Chapter 536

Timothy’s hand tightened gradually, a chill settling into his stender lips.

“What do you mean by ‘go ahead and try? Just remember, this is Bern City! It’s not your brothers”

territory, and they have no authority to take my children away.”

The tension in the air thickened between them.

Unexpectedly, Mia erupted into laughter, regarding Timothy with a look of amusement. “But I never

claimed the twins in my belly were yours.”

Timothy hesitated for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“Precisely what I said. Can’t you understand?”

Mia tried to distance herself, but Timothy held onto her shoulder, his eyes showing a tinge of bloodshot

If they aren’t mine, then who is their father?”

After all, both Connor and Claude were Mia’s brothers, and the men she had recently been linked with

belonged to the Lane family as well.

Therefore, Mia didn’t have any other men in her life. That implied there was only one potential father for

the twins in her belly–Timothy!

Suppressing the turmoil within, Mia maintained a composed exterior as she locked eyes with him.

“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. Before the notion of divorce came up, you were frequently absent

from home. There were also rumors circulating about your involvement with other women.

“So, one night, I went to a bar, got drunk, and ended up hooking up with a stranger. That’s when I

became

pregnant.”

As her words hung in the air, Mia sensed Timothy’s gaze intensifying.

He furrowed his brow. “You’re not telling the truth.”

Mia lowered her eyelids slightly, adopting a mask of indifference.

“If it weren’t for that, do you truly believe I would have resorted to leveraging my pregnancy? At that

moment, I found myself vulnerable and alone when you decided to cast me out.”

Sensing Timothy’s grip loosened, she continued, “It’s more than just that. I also doubted the paternity of

the babies. Despite our previous intimacy, I took precautions afterward, convinced that I couldn’t have

conceived.

“I was afraid that if you discovered I had been intimate with another man and became pregnant, you

would retaliate against me. So, I decided to keep quiet.”

Standing before Timothy, Mia seemed somewhat diminutive.

“Mia, do you genuinely expect me to buy into what you’re saying?”

“Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you. After all, I am the heiress of the Lane family now,

whether the twins are yours or not doesn’t concern me in the least…”

“If you were worried about me finding out that the babies aren’t mine, then why were you insistent

earlier

that they belonged to your brother?”

Confronted by Timothy’s intense gaze, Mia grappled to respond, stating, “It’s simply because I had my

brother to rely on, even though I was initially unaware of my family’s wealth and influence.

“I never claimed that the twins were my brother’s. That was your assumption from the beginning.”

Timothy remained unmoved, his once alluring features now darkened with anger, his eyes revealing

emotions he hadn’t acknowledged.

After a momentary silence, he eventually released her hand. “Mia, have you ever uttered a truthful

word?”

“Well, my principles are generally straightforward: I speak appropriately based on the circumstances.”

She slowly withdrew her hand and added, “That’s precisely why I chose not to disclose my pregnancy

to Grandma. After all, the twins don’t carry the Barrett lineage.

“If Grandma were to find out, it would only bring her sadness and heartache.”

Mia pursed her lips. “And, just to clarify, I didn’t lie. From the very beginning, I never acknowledged that

the babies belonged to you.”

A bitter chuckle escaped Timothy’s lips. He felt utterly foolish.

“Mia.” Laura’s voice suddenly interjected.