"Ms. Reese, you''re overthinking it. My only enemy is Byron," Neville replied, his toneced with a hint of sarcasm. "On this point, we should be on par.


    Maeve pondered momentarily before replying. I need to see the antidote first; otherwise, there''s nothing to discuss."


    Neville chuckled as expected and said, "I''m currently parked downstairs at your studio in a silver-gray Bugatti


    As soon as he said that, Maeve felt her defenses strengthen. She feared he had anticipated that she wouldn''t be able to resist the temptation.


    After receiving the antidote. Maeve sent Byron a message: [We need to meet.]


    Ten minutester, a ck Spyker pulled up outside the studio. After Maeve got into the car, it drove away. "What do you need to talk to me about?" Byron asked, his expression indifferent, hinting at a subtle detachment.


    Maeve retalled storming into the Mcdaniel Group and scolding him without a second thoughtst time, feeling a twinge of guilt. After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she said, "Mr. Mcdaniel has been in aa, possibly due to the poisonous magic. Ive obtained the corresponding antidote from someone and wanted to discuss it with you...


    "Someone?" Byron turned to look at her, a hint of sarcasm glimmering in his deep eyes. "Isn''t it Neville who provided you


    with that?"


    "How do you know that?" Maeve eximed, her heart racing. "Are you spying on me?"


    Byron didn''t answer but instead asked, "He gave you the antidote and sent you to me to administer it to my grandpa?"


    Maeve sensed that his tone was off and furrowed her delicate brows slightly. "He told me to give it to your grandpa, but I wanted to let you know first...


    "There''s no need for that," Byron''s voice turned icy. "This is a matter for the Mcdaniel family, and outsiders have no reaso to be concerned. Besides, with you and Neville both having questionable intentions and a checkered past, why should I trust you? What a joke." The words "checkered past struck a painful chord in Maeve''s heart. Although she had long known he didn''t trust her, hearing it directly still brought an uncontainable sting of hurt.


    Maeve''s voice trembled as she replied, "I understand you don''t trust me, and ver expected you to. I''m not foolish; I can see that Neville has ulterior motives. I don''t want you to hand the medicine over to Mr. Mcdaniel, but isn''t it better to at least have some direction?" She thought, Isn''t it simple to conduct a drug test to determine whether the antidote is safe?"


    Byron''s thin lips curled as he asked, "What has Neville given you to make you assist him in harming Grandpa?"


    "What do you mean by that?" Maeve asked.


    "Four years ago, you helped my mother after epting her offer, and now you''re doing the same for Neville." Byron slowly adjusted his cufflinks, his toneced with sarcasm. "Do you think I would believe that someone like you is genuinely concerned for my grandpa''s well-being?"Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Maeve''s bright eyes narrowed, enveloped by an overwhelming sense of suffocation. "I have never epted your mother''s offer and didn''te to you to help Neville! Why do you insist on having prejudice on me?"


    "Prejudice?" Byron slowly chewed on the word scoffed "Maeve Reese, you''re still so good at twisting the truth."


    Marve wanted to argue further, but he interrupted her coldly, "Get out. I don''t want to see your annoying face right now."


    13


    <


    Maeve lowered her gaze and gave a bleak smile. "Fine, I''ll take this as my meddling. From now on, I won''t interfere in your family''s matters anymore!"


    Maeve got out of the car with a stern expression. As soon as she left, Archer, sitting in the front seat, couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Mcdaniel, haven''t you always believed that Ms. Reese didn''t harm Mr. Gilbert? Why would you intentionally say something to upset her?" He thought. If it hadn''t been for Mr. Mcdaniel taking all the responsibility back then, it would have been uncertain whether Ms. Reese could even get out of detention. So why would he say such things in front of her?"


    Byron''s cold expression gradually softened as he gazed out the window, his eyes bing more profound. "Send a few bodyguards to protect Maeve secretly. If she tries to meet with Neville, stop her immediately, he instructed in a deep voice. "Understood." Archer felt a bit puzzled by Byron''s actions. He thought, "You drove her away, and now you''re sending bodyguards to protect her. Is this some new kind of romance?''


    Maeve felt incredibly frustrated. She had never encountered someone so oblivious and unreasonable,beling her a schemer without even considering her exnations. Everything she did was viewed with suspicion as if she always had ulterior motives.


    What do I even want from him? To get involved with someone as cold as an ice block? To be tangled up in he has a fancee and a child while still having an affair? Ugh! Who would want to get involved in such a mess! Maeve felt a situation where surge of anger mixed with an indescribable sense of grievance.


    She had never done anything like that, so it baffled her how he could pin such usations on her. Alexis had once attempted to bribe her with a card, but she had promptly turned it down. As for Neville, if he ever tempted her, it was hard to believe she would be foolish enough to go straight to Byron and remind him of it.


    Maeve channeled her anger into creativity, locking herself in the studio to craft a wedding dress. The crewelwork embroidery on the hem was taking shape, with only the finer details left toplete.


    She was so absorbed in her work that it wasn''t until Paige knocked on the door to remind her that she realized it was time to leave. Afterward, she drove to the supermarket to pick up some groceries and returned to her apartment. She''d been getting off workte, so Theo took the school bus home daily.


    "Sweetie, can you help Mommy bring in the groceries? Maeve called out as she bent down to change her shoes.


    A flurry of tiny footsteps approached, and Will, dressed in a ck cool-style uniform, rushed over. His pale face had a hint of color as he reached down to pick up the two bags Maeve had left on the floor,


    Maeve paused mid-action, watching in disbelief as Will effortlessly lifted the two heavy bags, seeming to exert no effort. She was nearly exhausted from carrying them. "Sweetie, don''t you think that''s heavy?" Maeve asked, puzzled.


    Will shook his head. "It''s not heavy at all."


    Maeve rubbed her sore arms and smiled. ''Is that so? Maybe it''s because Mommy has been carrying them too long and got tired. It was hard to believe that, as an adult, she could be outmatched in strength by her child.


    Today, Will and Theo switched roles: Will took Theo''s ce to take an exam at kindergarten, while Theo helped Will handle his weekly appointment with the psychologist. The two brother were incredibly supportive of each other, showcasing a bond filled with love and cooperation. As Maeve prepared the ingredients, cleaned them thoroughly, and got ready to cook, she noticed Will tiptoeing beside her, cagerly watching. With a smile, she handed him a small stool, encouraging him to stand on it for a better view.


    "Mommy is going to make croquettes. Do you want to give them a try, sweetie?" Maeve asked.


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    Will''s eyes lit up as he nodded eagerly. "Yeah"


    Maeve couldn''t help but smile, amused by how yful he was in the kitchen. It was curious how she and Byron had decent cooking skills, yet Theo seemed to have inherited none of that talent. Ironically, he still enjoyed the fun of cooking, often using up a fair amount of her ingredients in the process.


    Maeve handed Will the tongs and showed him how to fry the croquettes. Perhaps it was a natural talent: Will seeded on his first try. From then on, he didn''t even need Maeve''s guidance, he managed to fry them perfectly.


    Maeve was taken aback as she touched her nose. "Wow, sweetie, how did your cooking skills improve so dramatically? Have you been secretly pra