The Heir's Secret Bride

She wondered if it was possible to sneak out and see him now.

Byron, be honest with me." Maeve snapped out of her thoughts and asked him with a straight face, "Are you saying that because you want to trick me into coming out?"

Byron was quiet for a moment, then answered, "Haven't seen you for a few days, and you've gotten smarter."

Maeve couldn't help but laugh a little. She knew it. Good thing she wasn't easy to fool, or she might've fallen for it.

She shuddered, remembering what he had said the other day, "you want to die, you can only die in my bed."

He almost got her again. Maeve gritted her teeth. "Keep trying. I won't fall for it, so what are you going to do then?"

"There is no rush," Byron replied casually. "You can't hide forever right?"

Maeve froze for a second, then quickly hung up, scared that if she waited even a second longer, he would drag her to the other side.

When Maeve and the kids walked into the dining room the next day, they saw a

But it seemed like she couldn't avoid him good-looking man sitting next to the Queen.

an

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and he raised eyebrow slightly. He gave her a faint smile and then went back to talking to the Queen.

Maeve felt goosebumps on her neck. The look he gave her felt too deep, as if he was trying to say something.

And why the heck was he here so early?' she wondered.

The two of them only shared a glance for a couple of seconds, but Tom saw it all.Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

He had been eyeing Byron carefully, looking at him with the kind of scrutiny only a man could give to his future son-in-law. But Tom had to admit, this guy was impressive. More than enough for his precious niece. Still, he wasn't happy. His niece had finally found her some outsider before she could even settle in.

way

home and now it looked like she was about to be swept away by

No one would be happy about that. So, during the breakfast, Tom, who was always big on following the rules, kept staring at Byron, silently hoping he would catch the hint and leave soon.

It wasn't until Maeve and the two little ones walked in that Tom's expression immediately changed. He gave them a soft, casual question about how they slept.

Maeve nodded, letting him know she slept fine. Will and Theo, though, had been running around with Loren all night, so they looked a little worn out.

They noticed Byron was there too, but he was talking to the Queen,

so Will didn't make a move to greet his dad.

The Queen caught Maeve's eye and smiled. "Maeve, Mr. McDaniel is your guest today. You should make sure to treat him right."

Maeve could hear the teasing tone in her voice, and it was clear the Queen knew everything. Maeve shot a quick, annoyed look at Byron, who seemed totally unbothered, calmly sipping his coffee.

Tom didn't waste any time, saying, "Mother, men and women have their limits. It's more appropriate for me to entertain Mr. McDaniel."

He wasn't about to let Byron have alone moment with his niece they weren't even married yet.

The Queen, picking up on his protective vibe, siniled and said, let the young ones handle it. Why are you being so old-

fashioned, lomt

Tom thought to himself. Great, haven't even had my coffee, and how my mother has already been won over?

He didn't want to stop Maeve and Byron, but he wasn't going to make it easy either. After all, the easier something came, the less value it had.

But in the end, he had to listen to his mother.

"Alright, I'll bring Maeve and the kids to entertain Mr. McDaniel We'll show him how polite we are," Tom said, giving in.

The Queen just shook her head, amused. "Just don't forget our gilest

"Got it."

The Queen had a packed schedule, so she headed out after breakfast. With Tom watching over things, Maeve didn't have to worry about Byron causing any trouble. She was able to relax and finish her breakfast without a hitch. Tom led them through the palace, pointing out important rooms and landmarks. Since they would be staying for a while, he thought it was good for them to get familiar with the place.

Maeve scratched the tip of her nose, deciding not to burst her uncle's bubble. Even though she'd be heading back to the country soon, she let him enjoy himself.

Halfway through the tour, someone came

up

and called Tom

away for

urgent business.

With guards and staff everywhere, Tom figured Byron wouldn't try anything with Maeve. Feeling assured, he left to deal with his matters.

As soon as her uncle disappeared, Maeve felt the shift. Byron's gaze was unmistakable, heavy and deliberate, drilling into her back. She didn't need to turn around to feel the weight of it.

But she reminded herself they were in the palace, surrounded by people. Whatever Byron wanted to say, or do, would have to wait until they were alone.

The thought gave her a small, momentary sense of calm.

"Will, look! Over there!" Theo suddenly pointed toward a corner of the garden. His chubby little face lit up with excitement. "Those roses, I think Mommy planted them before. They're her favorite!" Will grabbed his hand. "Let's go check them out!"

"Yeah."

The boys took off toward the flowerbed, their matching suits making them look like little waddling penguins.

Maeve couldn't help but grin, ready to tease them about their round little figures, when suddenly a strong hand gripped her wrist.

Before she could say anything, she was pulled into the shadows of the green maze. Her back hit the hedge wall, the rough leaves brushing against her skin.

"Wait-" Her protest was cut short as Byron's lips crashed into hers, firm and unyielding. One hand tilted her chin up, his fingers brushing her skin as he deepened the kiss without hesitation.

His kiss was fierce, almost suffocating, like he was determined to claim every part of her. Maeve couldn't fight back; she

20:08 Tue. Dec 17

could barely breathe. Her elst you and fell as her tongs sont to keep up

It was easy to convince herself he didn't miss him when they we apart. But being near him was a whole different story.

He couldn't help himself, couldn't even want. It was like the only way to quiet whatever storm was raging inside him was tex leave his mark on her.

anyone happened to glance toward the maze, they'd see a tall man pressing a petite woman against the leafy wall, his frame completely blocking hers. Only a bit of apricot-colored fabric poked out where their bodies pressed together.

Every so often, the measured sound of footsteps echoed from the nearby paths. Maeve's back dug into the hedge, her heart pounding as the steps came closer, then closer still.

Just on the other side of the wall-mere centimeters away.

Her mind was a mess, torn between panic and the futile attempt to push him off. Her legs felt weak, her head dizzy from the mix of fear and... something else.

Then his lips left hers, moving to her neck. She gasped as his teeth grazed her skin, sinking in just enough to sting before he bit down and sucked. The sharp sensation sent a shiver down her spine.

Byron's gaze darkened as he studied the hickey, his voice low and raspy. "That's just the interest."