want to bother you.” Timothy suppressed his anger. “He’s one of your ‘brothers,’ hm?” Mia nodded. “Yeah.” Jason did help her.

All her brothers were kind to her.

Timothy yanked at his own tie in exasperation upon hearing Mia’s affirmative response.

“He sure takes good care of you then. He picked you up with his helicopter, let you stay in a five-star hotel, settled the hospital bill for you, and now, he’s settling the financial dispute for you.” Mia’s “brother” sure knew how to win a woman’s heart.

No wonder Mia was ready to divorce him. She had already found a new beau!

Mia was shocked. “What medical bill?” Timothy glared at Mia. “Yeah, play dumb. Aren’t you trying to look all vulnerable so that men would flock to protect you? Congratulations then. You found yourself a gullible ATM.” Mia stiffened.

So, Timothy believed in what Mary said. He thought that she had found someone else.

Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen chapter 60-Mia cast down her eyes and faked nonchalance. “Thank you.” She saw no need to clarify the misunderstanding Timothy currently harbored.

Mia’s grateful response only fueled Timothy’s rage. He pressed his lips and uttered, “Mia, behave now. Don’t get all chummy with another man.” Mia rebutted plainly, “But we’re divorced.” “As long as we haven’t headed to the city council to finalize it, you remain married to me. You can’t flirt with other men unless you don’t love yourself.” “Let’s find a day and visit the city council then.” Timothy tossed away his tie angrily. “So, you’re doing this again. You know Laura doesn’t want us to get a divorce. Is this a threat now?” “I’m not trying to coerce you or something.” Mia looked at Timothy and continued matter-of-factly, “We can finalize the divorce in secret. We don’t have to tell Laura before she gets her surgery.” “You think Laura is a fool?” Timothy grabbed Mia by her chin. “You want to divorce me this badly. Is it because you can’t wait to marry your new boyfriend? Can you deal with the consequences if Laura catches wind of this?

Timothy’s powerful grip began to hurt her jaw.

Mia narrowed her eyes. “I just want to make way for Ms. Lane. I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.” “This has nothing to do with Maya!” Timothy wasn’t marrying Maya anyway. He looked at Mia haughtily and warned. “I’ll say it once. If your crazy antics upset Laura, I’ll make you and your new boyfriend pay the price.” Mia’s heart sank into an icy pond. In Timothy’s eyes, she was nothing but a harlot. She knew the protective side of him just now was an illusion.

No, he wasn’t even protective. He merely handed the problem back to her. It was all her wishful thinking.

Mia swatted Timothy’s hand away and said sternly, “Don’t you worry about that. I care more than anyone about Laura. To convince her to get her surgery done, I can do anything.” Mia turned around to grab the bag on the sofa, but Timothy seized her wrist. “Stay right here.” “Let go of me!” Mia resisted, and the bag in her hand fell to the ground.

A white container rolled out. As soon as she saw the container, Mia gasped.

Oh, no!

The next moment, Timothy forcefully grabbed her to face him. “You’d do anything for Laura’s surgery?” Mia met Timothy’s gaze. “Yes.” 1/2:

Timothy’s eyes hardened, and his tender lips broke apart. “Laura said that she would only get the surgery if you’re pregnant.” Pregnant? Mia’s eyes faltered. The corners of her eyes caught the bottle of folic acid on the ground. She didn’t know how to respond.

“Why are you so quiet now? Weren’t you awfully talkative just now?” Recalling what Laura told her in the hospital, Mia could no longer contain her anger.

“What do you want me to say? Huh? Do you want to have sex with me and make me pregnant?” “No way,” Timothy refused categorically. He knew it. Mia was trying to pull a reverse psychology trick. novelbin “There’s another solution.” Mia looked at Timothy.

Timothy continued, “I’m all ears.”