The Heir's Secret Bride

Chapter 13

Maeve hesitated before dialing Byron's mumber again. She didn't want to come off as needy, so she decided to just wait it out, hoping he'd get back to her sooner or later.

Almost a full day had passed without a single bite to cat. Her stomach growled and twisted in pain, and eventually, exhaustion took over. She drifted into a restless sleep, too drained and hungry to keep her eyes open any longer. what felt like forever, Maeve woke up groggily, squinting at her phone to see it was already past ten in the morning.

After

She realized she'd been stuck in this room for nearly twenty-four hours, and her phone battery was barely holding on at three percent.

She stared at her phone, her heart sinking as there were no missed calls or messages. A wave of despair washed over her. She shut her eyes and curled up on the cold floor, trying to ignore the gnawing hunger.

Is he too busy to call back, or did he just forget about me?' she wondered, pulling her knees closer to her chest, shielding her eyes with her hand.

The hunger was bad, but the endless, crushing darkness was worse.

In

the executive office at Mcdaniel Group, the afternoon sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing Byron in a warm, golden light as he sat behind his desk. With his sharp looks and commanding presence, he was every inch the powerful CEO Mr. McDaniel, you just got over a fever and barely slept last night," Archer said for the third time as he entered the office. "If you keep pushing yourself like this, you're gonna crash. Plus, it's time to change the dressing on your wound," Byron put down the contract and, with a swift flick of his wrist, signed his name with bold, decisive strokes-sharp and unyielding, just like him

"What time is it?" he asked.

"It's already five in the afternoon. Id b***ds?"

left. Said they'd talk to your f

father.

at his lips. "Let them try. If they think that'll make me change my mind..." grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and stood up. Have the driver bring the car around." "Oh, by the way, Mr. McDaniel, your grandfather called

nod, his thoughts suddenly flashing back to Maeve's call from two days ago. He picked

The call connected

me

won't be coming home tonight, Byron said as he stepped out of the office. was about to hang up when a faint voice stopped him

the phone. "Where

parents. If you could just-Maeve's voice cut off abruptly as the phone beeped, signaling

Mon, Oct

Chapter 13

insisting you visit soon,"

phone for a moment before he

against the wound on his abdomen, his mind deep in thought. Take me to the Reese residence, he instructed. "Yes, sir."

later, they arrived at the Reese

an engagement that evening, and Valda was out

and nights of being locked up. Maeve was completely drained. She

Maeve awake was the loud crack of the door lock breaking and the blinding rush

she saw Byron's tall, commanding figure

hem of Byron's coat. Her voice was

down at her frail, trembling hands,

her head weakly, her

Byron muttered,