Chapter 402

As soon as Maeve finished speaking, the atmosphere in the ward visibly froze. Byron keenly noticed the abnormality in her emotions. His handsome face darkened, and his frown deepened. "It's my fault you feel this way, but I need to correct something. Even though we're divorced, I've always treated you as my wife. I wouldn't equate you with such an insulting term as 'bed partner.'"

Maeve's eyelashes trembled. She was almost convinced, but hardened her heart. "I don't think this is relevant. Perhaps you're just used to my presence, but that's not what I want."

"So, you plan to break up with me?" Byron's voice turned cold.

Maeve didn't answer, taking a half step back. "I need time to consider our relationship."

Suppressing her sorrow, she turned to leave. Byron followed her with his gaze. A gloom seemed to settle over him, darkening even the room's light. He knew what Maeve wanted, but couldn't give it to her now.

After leaving the hospital, Maeve was still chilled by the wind when she received a call from the McDaniel family. The servant said Gilbert had been asking about her, wanting to invite her for a meal but fearing he'd disrupt her work. He'd been in low spirits and eating little. Maeve felt guilty; she'd been too busy to visit Grandpa Gilbert lately.

She had planned to stay with Byron that night, but things had turned out differently. It hadn't been a quarrel, really. They'd both remained rational, even while arguing. However, the thought of Byron's honesty with Serena, an outsider, while refusing to confront their problems together, made her irrational. She'd almost blurted out "breakup."

Retracting her thoughts, Maeve asked if Gilbert was resting. If not, she would visit. Receiving a negative answer, she bought gifts and drove to the McDaniel family residence.

The car stopped halfway up the mountain. Maeve saw an obstruction ahead. She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out to investigate. A fallen tree blocked the road. It wasn't large, but too heavy for her to move alone.

She took out her phone to call the McDaniels when she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck. Before she could react, she collapsed, her phone falling to the ground.

After an unknown time, the salty smell of the sea and a cold wind pulled Maeve from darkness. She opened her eyes, her neck aching. She was swaying, feeling dizzy and disoriented. 'A roller coaster?' she thought, looking around.

She was at sea! What she'd mistaken for a roller coaster was a small, dilapidated boat, taking on water, making her legs clammy and cold. She feared it would sink.

Her gaze turned cold as she recalled the attack. 'Who wants to harm me? Henry?' He was the only person she could think of, but his goal was the jewelry; he likely wouldn't kill her before finding it. "Then who could it be?"

More water flooded the boat. Maeve tried to paddle, aiming to reach shore before sinking, but was surrounded by water, unable to see land. She touched her blue diamond bracelet; its size prevented an active distress signal. Only if Will noticed something amiss on his phone would an alarm be triggered, and even then, it would take at least an hour to find her.

Maeve, with water almost to her ankles, paddled harder. Just as she was exhausted, a moving black dot appeared. Her heart pounded. She used her last strength to approach it.

The black dot, a private yacht, was much faster and soon arrived. Her boat was about to sink, water at her waist. She raised her hands and screamed for help.

The yacht ignored her, showing no sign of stopping. Maeve couldn't swim; entering the water meant death. Even if she could, she couldn't catch the yacht. Despair consumed her as she shivered in the cold, watching the yacht sail away.

On the yacht, the butler guided Gale to the deck. "The night fishing equipment is ready, sir. Enjoy."

Gale nodded, his gaze sweeping the sea. His keen hearing caught a cry for help. He focused. "Is someone calling for help?"

"Please wait." The butler investigated and reported, surprised, "Sir, someone is calling for help!"

"Tell them to save him."

"Yes!"

Soon, Gale's security team brought a drenched, pale, trembling Maeve aboard. A flicker of surprise crossed Gale's eyes, but he didn't interrogate her immediately, instead instructing the butler to provide her with dry clothes. Too cold to thank him, Maeve followed.

Hot water and warmth revived her. She'd almost died from the cold. She patted her cheeks and called home. Learning Byron and the children were en route, she reassured them, saying she was safe. Before she could speak further, the butler knocked.

"Darling, wait for me at the shore. It won't take long. Don't worry, Mommy," she told them before hanging up.

The butler led her back to the deck. Gale, in a wheelchair, with fishing gear beside him, leisurely fished, the picture of a retired magnate.

"Mr. Soar, thank you for saving me," Maeve said, feeling slightly uncomfortable, remembering her earlier complaints about him.