The Heir's Secret Bride

Maeve's cheeks were burning. Her blood felt like molten lava flowing through her veins, heating her to a flushed crimson.

She tried to turn away in discomfort, but Byron's hand firmly held her waist. His body pressed down on hers. Her back sank into the soft sofa, and she could not retreat.

His heated kisses rained down on her neck and shoulders, moving slowly along her collarbone, each one carrying a possessive intent.

Maeve frowned, her delicate fingers gripping his sleeve so hard that the fabric creased. Her voice came out muffled. "That's enough... I still need to go back in a bit..." Byron exhaled lowly in her ear, chuckling lightly at her words. "You got me worked up like this, and you still plan to leave tonight? No way."

Maeve found herself lifted off the couch and carried towards the master bedroom. Byron's leg hooked the door shut behind them as he strode to the bed, placing her down gently. The kisses came again, this time with an intensity that mirrored the storm outside.

"Don't take what Jason said to heart." Byron's voice was husky as he murmured into her ear, kissing her soft and sensitive earlobe. "He only said that to get under my skin."

He assumed Maeve's unease came from what Jason had said, and his tone carried a hint of reassurance.

Maeve remained silent, biting down lightly on the firm curve of his throat in response.

Byron tensed slightly. He gazed at her intensely. His lips found the tender spot on her neck, teasing it gently but unmistakably.

Maeve shivered, trying to wriggle out from beneath him as she asked hesitantly, "What if I ended up with someone else? What would

you

do?" His

s narrowed. "I don't know. Why don't you try it?"

Though his words sounded casual, the dangerous edge in his tone made her heart race with unease. Her eyes darted away.

Byron held her chin, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. "If you still have time to think about that while in my arms, then I must have been too gentle with you." Maeve whimpered helplessly, and before she could

kiss.

ead for mercy, her remaining words were stopped by the heat of his

*****

The next morning, after breakfast, Byron drove the two little ones to their preschool and then took Maeve to her studio.

Before she got out of the car, Byron

ked, "How about lunch together? I can have Archer pick you up."

Since it wasn't far, Maeve nodded. "Sure. I'll walk over myself. No need to trouble Archer."

Byron gave a small nod and handed her his access pass, allowing her to take his private elevator when she arrived.

"See you at noon." Maeve waved at him as she got out of the car

Once Byron drove off, the smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by a bittersweet expression.

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Whether it was Laurel's last wishes or Jaylen's limited time, everything weighed heavily on her heart. She felt powerless, as though nothing could be changed, no matter how much she wished it could. Taking a deep breath, Maeve turned and walked towards the building. But just as she reached the entrance, she paused, quickly turned back, and hailed a cab.

In the whirlwind of the past few days, she had almost forgotten

Scott and Valda were still in the detention center, and the trial was set for next month.

Before that, there were many questions she needed to ask them,

After much consideration, Maeve decided to face Valda.

In just a few days, Valda seemed to have aged significantly. Dressed in the drab gray uniform of the detention center, she looked worn out.

Yet, the moment she saw Maeve, her lifeless eyes lit up with hope. Gripping the bars tightly, she called out desperately, "Maeve, my dear daughter. I raised you all these years. You called me 'Mom' for so long, you wouldn't leave me to rot here, right?" She looked at Maeve as if grasping at her last lifeline, pleading with all her heart

Maeve, however, had long since cut off any emotional ties to them the moment she discovered she had been stolen from her real parents. Yet hearing Valda's words still made her chuckle.

your cold "Mom?" Maeve echoed, her voice laced with irony. "You only acknowledged as your daughter when you needed money or found me useful. I used to wonder why, feeling both hurt and angry. Was it because I was a girl that I deserved treatment, your beatings?" Maeve let out a short laugh. "I could have grown up with my real parents. You took that away from me, and for what? To use me as a tool to exploit? You deserve this."

Valda flushed with anger, her face reddening. "If we hadn't taken you, you'd be dead by now! Your real parents wouldn't have been able to protect you!"

Maeve pressed her lips together. "How do I know you're not just making excuses to cover your own guilt?"

"Why would I lie to you? Your real parents weren't even from Kleymond. I knew the moment I saw them. They were from somewhere else and had crossed the wrong people. I saw your mother get dragged into a car and taken away!" Eager to reduce her sentence, Valda spilled everything she remembered from that day.

Maeve's heart sank as she listened.

Her birth parents were involved with the criminal underworld.

She pondered what could have happened to them after they were taken away.

"Do you remember what they looked like?" Maeve asked, her voice barely above a whisper

Twenty years had passed, and it was unlikely Valda could recall anything with certainty. She fumbled for an answer, "Your mother... she looked a bit like you, long hair, seemed delicate and fragile. Your father.., tall, built, with a scar on his face. Not someone to mess with." These vague descriptions provided no concrete details, making nearly impossible to track them down. And besides, they might not even still be alive.

Maeve bit her lip, her mind racing. Even if her birth parents weren't "good" people, she still wanted to meet them.

"By the way, there was something left in your blanket back then, Valda suddenly mentioned.

Maeve immediately pressed her for more. "What was it?"

Valda, sensing an opportunity, smiled slyly. "What's in it for me if I tell you?"

Maeve narrowed her eyes, the suspicion evident in her voice. "And how do I know you're not lying?" Valda seemed confident. "You can believe me or not, but I'm the only one who knows where it is." "Fine," Maeve responded, her patience wearing thin. "At least tell me what it is first."

Valda said, "It was a pacifier... decorated with diamonds and sapphires."

Maeve blinked in disbelief. "A... pacifier?"

Valda nodded. "Yes, a pacifier."

Maeve became silent.

Her mind flashed back to her childhoo

Her mind flashed back to her childhood, to a memory she had nearly forgotten. She remembered seeing a "fancy pacifier" once, studded with sparkling jewels, tucked away in Valda and Scott's drawer.

She had stared at it for a bit too long, only to be slapped across the face by Scott, who accused her of trying to steal it.

After that, Maeve never dared to go near their room again, for fear of being hit. And now, she realized that the pacifier had been left by her real parents.

Maeve took a deep breath, steadying herself. "What do you want in exchange for telling me where it is? As long as it's not too unreasonable, I'll consider it."

Valda's jaw clenched, and she thought for a long moment before finally lowering her voice. "Get me a good lawyer. Help me cut down my sentence, and once I'm out, give me 100 thousand dollars to live comfortably. That's fair, isn't it?"

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