Chapter 429

Maeve saw them scurrying, all worried. Hearing this, his expression changed. "Loren, what's going on?"

"Tom called a little while ago," Theo panted, his voice hoarse. "Loren was sent to the hospital because of poisoning! Tom asked us to come check on him immediately. The car he sent is on its way!" Poisoned?! Maeve recalled Loren mentioning things were tense within the royal family lately. The undercurrents were strong, and it was clearly not peaceful. His heart sank.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the Royal Hospital. This facility was exclusively for the royal family. Guards were everywhere, meticulously checking everyone entering and exiting. Outside Loren's ward stood palace guards in military uniforms, guns holstered at their hips. They stood rigidly, exuding an air of authority.

As soon as Maeve and the others arrived, Tom emerged to greet them. Seeing Byron with Maeve, a flicker of surprise crossed Tom's glass-gray eyes. He’d always assumed Maeve's boyfriend was a regular businessman. It wasn't until he returned to the country and began investigating the Xasia leak that he discovered a sealed document with the initial "S" in the royal family's top-secret archives. The photo revealed Byron's face.

Byron met Tom's scrutinizing gaze, his eyelids slightly raised, as if aware of the situation. Tom quickly averted his eyes and approached Maeve.

"Tom, Loren, how is he?" Maeve asked urgently. "Why was he poisoned?"

Theo tugged at Tom's clothes. "How's Loren?"

Tom nodded slightly. "Follow me."

In the ward, shortly after the doctor left, Loren sat propped against the headboard. He looked pale, twirling an energy bar in his mouth. Seeing Maeve and the children, he brightened. His usually droopy black curls perked up.

He patted the bed. "Come in!"

"Are you alright? I heard you were poisoned," Maeve said, sitting down. He reached out to touch Byron's forehead, but Byron stopped him. "Men and women should maintain distance," Byron stated calmly.

The corner of Loren's mouth twitched. "Who is he?"

Why shouldn't he touch his head?

Will said softly, "Loren, this is my and Theo's father."

Theo whispered, "I haven't acknowledged him yet."

Hearing this, Loren and Tom both looked at Byron critically, a hint of disdain in their expressions. However, they remained silent.

Maeve asked again, "How were you poisoned? Have you found out who did it?"

Loren scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry to worry you. The truth is, I poisoned myself."

"What?!"

"I discussed it with Theo beforehand. I was going to have him treat a relative. But Uncle and I suspected someone was watching us. We haven't identified them, or their motives. To be safe, I took a risk and got you all here."

Loren looked contrite. "I didn't mean to lie, but it was the safest option for now." His mother's condition couldn't be delayed. Besides, he was young and healthy; ingesting some poison was inconsequential. Apparently, many children in Setigal grew up with exposure to poison. Byron was impressed by the prince's ruthlessness.

It was clear the Erancia royal family wasn't just comprised of party animals.

Maeve ruffled Loren's curls. "You've been through a lot. But next time, talk to us before taking such risks. Don't gamble with your health."

Tom's belated lecture followed. "I told you I'd arrange it as soon as possible, but you wouldn't listen. If anything had happened to you, how would we feel?"

Loren chuckled. "I couldn't wait any longer."

After Theo checked his pulse, he wrote a detoxification prescription. He assured Loren he'd be fine, with no lasting effects. Tom then took him to a ward on the upper floor.

Maeve and the others remained in Loren's ward. Will was sleepy, but he forced himself to stay awake. Byron picked him up, letting him sit on his arm. "Go to sleep. Daddy will carry you."

"Thank you, Daddy," Will mumbled, falling asleep on his father's shoulder.

Seeing their natural affection, Loren's hostility towards Byron lessened. The man was quite handsome. Maeve tucked a blanket around Will, then asked curiously, "Loren, Tom, was it you who brought Theo to see your mother?" Loren nodded. "It's my mother, Princess Wren."

However, when he leaves Erancia, he will publicly announce he's the Queen's nephew to prevent inquiries into his identity. His true identity wasn't glorious.

"I don't often hear you mention her. What was she like?"

Loren's mouth twitched. "My mother... she's an enigma. Absolutely stunning. People called her the most talented and charming 'Empire Rose' back then." Unlike his sister, Princess Fiora, who called herself the "Rose of the Empire," Wren was the most beloved figure in Erancia. She was once the Queen's favorite and heir apparent. Yet… she fled with her lover. No one knew where they went.

Five years later, the Queen's people found Wren, who had just given birth to Loren, in a coastal city. She’d been in a car accident and was dying. After they saved her, she was paralyzed and unable to speak.

The Queen was likely disappointed in her daughter. Though cared for after returning, the Queen never acknowledged her again. She abandoned her mother and people for love; then, abandoned by her lover, she lost her mother and the people who adored her. Unlucky, perhaps, but not necessarily wrong. That was Maeve's immediate thought.