The Heir's Secret Bride

Chapter 123

Neville's sickly face twisted into a smile. Then you must know my brother, Byron, right?"

Maeve's eyes darted to him as a memory suddenly cto mind. Bonnie had mentioned once that the

McDaniels had two sons. The older one had disappeared for years and only resurfaced recently. He'd been

through hell, always stuck in the shadow of his younger brother, never getting any of the family's affection.

Yet, it's the elder son who ultimately inherited the Mcdaniel Group. That elder son is Byron. And the younger

son... is Neville? she wondered.

Perhaps it was because she had heard too much gossip about the bitter rivalry between Byron and Neville that

Maeve instinctively felt wary of him. "If you're looking for your brother, he's not here," she said plainly.

Neville chuckled. "I know. He's gone to meet the childhood sweetheart he grew up with. Leaving such a beautiful

lady alone here, that's just heartless of him."

"This is between him and me, and it doesn't concern you. Maeve replied coldly, standing up and grabbing her

bag. "If there's nothing else, Ill be on my way." Neville didn't stop her. Instead, he said, "If you ever need my

help, feel free to reach out."

Maeve ignored him, quickening her pace as she left. Once her figure completely disappeared, the smile on

Neville's face turned cold as he sneered. "No surprise, she's just as stubborn as that guy."

Back in her room, Maeve wasn't in the mood to soak in the jacuzzi. She pulled out spaper and a pencil,

burying herself in sketching designs, trying to escape from the troubling thoughts that plagued her.

I have to say, this place is perfect for creativity, and ideas just cnaturally, Maeve thought to herself. The

initial sketches for Fiora's gown and Loren's suit were nearly complete, only needing sdeeper

conceptualization.

Since the company didn't require her to clock in daily, it didn't matter where she worked. Maeve decided to stay

and finish her designs. She turned off her phone, focusing solely on her work.

Whenever she felt tired, she would soak in the jacuzzi or take a stroll outside before returning to her room, where

she would sit by the window, drawing as she gazed out at the snowy landscape. After three days, she found

herself so immersed in her work that she nearly forgot everything else.

Meanwhile, things were far from peaceful for the Booth family. Byron had sent Karen and her mother, Lydia, back

to their place. After days of crying, they were physically and emotionally drained, slumped on the sofa in a daze.

After helping her mother upstairs to rest, Karen returned to the living room. Her eyes were red as she spoke to

Byron, Thank you for these past few days. If it weren't for you, my mother and | would have collapsed long ago."

"I'll take care of you and your mother from now on, just like your father did for me. Tell her to rest easy," Byron

replied solemnly. "My condolences.

Karen's eyes welled up again as she tried to lean into his embrace. But Byron sidestepped to dodge her, pulling

out his phone. It was a message from Archer,

Archer: [Mr. Mcdaniel, according to the hotel staff, Ms. Reese has been staying in her room for the past few days,

only coming out for meals. It's unclear what she's been up to.]

Byron's eyes flickered, his face reflecting his complex emotions, Is she still waiting forto return?" he

wondered

After tapping a few times on the screen, he put away his phone and said to Karen, "I have sthings to take

care of. Please rest well"

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Chapter 123

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"Aren't you going to stay with me?" Karen's voice was fragile. "If you're not here, I'm afraid I'll do something

rash..."

Byron looked at her coolly. "Are you threatening me?"

Tm not... | just thought you could stay withfor a few days." Karen's tears fell as she clung to his arm,

refusing to let go. "Every t| close my eyes, | see my father...

Byron pursed his lips. After a moment, he said, "I'm sorry, Karen. Contactif you need anything." He pried her

hand off his arm and walked out.

Karen gritted her teeth, thinking. He's going to see that bitch Marve, isn't he? She knew all too well that Byron's

tolerance of her over the years stemmed solely from the fact that her father had taken him in during his most

difficult times as a child.

Now that her father had just passed away, Byron's gratitude for him still lingered. But with time, that sense of

obligation would soon wear thin. Karen couldn't afford to wait passively. She had to eliminate Maeve, the

greatest threat to her future.

On a day free of snow, the sky was particularly clear. Maeve had finally completed her designs and was ready to

leave the spa resort. Apart from not having signed the contract with Byron, this trip had been quite fruitful for

her. After checking out, she left the hotel and took a cab back to the city. However, she lost consciousness

shortly after getting into the car.

When Maeve awoke from a deep sleep, she found herself in an unfamiliar environment. It appeared to be some

sort of abandoned warehouse, with old cement walls, a damp floor, and the air thick with the smell of rust. Her

hands were bound behind her back, restricting her movement.

Am | being kidnapped? Maeve thought, her mind reeling in shock. Panic surged through her as she heard the

sound of approaching footsteps.

"These two girls are both close to Byron Mcdaniel. We should be able to get a lot of money for them, ca

chilling voice.

Just exchanging them for money sounds boring. I'd like to see what it's like to mess with Mr. Mcdaniel's woman,"

one of them said with a sinister edge.

"Let's do it, then? No harm in giving it a try. Another voice snickered.

The lewd laughter drew closer as the men approached Maeve, their lecherous gazes fixed on her like predators

eyeing prey, Maeve's breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide with terror.

"If you touch me, Byron will never let you off," warned a hoarse and familiar voice.

Maeve turned her head sharply and saw Karen, bound like her, kneeling on the ground. Karen's face twisted with

scorn as she addressed the kidnappers, "You'd better be smart and letgo right now."

Maeve wanted to warn her not to provoke them, but before she could speak, the men burst into mocking

laughter.

"This girl doesn't seem to know what kind of situation she's in. We can't just let her go without showing bera

good time, right?" said one of the kidnappers with a cruel grin.

"Let's start with her! Two of the men grabbed Karen by the arms and began dragging her away.

"What are you doing? Letgo! Do you have a death wish?" Karen screamed, her legs thrashing against the

floor.

Maeve's mind went blank. Instinctively, she struggled to her feet, desperate to stop them from assaulting Karen.

She knew she would be next. It was better to fight now than to wait helplessly.

But just as she rose, a sharp blow struck the back of her head, knocking her out and sending her to the ground.

As consciousness shipped away, she heard Karen's heart-wrenching cries Chapter 123

When Maeve finally cto, drenched in cold sweat from her nightmare, she had no sense of how much time

had The strong smell of antiseptic left her momentarily disoriented. gone by.

Suddenly recalling what had happened, Maeve threw off the blanket and ran her hands over her body for any

signs of injury. Finding nothing amiss, she let out a sigh of relief.

But confusion quickly set in. ‘Wasn't | kidnapped? How did | end up in a hospital? she wondered.

The door to the ward swung open, and Maeve turned to see Byron enter, his expression icy.

Before she had a chance to speak, he cut in with a question. "Maeve, you and Karen were kidnapped together.

Why did the kidnappers let you go?"

SEND GIFT