The Heir's Secret Bride

36

Byron narrowed his eyes, casually picking up a utility knife from the table and slicing open the package. With a soft rustle, a thick stack of photos spilled out of the box, scattering across the sofa.

The obscene images lay clearly exposed before Byron's eyes.

The woman in the photos, striking provocative poses and flaunting herself, had Maeve's face-but it wasn't her.

Byron's turned icy as he examined the photos, his eyes sharp and penetrating.

The background appeared to be t

to be the living room of Maeve's apartment, and the angle was suspiciously precise-something only a hidden camera, like the one previously concealed in a stuffed toy, could have captured. e the overall composition seemed coordinated, there were subtle mismatches. The face matched Maeve's, but the body didn't quite align with the background. The images didn't blend seamlessly. At a quick glance, they might pass as real, but a closer look would reveal the deception.

Moreover, whi

These photos hadn't reached Maeve, though. They'd been intercepted by Byron.

He noticed a

Ia white card tucked beneath the photos and pulled it out with his long fingers.

[Maeve, do you do you like this little gift?]

If these photos get out and your poor driver husband sees them, he'll probably dump you on the spot, don't you think?]

[If you don't want that to happen, come to Room 1099 at Wrestwood Hotel tonight at 8 PM. Come alone.]

The malice in the words seeped through the paper, completely unmasked.

Byron's slips curled into a cold smile that didn't reach his eyes. He thought, 'Whoever made these poorly Photoshopped images actually thought they could blackmail Maeve?'

With a snap, he crumpled the white card into a ball, tossed it along with the photos into a metal trash can, and carried it out to the balcony. After lighting a match, he threw it in. With a whoosh, the flames leaped up, devouring the filth, reducing it all to ash.

With

The flickerin The ckerin

fire cast a cold, dark light in Byron's eyes. He thought, 'Reckless fool.

Maeve came out for a drink of water and saw Byron burning something on the balcony. Puzzled, she asked, "Mr. Mcdaniel, if you don't need something, you can just throw it away. Why burn it?" Byron turned slightly, the firelight deepening the contours of his face, making him look even more imposing.

Maeve's heart skipped a beat, but when she looked again, his expression was back to normal, as if what she had seen was just her imagination.

"It's nothing," Byron replied, his tone flat.

"Burning things indoors is pretty dangerous..." Maeve said, noticing the fire had almost died down. "Be careful it doesn't spread, and make sure to clean up the floor afterward." She continued to nag in her usual way.

The coldness in Byron's expression gradually faded. He responded with a low, "Okay."

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Oh,

by the way, I bought a set of glass cups online, but I accidentally ordered too many. Want one?" Maeve asked with a smile, holding up two cups shaped like bear heads. Byron glanced at them. "No, they're too childish."

What's childish about them..." Maeve muttered, feeling a bit deflated. "Okay, maybe they're childish for drinking alcohol, but they're perfect for milk."

Ignoring her grumbling, Byron asked, "Is your shipping address still your old apartment?"

I went back today to pick up a bunch of packages."

ange the address to here. And try to avoid going back there alone unless you have to."

With that, Byron brushed past her and headed to his study.

Maeve assumed he was just concerned about safety around Pinehurst Apartments and didn't think much of it. She simply. took her cup and headed back to her room.

In the study, Byron dialed Archer's number and spoke in a low, steady voice, "What's Jeff been up to lately?"

"Mr. Mcdaniel, from what I've gathered, Jeff has been embroiled in a fierce power struggle with Nestor, and he's recently acquired a large amount of sedatives through some special channels. The purpose is still unknown," Archer quickly reported. Ever since Byron had deliberately supported Nestor to weaken Jeff's position within Graves Group, Archer had been keeping a close eye on him, which allowed him to respond so promptly.

Byron thought of the note he'd found and didn't need to guess who those drugs were meant for. He had nothing but disdain for such underhanded tactics.

"Very good."

The icy tone in Byron's voice sent a shiver down Archer's spine. He thought, 'Whatever Jeff has done to cross Mr. Mcdaniel this time must be serious. It is terrifying.' "Send a few people to Room 1099 at Wrestwood Hotel," Byron ordered.

Archer hesitated. "Mr. Mcdaniel, should I send men or women?"

Byron's voice grew even colder. "Men. Strong ones with... unusual preferences."

Archer was s speechless. He

But Byron's next words left lently offered a few seconds of sympathy for Jeff.

Archer completely floored.

let Ray know to send an invitation to tomorrow night's party to Jeff."

And let

For a moment, Archer was at a loss. He thought, 'Is this a case of giving a slap followed by a sweet treat? But somehow, that "sweet treat" feels more like a poison apple..." Despite his confusion, Archer responded respectfully, "Yes, I'll take care of it right away."

After hanging up, Byron gazed out the window, his eyes dark and impenetrable, even deeper than the night outside.

Considering Maeve's affection for him, he decided to give her a little gift.

*****

The next afternoon, Maeve headed out to meet up with Bonnie. They spent some time shopping to kill time before heading

directly to the party venue

The party was held at the Half-Moon Villa, where rows of luxury cars were parked in the lot, and a red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the building's doors. Waiters in tailcoats stood on either side, smiling as they guided guests inside.

The Maeve rarely attended such high-end events. Though she felt a bit out of place, her curiosity won out over her discomfort.

waiter leading Maeve and Bonnie gave a brief introduction to the villa's architecture and outlined the evening's event schedule, his tone light and humorous. T

"Maeve, the designer I know hasn't arrived yet. Let's grab something to eat and find a place to sit, Bonnie suggested, pulling Maeve toward the tables loaded with food. "Just seeing so many people makes me nervous." Bonnie, the heiress of Hancock Group, couldn't avoid social events. But because of her social anxiety, she rarely went out, so many people didn't recognize her.

Maeve knew Bonnie was only attending this party for her sake, and the thought warmed her heart. "Then let's avoid the crowds and rest over there."

"But don't

But you want to meet more people?" Bonnie asked, surprised. "This is a great chance to network, and it could really help your career."

Maeve shook her head. "No need. I'm not great at that kind of thing. Besides, we're in different circles; they might not be interested in connecting with me."

She had come only because she felt discouraged by her resume sinking into the void, so she decided to give this a try. But she wasn't greedy and understood her place.

Bonnie's smile brightened. "That's my Maeve-different from all those flashy girls out there."

Maeve could have used Bonnie's connections to network, and Bonnie wouldn't have minded since she was the one who brought her. But if she did, their friendship might not remain as sincere.

Maeve smiled but said nothing, taking some food and heading to the lounge area with Bonnie.

As they ate, they kept chatting and gossiping. Suddenly, they overheard some hushed conversations behind them.

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