Maggie's eyes snapped open in the darkness, her mind clearing as memories of Tom's words danced at the edges of her consciousness. She rolled onto her back, her gaze finding Tom standing in her room in the dead of night.

"Who's there?!" she blurted out, her voice tinged with sleep and confusion.

Tom's eyes burned with an intensity that sent fresh waves of recollection flooding Maggie's mind. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog of sleep.

With a shy rustle of sheets, she pulled the comforter over her head, hiding from Tom's penetrating gaze.

But Tom was relentless, flipping back the blanket. "You've been telling everyone you're hell-bent on marrying me. Have you gone mad?"

Maggie remained silent, turning away from him.

Undeterred, Tom pulled her to sit up. "I said yes."

Maggie's eyes widened in shock. "You said yes to what?"

Tom was dead serious. "To us getting married."

Maggie was bewildered. When exactly had she asked for his consent?

In a daze, Maggie felt like she had won the lottery-everything seemed unreal, floating in a state of disbelief.

"Have you been drinking?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

Tom leaned in close. "Do I smell like booze?"

Maggie shook her head. "Then I must be dreaming."

her leg sharply. "Does that

"Ouch, yes!"

"Still dreaming?"

she slapped Tom's shoulder, leaving her hand awkwardly hovering in the air, unsure of

to explain, "You hit

she was not quite on the same page with

agreed to let Vivian marry me,"

was incredulous. "No

unable to handle business affairs for a couple of years now. You're still

groggy from sleep. "What's my salary? How much does Byrne

Without Byrne Enterprises, I couldn't afford a house in Havenbrook within a decade. But now, given my job, I'm not eligible to inherit Byrne Enterprises. If Mom leaves

company and treat me well, what about when you get married? You'll have kids, and they'll inherit your company. And if I marry and have kids, won't I lose my claim to the company..." "Hold on! Simplify that,

"Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa-they're not saints. Mom built a company from the ground up, and if

okay," Maggie said naively. "I'll just leave it to

"No one can guarantee the future. Even if you were a blood relative, which you're not, you can't count on

understood the harsh reality; after all,

what's your point,

It was time to

"Marry me."

if

you need a Byrne identity. Marrying me would also infuriate Vivian, and...

appalled. "No way! I refuse, I vehemently refuse. First off, I don't even want Byrne Enterprises; I'll give it back to Mom when she's better. Second, I've got plenty of ways to deal with Vivian without resorting to extremes. And lastly!" Her face flushed as she locked eyes with Tom. "Just pretend last night never happened. Can't we

night was going to be Maggie's dark

too late," Tom

looked at

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