''Are children changing every day? Byron suppressed his lingering doubts and gently poked Theo''s little belly. "Daddy knows you''re still awake, open your eyes" Feeling ticklish, Theo opened his big, round eyes and red at un, clearly unimpressed. "What do you want?" That familiar rebellious tone resurfaced again.


    Byron furrowed his brow, his expression serious. "Have you been sulking at metely?"


    Theo blinked innocently, feigning confusion. "I haven''t! Wheres thating from?"


    "You''ve been meditating longer these past few days, and you haven''t been saying good morning or good night to me," Byron said


    "Well, that''s not something I can control. Theo replied.


    "Do you have any issues with me?" Byron asked.


    "I don''t think so, but if you insist on thinking that way, there''s nothing I can do. Theo replied.


    Byron felt a subtle twitch in his brow at Theo''s reply. He looked at Theo''s expression-innocent yet defiant, as if to say, "You can think whatever you want; I''m not at fault. It nearly made himugh in frustration. He was told that Theo had no issues, yet here they were. Byron sighed softly and asked, "First, tell me why you don''t want me to get married so soon."


    Once that topic came up, Theo was wide awake; his deep eyes sparkled with curiosity as he turned to Byron, eager to know, Who do you want to marry?"


    "What''s the matter? Do you have something to say about who I want to marry?" Byron asked.


    "Yup." Theo sat up, his chubby little face serious. "The woman you want to marry has to get my approval first"


    Byron raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Oh?"


    "If the woman you marry treats me poorly, secretly mistreating me when you''re not around and then pretending I''m the one at fault when you''re there, you''ll side with her since she''s your partner!" Theo dered earnestly, "They say that with a stepmotheres a stepfather; how can I not be cautious?"


    He could guess why Will didn''t want Byron to marry so soon. Honestly, he didn''t want him to marry another woman, either. While feeling excluded was one thing, he thought, "But... Who told Mommy to like him!''


    Byron hadn''t anticipated Theo thinking so much about this; he must have been worried for quite a while. His expression softened a bit as he gently rubbed Theo''s little head. "Don''t worry, Daddy would never marry someone who would bully you."


    Theo looked at him and asked, "Why did you and Mommy break up in the first ce?"Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Byron''s lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn''t evade the question. "Your mommy didn''t want you," he said inly.


    Theo thought, Liar! Trying to trick a kid, share on you!!


    Theo asked again, "Did Mommy say that to you herself? That she didn''t want me?


    "Yes," Byron replied, his expression dark and distant. There was a time when he didn''t want a child for reasons he couldn''t reveal. But when Maeve''s pregnancy became a reality, the joy and anticipation of bing a father far outweighed his previous concerns. It was Marve herself who shattered all of that


    Theo''s little face puffed up in frustration. "You''re lying! he hutted, shooting Byron an indignant re before turning his


    GG


    back on him, burrowing into the covers, and refusing to speak another word.


    Byron understood that Theo couldn''t ept this truth, so he didn''t force the far better than letting him hear it from someone else in the future.


    matter.


    He believed that telling him now was


    Because he was still upset with Byron, Theo swapped ces with Will the following day. After breakfast, Maeve remembered the antidote and handed it to Theo, asking if he could identify specificponents and effects. Theo confidently parted his chest, then ran into his room. In less than half an hour, he had analyzed the antidote entirely.


    "It''s medicine to counteract poisonous magic, Theo said, "The egredients and effects are fine."


    Maeve was surprised. She thought, ''Neville didn''t tamper with the antidote after all?


    "Can this be given to someone affected by the poisonous magic Maeve ked.


    "Are you thinking of giving it to Mr. Mcdaniel, Mommy?" Theo asked, blinking innocently


    "Do you know?" Maeve asked.


    Theo nodded, exining that he had known from the start but hadn''t mentioned it to avoid worrying Maeve. He added that the ingredients for the antidote to the poisonous magic were hard to find, so he had asked Jaylen to help gather them from abroad. He expected to have everything collected within half a month at thetest.


    Maeve felt warmth as she smiled and asked, "So can this antidote be given to Mr. Mcdaniel?"


    "Well. Theo hesitated as he nced at the remains of the antidote on the table, unsure of how to respond.


    Maeve fell silent as well, realizing she had rushed into this. Without thoroughly examining the antidote''s ingredients, she couldn''t risk giving it to Gilbert. The only option left was to ask Neville for another one if he had any left.


    Neville had another antidote, and when Maeve directly mentioned that she intended to have it tested, he couldn''t help but chuckle. "Ms. Reese, your temperament suits my taste indeed."


    "Thank you," Maeve said tly. "So when will you give it to me?"


    "Let''s do it tomorrow, I''m a bit... tied up today. Neville sat on the burgundy armchair, holding his phone. Behind his sunsses, his eyes glimmered with a cold, enigmatic light as he focused on the darkest corner of the living room.


    An old, rusted iron cage stood in that shadowy corner, its chains nking rhythmically, producing a harsh, dull sound that echoed with despair.


    "Shh, be quiet," Neville said gently, "Someone will be here to keep youpany soon, so just be patient."


    The only response to him was a sudden,plete silence.


    Alexis was arranging flowers in the conservatory at the Mcdaniel family''s home when the butler Damian approached her with a package. "Mrs. Mcdaniel, this is for you," he said, handing her the parcel.


    "Who sent it?" she asked.


    Im not sure, there''s no name on it, Damian replied.


    Alexis frowned and set down her scissors, waiting for Damian to unwrap the package before taking the contents. Inside was a stack of secretly taken photographs. Her expression instantly changed as she looked at the images and angrily knocked the nearby vase to the floor


    The shards scattered across the floor with a loud crash.


    23


    GG.


    D


    Jason entered, reprimanding firmly. "What''s the matter with you how? Why are you throwing a tantrum for no reason?"


    00


    "Take a look at this!" Alexis threw the photos before him a coldugh escaping her lips. I wondered why Byron has been so unwilling to marry Lynn, this woman has been scheming behind the scenes!"


    After looking at the photos, Jason''s expression darkened. "She just won''t let go, even after four years, she''s still trying to entangle Byron. She''s truly asking for trouble"


    "Girls from humble backgrounds are just like this, always dreaming big butcking the means, thinking they can rely on men to change their fate, Alexis said coldly. "If we let her seed this time, who knows how chaotic the Mcdaniel family will be in the future."


    In the past, she had wavered, thinking that it didn''t matter who Byron was with as long as he was happy. However, everything Maeve had done since then had filled her with disgust There fact that Maeve dared to plot against Gilbert made it impossible for her to tolerate the idea of her stepping foot into the Medaniel family again.


    Jason pondered momentarily and said. "There''s a business banquet tomorrow. It would help if you apanied me. We will announce at the banquet that Lynn and Byron are soon to be married."


    "Well. Alexis hesitated. "Will Byron agree to this?"


    "Once the words are spoken, they can''t be taken back. Byron will have to agree even


    if he doesn''t want to," Jason said.