Byron's phone vibrated in his pocket. He lowered his gaze, checked the caller ID, and nodded coldly at Alexis. "Will needs a physical examination. I'll take him now." He vanished from the staircase immediately.

Alexis burst into tears. No matter how much she regretted it, the rift with her son wouldn't be easily mended. It was all her fault.

At Retro Apartment, Maeve prepared a delicious meal for Will, including a six-inch strawberry mousse cake, to calm him down. Will disliked sweets and didn't understand Theo's daily lollipop habit. He couldn't stop eating the cake—he finally understood why. It was hard to resist when with his mother.

"Mommy, let's eat," Will said, offering Maeve the first slice. His eyes sparkled. Maeve bit into the strawberry. "Oh, it's so sweet! Try it quickly." Will took a bite. His eyes curved into crescents. "Delicious."

His table manners were a stark contrast to Theo's wildness. His movements were refined and delicate; he chewed slowly, clearly taught proper etiquette from a young age. Maeve's heart ached. How had he survived his childhood?

It wasn't easy being the heir to a wealthy family. Byron's life had been a struggle to reach his position within the McDaniel family. Will was his son; it couldn't have been easy for him either.

"You must have suffered," Maeve said softly, caressing Will's head.

Will shook his head. "I didn't suffer at all. Theo and you had the hard lives." He'd heard from Theo about their mother's struggles raising him overseas. His heart ached.

Maeve didn't believe him. "How could it not be tough? The McDaniel family's rules are so strict. You must be tired." Will paused, then put down his cake. "Mom, I'm a little tired, but my life wasn't tough. When we gain something, we lose something in return. That's fair, right?" He had a comfortable life, but sacrificed his freedom. He was lucky compared to other children and had little to complain about.

Unable to comfort him, Maeve hugged him tightly. "I'll make up for anything you've missed."

Will, shy and close to his mother, blushed. "Okay."

Maeve stroked his hair. "The mastermind who kidnapped you has been arrested. I'm relieved." Neville was overseas, making the arrest more complicated, but he would be caught eventually. Maeve doubted Byron would let him off easily.

Will hesitated. "Mom, the real mastermind is someone else."

"What? Who?"

Will revealed everything he knew, including Neville being Mr. McDaniel's illegitimate son. Maeve was shocked, her fist clenched so tightly it left deep nail marks on her palm. She couldn't understand why Jason would discard his biological son and grandson for an illegitimate child. She couldn't believe her son's past dangers stemmed from his grandfather's selfishness. What right did he have to harm her son?

Maeve's chest heaved with anger. She remembered Byron's words from earlier: "Some parents believe overly comfortable environments don't nurture a child's character or ability. It might even make them spoiled." He'd mentioned relocating a child and using outsiders as replacements.

Maeve's eyes welled. She'd dismissed his words as a joke. She hadn't expected the truth: Byron had long known about Jason's selfishness and held no expectations. No wonder he'd said blood relations were sometimes more fragile than glass.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Will asked worriedly.

Maeve forced a smile. "I'm fine. Theo's still at the McDaniel residence. I should call your father." Will nodded as she left.

Maeve knew Theo had gone to the McDaniel residence; she'd even seen on a live broadcast that Byron had confiscated his lollipops. No wonder he'd called, saying he didn't need picking up.

Maeve called Byron. He answered immediately.

"Maeve?"

Maeve frowned. "Is Will okay? Is anything wrong?"

"He's fine. We just finished his physical."

"How was it?"

Byron glanced at Theo. "Everything's normal, except he has cavities. The doctor said he needs to cut down on sweets." Theo's face fell.

Byron was complaining to his mother! What a bad guy!

"Cavities?" Maeve was surprised. "I saw him brush his teeth after candy."

Byron sneered. "Ask him how many lollipops he ate today."

"Just one!" Theo protested.

Byron's expression darkened. "Tell the truth."

"Three..."

Maeve was speechless. Theo had probably eaten candy from his kindergarten classmates again. The candy at home was safely stored.

"Are you coming home?" Maeve asked.

"We just arrived. Open the door."

The doorbell rang. Maeve hung up, telling Will to go to his room. His dad was here.

Maeve opened the door to find father and son standing close, seemingly arguing. She found the scene amusing. "Have you eaten dinner?"

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