Chapter 404

Gale remained expressionless. He glanced at the petite shadow lying on the table, and his heart softened inexplicably. He rubbed the armrest of his seat and casually instructed the butler, "Get her a blanket. Don't let her illness worsen. It'll be a waste of my medicine." The butler's smile widened. "Yes."

The butler covered the sleeping Maeve with a blanket. He accidentally noticed a small crescent birthmark on the exposed half of her neck. It was very faint, looking like a mark accidentally pressed out; it was not easily visible at a glance.

He was stunned. He remembered Gale seemed to have a similar birthmark on the back of his neck, though darker. It was probably a coincidence.

When the yacht docked, Maeve was still unconscious. For some reason, Gale didn't ask anyone to wake her. It was as if he wanted to see how long she could sleep. Of course, he couldn't actually see.

Byron arrived with his men. His slender legs moved swiftly and purposefully; the sea breeze lifted the corner of his shirt. He looked as imposing as an emperor on tour. His sunglasses concealed his eyes, yet made his cold face even more unreadable.

Gale, having held a high position for a long time, was accustomed to observing people. His eyesight was sharp. Yet, this was the first time he felt unable to fully comprehend the young man before him. He was like the sea under a night sky—calm on the surface, but concealing unknown turbulent currents beneath.

"Thank you, Mr. Soar, for saving my girlfriend. I'll definitely thank you properly another day," Byron said calmly. "I'll bring Maeve back."

Gale nodded. "There's no need to thank me. Hurry and take her away."

Byron nodded slightly and walked to Maeve, who was still sleeping soundly. He wrapped her in his windbreaker, lifted her, and strode out.

Gale noted his unnatural movements and couldn't help but look into his eyes. His own eyesight wasn't perfect, making him more perceptive in this regard. He immediately saw something was wrong with Byron's eyes, though he showed no outward reaction. However, he thought that if Maeve were his daughter, he would never allow her to be with a young man with such poor eyesight.

After they left, the butler sensed Gale's mood had returned to normal. He asked, "Mr. Soar, are we going back?" Gale rubbed his eyes, looking disinterested. "Let's go back."

"Yes," the butler looked at the spot where Maeve had been sitting and cautiously suggested, "Mr. Soar, Ms. Reese has half a plate of fish left in the kitchen. Should we send it back to her?"

"She barely touched the sashimi. Isn't it wasteful to send it back?" Gale said reluctantly. "Change it to crabs or lobsters; send her a box."

The butler, hearing it was seafood Maeve favored, immediately smiled. "Yes."

A few seconds later, Gale frowned and changed his mind. "Forget it. Why would a girl eat so much cold food? What about a gift instead?"

"As you see fit."

At First Hospital, Maeve slept so soundly she didn't wake for her physical examination. The doctor confirmed there was nothing wrong with her; no knockout drugs were detected. Her unconsciousness was attributed to weakness from her menstrual period and a cold.

The two children were exhausted but also frightened by the day's events. They clung to Maeve, refusing to leave even in their sleep.

Byron picked up Maeve, placing a pillow between the two children before settling her on his bed. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, her cheeks cold.

Byron lay down, pulling her into his arms. He used his body heat to warm her, placing a warm hand on her abdomen. Soaking in water during her period had been unpleasant, and she hadn't expected to have the energy to fish after being rescued. That's why she'd eaten the seafood without hesitation. The result? Retribution had followed swiftly.

After taking the prescribed medicine, she still felt cold all over. Only when she felt warmth approaching did her hands, feet, and stomach begin to warm. The pervasive chill slowly receded.

While Maeve was unconscious, Theo finally extracted the essence of the medicine. He planned to treat Byron's eyes over the weekend.

When Maeve awoke, she heard the two children bargaining with Byron.

"I usually don't charge for treatment. It's based on what the patient feels it's worth," little Theo said, stroking his chin in an old-fashioned manner. "I'll accept something, regardless. We're not related; our relationship isn't close enough for free work, right?" He almost added a fake beard and declared himself an old doctor.

Will helped him. "Dad, Theo went through all the medical books to treat your eyes. He worked very hard. It was tough." The implication was clear: the work wasn't easy; pay up!

Byron wanted to laugh. One little one was blatantly asking for money, while the other was helping him extort his biological father. Could he bully children? He took out his checkbook, wrote a sum, and pushed it across the table. "Is this enough?"

Theo's eyes widened at the amount. He feigned reserve. "That's fine. When Mommy wakes up, I'll treat you…"

"Mommy's awake!" Will exclaimed, noticing Maeve stirring.

Theo scrambled off the sofa and handed the check to Maeve. "Mommy, look! Baby has so much money! Baby will take care of you in the future!"

Maeve was overjoyed. "You earned this? You'll give it all to Mommy?"

"Yes! Buy Mommy beautiful dresses! Dress up beautifully and find me a gentle daddy!" Theo emphasized 'gentle,' stuffing the check into her hand. "Enough for Mommy to find ten!"

Byron's voice cut through the air. "Ten stepfathers? I wonder if your little butt can handle them. Tsk."

Theo felt a chill and quietly retreated. Maeve smirked.

Theo, when it came to his profession, remained reliable. He and Will went home to fetch their belongings, leaving Maeve and Byron alone in the ward. The lingering tension from their previous conversation made the atmosphere strained. Maeve looked down at the white blanket, unsure what to say. Byron remained silent, leaning against the sofa, seemingly resting.