Mia watched as Sharon and Edith grappled with each other, her eyes involuntarily shifting toward Timothy nearby.
He had thought this secret was securely guarded, shared solely between himself and Laura. However, Sharon's evident awareness of the situation took him by surprise.
Indeed, this revelation should have been a crushing blow to Timothy.
Nonetheless, he remained remarkably composed and stoic, showing no visible signs of distress at the unfolding chaos.
Turning to Mia and the children, Timothy calmly directed, "Take the kids and wait in the private lounge. I'll handle things here and join you shortly."
Mia hesitated, unable to articulate her thoughts in front of Ginger and Sage.
After a brief pause, she nodded and replied, "Alright, let's go to the private lounge and order something. We'll wait for you there."
Sensing that Timothy might need some space, Mia didn't push the matter and quietly led Ginger and Sage away from the commotion.
Neither of them voiced any objections as they followed Mia.
As Sage moved forward, he couldn't resist stealing a glance back at Timothy's silhouette. The complexity of Timothy's identity had truly caught him off guard.
As they settled into the private lounge, Mia passed the menu to Ginger and Sage. "Take your time to look through the menu and decide what you'd like to eat."
Ginger's worry was palpable, her thoughts lingering on the fragments of conversation she had overheard earlier. With a furrowed brow, she glanced up at Mia and inquired, "Mommy, do you think he's really upset?"
Mia gently patted Ginger's head, reassuring her, "It's natural to feel uneasy in such situations, but don't worry too much. Timothy has known about this matter for some time now, and as an adult, he'll manage just fine."
Sage, however, remained skeptical. "If Timothy already knew he wasn't biologically related to the Barretts, why didn't he reveal it sooner?"
Fixing her gaze on Sage, Mia elaborated, "Back then, your father remained oblivious to his true lineage. After all, he was merely a baby when he was unknowingly switched into the Barrett family. Even Grandma Laura didn't stumble upon this revelation until much later.
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