Chapter 447

Maeve slept, but the nightmare of a chainsaw striking her jolted her awake twice. Each time, she awoke drenched in cold sweat, her heart pounding so violently she felt it might burst. She remained silent, not wanting to alert Byron. Lying on the bed, she took a deep breath to steady herself.

Maeve had improved slightly. Nightmares were less frequent. Perhaps, as the emotional impact faded, the nightmares would cease. She comforted herself with this thought. Lying on her side, phone in hand, she looked at a lengthy call on the screen, a secret smile curving her lips.

The next morning, Maeve left home after repeated instructions from her two little ones. At headquarters, she attended class, drew, and visited the internal studio with colleagues, noticing nothing suspicious. The morning passed quickly. Finding a seat, she ate her meal slowly, bite by bite.

"This is for you. I'm truly sorry for what happened last time," Sandy said, approaching and offering Maeve a drink.

Maeve looked at it, confused. "Our relationship isn't that good, is it? You still bring me drinks every day?"

Sandy blushed slightly. "I hated you at first, but you didn't put in a good word for me with the general manager? You're a good person. I was wrong."

Being expelled from Trazir was everyone's worst fear, even more so than a broken hand from Maeve. Trazir's status in the fashion world was extraordinary; the company had royal backing. Working there was a meteoric rise. No one wanted to leave. Maeve finally understood Sandy's daily offerings—she'd overheard Maeve's conversation with Arthur.

This was the second drink Sandy had offered. Maeve's eyes flickered as she glanced at the bottle.

"I'm serious. I want to make peace. Nothing else," Sandy insisted, sensing Maeve's disbelief. "There's no competition between us. Targeting you benefits me nothing."

"Alright," Maeve said, taking the drink and opening it. Pausing, she asked, "Do you want a sip first?"

Sandy, thinking it was customary in her country, refused. "I have another one."

Maeve nodded, took two sips, and smiled her thanks. "It's quite delicious—"

Before she finished, the blood drained from Maeve's face. Her lips paled; blood seeped from her mouth. She collapsed onto the dining table.

"Oh my god!"

"Hurry and call an ambulance! Maeve fainted!"

"Food poisoning? Something wrong with the food?"

An ambulance and police car arrived quickly. The restaurant's kitchen was sealed; the food Maeve had touched was seized as evidence. Maeve was hospitalized; tests revealed neurotoxins, thankfully in a small amount. Induced vomiting was prescribed.

After vomiting, Maeve awoke to see worried friends and Arthur.

"Maeve, you're awake! Are you alright? You scared us!"

"I'll get the doctor!"

"How are you feeling?"

Maeve shook her head, feigning ignorance. "What's wrong with me?"

Arthur looked unhappy. "You were poisoned. Sandy, who held a grudge, added neurotoxin to your drink. Fortunately, you didn't drink much."

"Sandy? How could she?" Maeve asked.

"Probably still angry about last time. Plus, you were at the bottom of yesterday's auction. Your gown sold for a high price; hers was last, and her review points were deducted. She may have been angry and acted rashly," Arthur surmised.

Maeve kept her eyes down. Assuming she felt unwell, the others left quietly.

Once alone, Maeve examined her bracelet, now a black-blue diamond. A faint cold light shone in her honey-brown eyes. Theo had treated the bracelet with a potion overnight; it changed color near poison. When Maeve opened Sandy's drink, the bracelet turned black.

Maeve had played Sandy at her own game, cleverly feigning illness. She'd taken the bait; now it was Will and Theo's turn.

At the police station, Sandy remained silent despite the lawyer's persuasion, occasionally confessing. Her cooperation seemed unusual.

"Sandy, consider hiding this for someone else. You deliberately poisoned Mr. McDaniel's fiancée. Do you think a confession will resolve this?"

"Of course. Miss Sandy is willing to sacrifice herself for others. It's rare. But what will happen to Miss Sandy's family, friends, and even fiancé is not something a lawyer like me can guarantee."

The lawyer stood, buttoning his jacket, smiling over his glasses. "I'll be going now."

As his hand neared the doorknob, Sandy's resolve crumbled. "Wait, I'll talk! Guarantee my safety and my family's!"

Forty minutes later, the lawyer reported to the children in the backseat.

"Fiora's still punished in the palace, isn't she? How did she contact this person?" Will frowned, sensing something more complex.

Theo removed his lollipop. "Someone who kidnaps Mommy and threatens her without a word could make such a meticulous plan? That's strange."

A small amount of poison wouldn't take immediate effect; it would accumulate until the body collapsed, obscuring the time of poisoning. That didn't seem like something the reckless princess would devise.

Will wiped lollipop residue from Theo's mouth with a handkerchief. "I suspect someone else is behind her. The other party hid it too well." The lawyer was amazed by their intelligence, curious about Mr. McDaniel's parenting.

Bonnie, a sweet and harmless child, spoke with unexpected maturity. "Could this be the power of upbringing?"