The Heir's Secret Bride

Chapter "By the

8

Way, I'll be sending my resignation letter to your inbox soon. Today's probably my last day here. Thanks for everything these past few days." Maeve gave Piers a calm nod before walking out of his office. Piers sat at his desk, stunned. 'Maeve's quitting? And getting married? This has to be some kind of joke! How the hell am I supposed to explain this to Wallace now? His mind was spinning.

Maeve's decision to resign wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing, I felt like a fog had finally lifted, revealing a clearer path ahead. Staying at the company would just mean endless frustration and no future. Leaving was the smart move. She had earned a decent amount from her freelance illustration work and wasn't concerned about the loss of this job. As Maeve approached the office area, she caught snippets of gossip floating from inside.

"Did you hear? Maeve got Mr. Graves hauled off to the station. Has she completely lost it?"

"People from nothing trying to marry into money-it's never a smooth ride. She acts all high and mighty, but isn't this just a scheme to push him into marrying her?"

"Well, if they're really over, we won't have to keep pushing her to quit and become some trophy wife. It's exhausting keeping up this pretense.

That last comment hit Maeve like a punch to the gut. All the ostracism and petty tricks she'd endured from her colleagues- it had all been orchestrated by Jeff

It dawned on her: Jeff had been pulling strings, using his family's influence to sabotage her at work, all to force her to quit. and become dependent on him. She'd seriously underestimated just how low he'd stoop.

Maeve bit her lip, anger simmering just beneath the surface as she walked into the office, saying nothing.

The chatter stopped abruptly, and her colleagues stared in uneasy silence. Eyes shifted nervously as Maeve packed her things with cold determination

of them looked like they wanted to ask what was going on, but Maeve had

to find a replacement on short notice. At least stay until we find someone to take over your duties." Maeve had been itching to leave immediately, but she considered his point and nodded. "Alright, I'll stay until the end of the month." With just over a week left, it

gave a nod and walked away, already dialing

her colleagues and focused on finishing her work. Maybe because she was leaving

her designs, her mind drifting to ways she could help

some protein powder, then picked up a few vitamins at the pharmacy before heading

her heart sank-Valda was there looking like thunder. Maeve's first

sharp with fury as she stormed over. Have you lost

Mon, Oct 14

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Chapter 8

that high school because of the Graves family? Your father still works for them! And now, you go and bite the

gonna fix this and apologize to Jeff Her voice shook with anger, her grip tightening. Maeve winced at the pressure. "Mom! Jeff put cameras in my apartment

snapped, "So what? You should've put

our whole family relies

all want to rely on him so much, then do it yourselves.

as if to strike

instinctively shut her eyes, bracing for the impact. But the