A sh drive with her name engraved on it? Maeve thought.


    Maeve''s heart skipped a beat, and a sinking feeling crept in.


    "I won''t be going in. Please pass this to Mr. McDaniel, Archer said respectfully, handing over the sh drive, which was attached to a ne, cushioned by a handkerchief. Maeve hesitated for a moment before epting it. "Uh-huh


    When she returned. Byron casually asked, "Was that Archer who stopped by?"


    Maeve nodded, cing the sh drive in front of him. "He asked me to give this to you. He said it was recovered from Karen and that it might have something to do with me." Byron lowered his gaze to inspect the sh drive, When he noticed the name "Maeve engraved in red, his handsome face hardened slightly.


    "Is there aputer around?" he asked.


    "Yes, in the living room." Maeve replied.


    Byron was about to get up when he caught sight of Theo, quietly peeking in their direction. His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Had enough? Go back to bed on your own."


    "Only pigs sleep right after eating." Theo, frustrated at being caught, puffed his cheeks and jumped off the chair. "I''m going to y with Leo for a bit before bed"


    I definitely isn''t sleeping with the candy thief tonight! he thought


    The door to the children''s room clicked shut behind him.


    In the living room, Maeve watched with growing apprehensions Byron plugged the sh drive into theputer. "Do you think it''s going to be... private photos of me that Karen stole?" she asked uneasily. Her eyes darted around the apartment, wondering if someone might have secretly installed a hidden camera without her noticing.


    It had happened before, and she couldn''t help but worry


    Byron was about to open the only folder on the drive when he paused at her words.


    He patted the spot beside him, gesturing for her to sit down. "I close my eyes. You can check it first. If it''s something like that, just delete it."


    Maeve bit her lip, then nodded, sitting beside him.


    On the screen, the folder opened to reveal a single video.


    Maeve''s heart raced. She nced at Byron, who was now leaning back on the couch with his eyes closed, keeping his distance from theputer. Gathering her courage, she clicked on the video. The screen was ck at first. After a couple of seconds, a cacophony of voices filled the air-muffled, hurried conversations. and the sounds of someone suddenly waking and struggling to get up. "Who are you? What are you doing to me? Where''s Archer? It was Maeve''s voice.


    Mon, Nov


    "Ms. Reese, please don''t move. We''re going to do surgery for you right away," a doctor said.


    "Surgery? What kind of surgery?" Maeve asked.


    "An abortion, of course, someone replied.


    The screen lit up sharply, and the image of Maeve being held down on the surgical bed merged with the Maeve sitting on the couch in the present. Her eyes were just as terrified as they were in the video. The darkest memories she''d buried deep in her mind were nowying out right before her eyes.


    The stinging smell of antiseptic filled the air, choking her. Expressionless doctors and nurses surrounded her, and


    Archer smiled as he said, "You underestimate Dr. Foster''s skills. Mr. McDaniel didn''t expose you before because he wanted to give you the chance to remove this unwanted child yourself, but you really disappointed him. Mr. McDaniel asked me to pass along a message: he will never allow someone as lowly as you to give birth to his bloodline. It would be the greatest shame for the entire McDaniel family."


    Hearing this, Byron''s eyes flew open, his dark, narrow gaze filled with seething hostility as he stared at theputer screen. as though he wanted to burn a hole through it.


    The video had only yed for about ten seconds, but it had already sent shockwaves through the living room.


    Both the abortion and Archer''s cruel words, as well as Maeve''s frightened, ghostly pale face on screen, caused quite a shock. She struggled desperately, but the nurse held her down firmly, her pitiful whimpers numbing to the ears. Then, in a final act of desperation, Maeve leaped from the window.


    Byron''s heart nearly stopped, paralyzed by her movement. His back tensed, and he swallowed hard, the knot in his throat moving sluggishly.


    That was until the sudden crash of a ss of water falling nearbyC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Byron snapped out of it and turned his head.


    Maeve''s face had drained of all color. She was gripping the corner of the table, trying to stand, but she had knocked over the ss of water in the process. Her hand slipped, and she copsed to the floor along with it. Byron immediately moved to help her up.


    "Don''t touch me!" Maeve shrieked, recoiling violently from his hand. Her voice was hoarse and raw, as though she were facing a wild, rampaging beast.


    Byron''s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. He watched her trembling, broken body, and it felt as though a giant hand had clenched tightly around his heart.


    All those unexinable doubts from the past suddenly had an answer.


    He took a deep breath, his voice low and steady. "Maeve, listen to me."


    Maeve''s ears were filled with the voices from the video, and the image of the doctor walking toward her with an anesthetic -needle shed before her eyes. The same sense of powerlessness she had felt then washed over her body again.


    She thought she had forgotten, but it turned out she remembered everything.


    Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her hard. Maeve stumbled to her feet and rushed to the restroom,


    "Bang!" The door mmed shut behind her.


    Byron sprinted after her, but he was a step toote.


    With a deep frown, he knocked on the door. "Maeve, open the door. Let''s talk."


    Maeve slumped to the floor next to the vanity, retching, her body trembling with chills. Her stomach twisted painfully, as if knotted together.


    It hurt so much.


    She wanted to vomit everything out-the bile and the terrible memories,


    Her eyes reddened, and she heaved so violently that she could barely stay upright.


    Exhausted, she sank to the cold tiles, her back against the wall, her gaze unfocused and empty as she stared at the ceiling.


    The knocks on the door grew sharper.


    Through the door, Byron''s voice lowered. "Maeve, please open the door. Don''t lock yourself in. I can exin this. It''s not what you think. Maeve?"


    The silence that followed herck of response seemed to dampen the movement outside.


    Maeve buried her face in her knees, trying to ease the dizzying difort in her head.


    Just then, she heard the sound of a key sliding into the lock.


    The handle turned a few times, and the door opened.


    Maeve lifted her head weakly. Before she could make sense of what was happening, she was enveloped in a wide, warm embrace.


    "Let go! Let go of me!" Maeve struggled, pounding her fists desperately against him, her eyes red with frustration. With her violent reaction, she tore two buttons off his shirt, her nails leaving bloody streaks on his chest. Byron''s arms tightened around her, unyielding. He let her w and tear at him, never letting her go.


    "Maeve, I''m sorry for everything you''ve had to endure," he said, his voice low and husky,ced with a raw undertone.


    What he said wasn''t chicanery.


    And it also wasn''t uselessforting or hypocritical words.


    Instead, she could sense that he was truly sorry for everything that had happened to her.


    ''Could someone like him even feel sorry for anyone? she thought.