The Heir's Secret Bride

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'Help! How on earth can my boy sing so badly? How does he manage to miss every single note? It's ridiculous. Even the princess would want to end it all after hearing this!' Macve thought, completely dumbfounded.

Will, who was lying flat on the floor pretending to be killed, could barely contain his laughter, his mouth twitching uncontrollably. He thought to himself, "Theo clearly has no clue how bad he sounds. But his confidence is through the roof. It's painful to listen being so close to him.

The play finally came to an end with Theo, the prince, confidently belting out his off-key rendition, making everyone chuckle. At Islaton Private International Kindergarten, it was a tradition to record the performances and share the videos on the school's social media page. This time was no exception. However, no one expected Theo's "unique" singing performance to take the video viral.

The audience couldn't stop commenting on Will's role as the mischievous witch, mistaking him for a girl. One comment even read. [He would've been perfect as the princess!]

Meanwhile, Theo's innocent, baby-faced appearance fooled everyone, but once he started singing, people quickly realized this adorable little boy was anything but a musical prodigy. Most of the feedback was lighthearted and teasing.

"It's time for your medication."

In a cozy villa, a woman walked up behind a man in a wheelchair, holding a tray with his medication. When she heard the strange, screeching voice coming from his iPad, she nearly dropped the tray. "What are you listening to?" Her voice trembled. The man remained silent, his head lowered.

The woman walked around to face the man, only to realize he had fallen asleep. Ever since he'd developed insomnia, was rare for him to sleep during the day.

Curious, she glanced at the screen. The boy singing in the video was admittedly cute, but his voice was lethal. Yet, somehow, the man had dozed off to this bizarre tune. 'How could this be? Do I have a bad taste so that I can't tell that this kid's voice somehow calming? Or... abandoned heartlessly by his lover, he finally starts to lose it.' the woman wondered.

*****

After the play, Jaylen left early as he had to take his medication, so Maeve decided to walk around the school with Theo and Will. She didn't go with Byron because their relationship was still a bit complicated. If anyone asked about them, it would be hard to explain. Byron did once joke about being her "secret lover," and now it seemed truer than ever.

After a leisurely stroll, they returned to the car. Byron was on the phone, holding a document, his brows furrowed in concentration. He exuded an air of authority that made people think twice about disturbing him. But as soon as he Maeve approach, his intense expression softened.

Unable to resist, Maeve pulled out her camera and snapped a quick photo of him.

Byron hung up and beckoned her over. "Come here."

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"You're not seriously going to complain about one picture, are you?" Maeve asked skeptically, moving closer, only to be pulled into his arms, his hand firmly around her waist.

The kids in the back seat immediately chimed in with a playful Oohhh!"

"Let go!" Maeve's cheeks flushed as she tried to push him away.

"Weren't you taking a picture?" Byron's arms remained around her, refusing to let go. "Go ahead."

3

Maeve shot him a look, surprised. After realizing he wasn't joking, an incredulous feeling surged within her. When they first got married,

although it bron would never let her take a picture with him. Later, she learned he didn't like being photographed, and

although it had been a small disappointment, she accepted it. Yet, here he was now, willing to pose for a photo.

Maeve felt that something about Byron seemed different lately. She couldn't quite place it, but when she looked into his eyes, she felt like nothing had changed at all. Suppressing the flutter in her chest, she quickly snapped a few more photos. Afterward, she waved at the kids. "Come on. Let's take a family picture together."

Byron glanced at Theo for a moment but didn't say anything.

With the family photo done, the kids soon fell asleep, nestled on either side of Maeve. They had been running around all day and were understandably exhausted.

As Maeve stroked their heads, Byron asked out of the blue, "What's the deal with this kid's dad?"

"Huh?" Maeve looked up, surprised to see him staring at Theo. Realizing it was time to be honest, she didn't beat around the bush. "He's someone important in his field."

Byron seemed to ponder that. "So why does Theo say he doesn't have a dad? Are his parents divorced?"

"Yeah." Maeve's voice lowered. "They divorced before he was born. He's been with his mom ever since and never met his dad."

"What caused the divorce?"Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"There wasn't much love left between them. Plus, there were some misunderstandings that never got cleared up."

Byron fell silent, his expression hard to read. Maeve, preoccupied with how to tell him the full truth later, didn't notice the subtle shift in his mood.

Back at the apartment, Byron carried the kids inside, placing them gently in their beds. After tucking them in, he joined Maeve at the doorway.

"Is something bothering you?" Byron asked, his gaze fixed on her. "You seem like you've got something to say." He had sensed it in the car-the hesitation, the unease. It was clear she was wrestling with something important, something that likely involved him.

Maeve nodded, her eyes wavering. "Yes, actually, there's something I need to talk to you about. It's about-"

"Mommy!" The door to the kids' room flew open as Will ran out barefoot, his usually calm face filled with panic.

Maeve noticed his bare feet and was about to pick him up when Byron beat her to it, scooping Will into his arms. "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

Will didn't have time to worry about that and cried, "Theo's burning up! He's really hot!" He had woken up from the heat, thinking it was because the air conditioning was set too high, only to realize that the heat was coming from Theo.

Maeve's face drained of color, and she rushed into the room.

Theo lay there, his face flushed with fever, his hair damp with sweat, and the pillow soaked beneath him.

Maeve gently called his name, but he didn't wake up, his brows knitted in discomfort. Her heart clenched painfully, wishing she could take his place in that moment

"The car's downstairs, and I've already called the hospital. We'll take him for a checkup right now," Byron said, phone in hand, his voice steady. "Get him into some dry clothes first, so he doesn't catch a chill on the way down. We may need to stay overnight, so pack a bag with his essentials."

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Hearing his calm voice, Macye felt her panic slowly subside. "Okay." She nodded, eyes red with emotion.

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Theo had been sick many times before, so Maeve had learned to be prepared. She kept an emergency bag packed with clothes and supplies to