Maeve tried to keep a straight face. "I don't think I've agreed to be your girlfriend," she said, "yet you're taking advantage of me right off the bat. Where's your sense of chivalry?"

They were right in front of the studio, and Maeve was concerned that someone she knew might spot them.

Byron chuckled and pinched her delicate earlobe. "Compared to taking advantage of you," he teased, "chivalry is worthless to me."

Maeve's cheeks instantly puffed up. She was about to retort when she heard someone knocking on the car window. Turning around, she saw Tom's face wrapped in a scarf, and her heart almost stopped. Were they seen?

"Tom, can I help you?" Maeve asked guiltily, lowering the car window.

Tom handed her bag over. "You left this," he said.

Maeve scolded herself internally for being so careless. "I forgot," she said. "Thank you!"

Tom shook his head slightly. His gaze met Byron's in the driver's seat; a hint of scrutiny was evident. "Don't stay out too late. Take care of yourself," Tom reminded Maeve in a low voice before turning to leave.

For some reason, Maeve felt like she was being warned by her parents for getting too close with a boy.

"Is he the new bodyguard you mentioned?" Byron retracted his pensive gaze and frowned slightly. "The way he looked at me just now was very odd."

"How so?" Maeve asked.

"He looked at me as though I was the bad boy who wanted to elope with his precious daughter," Byron said.

Maeve was speechless. What kind of description was that?

Maeve chuckled. "How can Tom be my father at his age? At most, he'll be like an uncle," she asked.

Actually, Maeve also felt that sometimes Tom did look at her like a father. Usually, for trivial things like making coffee and picking up delivery packages, Tom would have done them before Maeve even had the chance. This bodyguard, she thought, was a real bargain.

Ring.

Her phone rang. Maeve took it out and glanced at it. Jaylen had sent a message: [I'll probably reach Kleymond at 10 am. tomorrow morning. Don't forget to pick me up.]

Seeing this message, the problem Maeve had been deliberately ignoring for the past two days surfaced again. Her mood instantly slumped. She had to repay Jaylen's kindness, but she didn't want to hurt Byron. There was no perfect solution.

"What's wrong?" Byron asked, sensing the shift in Maeve's mood.

Maeve smiled and shook her head. "It's nothing," she brushed it aside. "Let's go back quickly. Will and Leo are most likely hungry." Tomorrow can worry about itself, she thought. She was clearly running away from her problem, but that was all she could do.

At 9:30 the next morning, Maeve drove to the airport to pick up Jaylen. On her way, she received a call from Jaylen's assistant: Jaylen had fainted as soon as he got off the plane and was being sent to First Hospital by ambulance.

Maeve's heart sank. She turned around and drove to the hospital. When she arrived, the treatment had ended. Jaylen had been sent to the ward and was still unconscious.

In his deep sleep, Jaylen appeared less lonely and cold than usual. He looked no different from before; however, Maeve noticed he had slimmed down so much that his clothes looked gigantic on him. She could vaguely see his protruding ribs. Maeve covered her mouth as her eyes began to tear up. No wonder he kept himself busy outside. With his current appearance, Rudolf would have immediately noticed something was wrong if they met. If Rudolf hadn't discovered Jaylen's abnormality, Jaylen might have died alone overseas. Maeve realized that perhaps, from the beginning, Jaylen had never intended for her to fulfill his wish. He needed a reason to persevere. She was that reason.

Maeve felt burdened and conflicted.

"Why are you crying?" Jaylen's weak voice sounded. "I'm not dead yet."

Maeve raised her head in surprise. Jaylen had opened his eyes, filled with a world-weariness she recognized; as if he would fearlessly give up on living the next second. "How are you feeling?" Maeve saw that he was breathing slowly and laboriously. A lump formed in her throat. "If I had known that your condition was so bad," she said, "I wouldn't have persuaded you to return to the country." Jaylen had fallen unconscious as soon as he got off the plane; Maeve figured he might have been holding on while on the plane.

Jaylen smiled faintly. "There's no difference where I die," he said. "The hospital can't cure me. I want to go back to my residence."

Maeve wanted to persuade him to stay, but when she heard him say the hospital couldn't cure him, the words got stuck in her throat.

A miracle doctor, who could save dying patients, couldn't save himself. How ironic, Maeve thought.

Jaylen didn't return to the Chatterly family residence. His family didn't even know he had returned to the country, nor did he want anyone else to know. He couldn't be bothered with sympathetic greetings. He didn't say it out loud, but Maeve could tell he no longer had the desire to live. He was clearly very worn out after fighting the same illness that had been torturing him since birth for so long.

Maeve was extremely anxious, but she didn't dare show it for fear of burdening him. She stayed at Jaylen's residence until sunset before preparing to leave.

With a serious face, she reminded Jaylen, "You have to take your medicine on time and recuperate well. Don't overthink things. Rudolf and Theo are both figuring out a way to cure you. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I'll come and see you tomorrow."

Jaylen leaned against the chaise lounge, covered with a snow-white cashmere blanket. He nodded lazily. "Come on," he said. "Why are you as long-winded as Daryl? I'm an adult. I can take care of myself. Daryl, send her home." Daryl was Jaylen's assistant.

"Yes, Mr. Chatterly," Daryl responded and saw Maeve out of the residence.

At the door, Maeve, worried about Jaylen's condition, told Daryl to go back to tend to Jaylen; she could drive herself home. Before leaving, she reminded Daryl, "You must keep an eye on Jaylen and make sure he takes the medicine on time. Rudolf said that those medicines are what's keeping him alive. Don't miss a dose."

Daryl revealed a bitter look. "Ms. Reese," he reported, "Mr. Chatterly might promise you that he will take care of himself, but he doesn't take his medicine at all. He just throws it out."

Maeve's heart tightened. "Is he deliberately asking for death?" she asked.

"If Mr. Chatterly wanted to live, he wouldn't have gone abroad when his lifespan was almost up," Daryl said sadly. "He wanted to avoid being discovered by Rudolf who would help him extend his life. Mr. Chatterly said that he has been struggling with this dying body for a long time. Instead of living in such a sorry state, he might as well die."

Maeve had a lump in her throat. She was at a loss for words. Jaylen had always been an oddball. Even his view of life and death was unconventional. However, Maeve wanted him to live. Rudolf, Theo, and all his friends would do their best to let him live.

Maeve clenched her fists tightly and made a sudden decision. She turned and marched back into the house.