Will, would you be the ring bearer at your mommy and daddy's wedding?" Alexis gently encouraged him. "You look so handsome and would make a wonderful ring bearer."
Hearing this, Maeve jolted awake, realizing the boy was Byron and Lynn's child. A pang of bitterness welled up inside her. He looked about Theo's age, meaning Lynn had become pregnant soon after her divorce from Byron. She thought, "Wow, that's a seamless transition!" Maeve quietly stepped back, suppressing her emotions, and continued searching the other rooms.
As she walked away, Will's serious voice came from the sofa. "I have my mommy. I don't need anyone else to be my mom."
Alexis chuckled. "You're still young and don't understand adult struggles. Having Miss Anderson as your mother is for your own good."
"Isn't doing something 'good' for me supposed to start with asking what I want?" Will was confused. "Otherwise, it seems like you're satisfying your desires." Alexis was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond. She suddenly felt that such a clever child might not be entirely a good thing; he was difficult to persuade.
Meanwhile, Will emerged victorious from his search. Maeve exited the last bedroom on the third floor and unexpectedly bumped into Byron, nearly giving her a fright. Fortunately, she remembered her altered appearance, quickly composed herself, bowed her head, and calmly explained she was there to clean.
Seeing Byron didn't respond and seemed not to recognize her, she breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to leave, he said, "Clean my room."
Maeve was relieved she'd brought cleaning supplies; otherwise, she would have been exposed. Taking a deep breath, she respectfully replied, "Alright."
Byron nodded and walked toward his room. Maeve followed. As soon as she stepped inside, she noticed the decor was unchanged from four years ago, stirring a wave of nostalgia. She vividly recalled the celebrations held there. However, New Year's Eve wasn't over, and everything felt dreamlike, fragile, and utterly shattered. Returning here, she knew claiming her heart remained unaffected would be a lie.
"What are you standing there for?" Byron casually shrugged off his suit jacket and sat on the sofa, elegantly crossing his long legs. "Get started."
"Alright," Maeve resignedly began cleaning.
The room was large, making the cleaning labor-intensive. But Maeve had no choice but to endure it. She was already on the third floor, with the fourth and fifth still to check; she couldn't afford to give up.
As Maeve cleaned with her back to the sofa, she didn't notice Byron's gaze fixed on her, carrying a hint of curiosity.
"Could you please lift your feet?" Maeve quietly asked Byron as she brought the vacuum cleaner to the sofa.
Byron remained still. Maeve frowned and looked up, unexpectedly meeting his dark, piercing gaze.
She tightened her grip on the vacuum cleaner, and her unease prompted her to remind him again. "Please—" Before she could finish, her wrist was caught, and she fell into a warm embrace. [The following section contains explicit content and should be removed or significantly altered before further editing.]
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Maeve's face turned crimson. "You bastard!"
"I'm the bastard," Byron said, his expression unchanged. "There are worse bastards out there, just bear with it." As he finished speaking, Maeve's skirt was lifted.
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"Disguising yourself as a maid to sneak into my home—what do you want?" Byron asked.
"I—" Maeve stammered, struggling to come up with a reason.
She'd discovered that Byron rarely returned to the McDaniel family home, perhaps only twice a month, so she never considered the possibility of encountering him. Little did she know she would face this improbable event.