The Heir's Secret Bride

"I know, but this is all I want," Maeve said and chuckled. "Why? You don't want to give it to me, huh?"

Byron initially wanted to say that he would transfer the entire building to her name, but he was affected by an inexplicable sense of frustration. He merely said, "Sure. It's just one house." Maeve smiled and said nothing.

To her, it was more than just a house.

Byron glanced at his watch and said, "It's getting late. If you're not feeling well, don't go to the restaurant. I'll get the waiter to send dinner over later."

He spoke casually, yet he was surprisingly thoughtful and considerate.

Maeve pinched her palm to remind herself not to indulge in it. She then got out of bed.

"It's okay. I'm feeling much better now."

Soon, in the traditional-style restaurant of the manor, snow was drifting outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The area near the fireplace was as warm as the warmth experienced in spring.

Halfway through dinner, probably because she was too close to the fireplace, Maeve felt it was too warm, so she took off her coat and placed it beside her.

She was wearing a beige lace sweater dress with an off-the-shoulder design. The beautiful contours of her shoulders and neck could be seen clearly, and she was so flawless under the light that she appeared dazzling.

Her shoulder-length black hair fell, making her look even more serene and gentle.

Sensing the overly intense gazes constantly directed at her, Byron slowly frowned and fixed his gaze on her exposed shoulders and neck.

Maeve, are you cold?"

"Huh?" Maeve took a bite of a cherry tomato, looking in puzzlement at the man opposite her who was wearing a displeased expression. "It's not cold. It's quite warm here."

Byron's handsome face darkened slightly. "Can you wear something seasonally appropriate? You want style over warmth and don't care about getting sick."

Maeve's face was filled with bafflement. She was already feeling displeased in the first place, and now she felt even more so, "It's my freedom to wear whatever I want. Even if I'm sick, it's my problem. It's not that I'd come to you for a diagnosis or medication." Byron was left speechless. The tip of his tongue brushed against his cheek, and his gaze was dark.

He thought, 'Doesn't she notice that those men stare at her with a look of intense desire? What's with her wearing an off-the-shoulder outfit in this kind of season? And this restaurant with its inconveniencing fireplace placed here is completely out of place. I'll have it removed once the acquisition is completed."

It was probably because Byron's expression was too cold as the restaurant manager, who had been observing this side. looked incredibly antsy.

"Mr. Mcdaniel, are you not satisfied with our dishes? What if the acquisition is off the table?"

D

A waiter leaned over to the manager and whispered, "I just overheard something while I was getting water..."

The manager's eyes lit up.

A short while later, Maeve suddenly felt that the surrounding temperature seemed to have dropped significantly. She even had goosebumps on her neck

Afraid of catching a cold, she quickly put her coat back on.

She rubbed her palms and muttered. That's strange. How come it suddenly got so much colder?"

Hearing her words, Byron glanced at the counter from the corner of his eye and smirked.

He thought. The restaurant's service quality is good. It can be kept

"Since it's cold, would you like to go for a soak in the jacuzzi later?" he asked, seemingly casually.

Maeve looked up at him and asked in puzzlement, "Didn't you tell me not to soak in the jacuzzi alone?"

Byron raised his eyebrows. "Who said you'd be alone? I'll be there too."

"You want to... soak in the jacuzzi with me?" Maeve's eyes widened slightly. Then, she quickly shook her head "No, I don't You'

want to.

With his bad habit of kissing me at the drop of a hat, who knows what would happen? she thought.

"You can choose not to soak in it," Byron said calmly. "Go straight to your room and rest later."

Maeve was at a loss for words, thinking, "Is this a threat?"

She endured it and compromised aggrievedly so that she could soak in the jacuzzi.

If worse comes to worst, I'll just stay a bit farther away from him, she thought.

At this moment, the phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

Maeve thought it was her phone, so she picked it up and answered. "Hello?" she said.

"Byron, where are you? Quickly return to be with me, okay?"

Karen's sobbing voice pierced her eardrum.

Maeve caught her breath and suddenly found it difficult to swallow the food in her mouth.

She handed the phone back to Byron and lowered her gaze. "It's Karen. Sorry, I took the wrong phone just now

Byron glanced at her expression, took the phone, and asked in a serious voice, "What's the mater?"

"Byron, my dad... The doctor just issued a critical condition notice." Karen's hoarse voice was filled with despair. "What should I do... What am I supposed to do?" Byron squinted. "What happened?"

Karen sobbed as she recounted the incident.

Patrick seemed to be out of danger this morning, but it was actually the beginning of danger.

Post-surgery complications, combined with the head injury from a fall a few days ago, caused his condition to suddenly

If this surg

failed, then it was very likely.....

Π

Byron's expression became even more solemn. He said to her in a low voice, "Tll go back now. Wait for me."

With that said, he abruptly stood up, picked up his coat draped nearby, and said to Maeve, "ed to go back to the city now. Do you want to come with me or stay here for the night?" Maeve thought, 'Here we go again.

She gripped the knife and fork in her hands tightly. Her throat felt as if it was blocked by something, and she could not speak.

By the time she recovered from her daze, her fingers had already gripped Byron's sleeve.

"Didn't you say you want to soak in the jacuzzi together with me! I don't want to be alon Can you not go back?"

"Karen is now...

"Karen, Karen. It's Karen again!" Maeve could not take it anymore. "Why is it that every time you leave me, it's because of her?"

Byron pursed his thin lips slightly and stared at her seriously.

"Marve, don't make a fuss. We can soak in the jacuzzi anytime. Karen is waiting for me to return. Things have varying degrees of urgency. Can you be a bit more sensible?"

Every word was like the sharpest blade in the world, mercilessly piercing Maeve's heart.

She lifted her gaze with blurred vision and saw only his back as he strode away without looking back.

I'm being insensible,' she thought. Tm making a fuss

She rubbed her teary eyes and laughed self-deprecatingly.

The chess game we couldn't finish that day, she thought. The jacuzzi we didn't get to enjoy this time. Throughout, I was the only one who looked forward to them. He can leave at any moment without hesitation, unlike me, who is left behind. without even the right to complain. How could I not want a divorce?

Without moving. Maeve sat in her seat for a long while, feeling the cold wind piercing through her body in waves, leaving her feeling icy all over.

Somepne suddenly sat down on the seat opposite her.

""Hello, are you Ms. Reese!"From NôvelDrama.Org.

Maeve looked up and saw an unfamiliar man, dressed in a long burgundy coat with a somewhat delicate appearance and demeanor, sitting there and looking at her.

She could vaguely smell the medicinal scent on his body. It was not strong, but slightly astringent, as if one could only catch the whiff right away after the scent had permeated his entire body. ""And you are?"

"Let me introduce myself," the delicate-looking man said enigmatically. "My name is Neville Mcdaniel. You might have heard of my name."

She thought, 'Neville Mcdaniel? Who is that?"

75%;

Maeve had no recollection of him at all. She frowned and said, "Sorry, I don't know you. Also, it's very rude of you to sit. down without permission. She took him for someone trying to strike up a conversation, so he responded with a confrontational tone.