The Heir's Secret Bride

Chapter 376

The two little ones sat on the bed, staring at the bathroom door, then exchanged glances.

“Why did Dad pull Mommy in there? Is he planning to bully her?” Theo frowned, sounding annoyed.

Will sighed, feeling the fever patch on his forehead realizing their dad already fell from Theo’s regard. “Maybe he has something private to say to her.

“But Mommy’s been ignoring him all week,” Theo pouted. “Do you think they’ll fight?”

“Let’s wait and see. If they start arguing, we’ll knock on the door and interrupt them,” Will answered.

“Alright.”

They sighed, feeling the weight of adult troubles, even as kids.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, things weren’t quite as the boys expected.

When Maeve was pulled inside, her shoulder brushed the wall switch, and the room plunged into darkness. She leaned back against the wall, barely able to make out Byron’s outline as he stood close, head slightly bowed. His expression was unreadable.

Maeve tried to slip past him, but Byron’s hand darted out, sensing her movement in the dark. He caught her around the waist, pinning her gently against the wall.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Byron’s deep voice was like a soft, steady drumbeat close to her ear, making her shiver.

Maeve tensed, wanting to push him away, but instead, she folded her arms and gave him a frosty look, remaining silent.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Byron prompted.

ignored him, refusing

aren’t you saying

treating him like thin air. She wanted him to know what it felt like to

lips curved faintly. He let his fingers brush through her hair, and as

against her lips, his voice softened. Are

to me.”

a pang in her

as he leaned down, pressing

her eye.

resisting the urge to open her eyes, staying perfectly

cheek, his fingers brushing her lips and laying a kiss there. “If you don’t say anything, I’ll assume you want me to keep

with her eyes closed, she could feel his closeness, his breath cool and minty against her skin. In the darkness, every sensation seemed amplified, even

Chapter 376

she remained silent, determined not to give

and

couldn’t believe he

to push him away but resisted, knowing he’d see it as a reaction to get what he wanted. She

wondered if her easygoing nature in the past had given him the impression that she was overly casual. As this thought crossed her mind, the flutter in her

kiss, Mr. McDaniel, who had always meticulously weighed the pros and cons of maintaining control, felt for the first time that things were slipping beyond his grasp. It felt like racing downhill without the reins, and

reins.

released her, his fingers loosening from her wrist. He drew

words. ‘Is he trying to explain why he

reaching for the doorknob and stepping out of the

mid–knock when she emerged, and they quickly scrambled back into bed, pretending they hadn’t been eavesdropping. But their parents‘ expression, and the way they came out of the bathroom, didn’t go unnoticed, making them wonder if those two

gesturing him to think of