Chapter 473

Will held his forehead. "It's a leak in the house. It hasn't reached the point where it's flooded yet."

Maeve paused. "Fine," she thought, "it seems the entire apartment isn't spared. No wonder this place is called Retro Apartment. The old buildings left over from decades ago may have historical charm, but their safety is clearly questionable."

"It's good we discovered the problem in time," she mused, "lest I suddenly woke up one day and found myself in water. That would be terrible."

Staying in the apartment was impossible. It took Maeve over two hours to pack their luggage. The larger furniture could only be moved tomorrow. Smaller items were taken to Nightfall Manor by Byron's bodyguards.

The vegetables Maeve planted on the terrace were given priority in the garden. She squatted, digging at the soil with a small flower hoe. "Byron," she said, surprised, "the soil in your garden is so fertile! It's perfect for growing vegetables."

Byron, passing by with the luggage, stopped. "It's also your house," he corrected gently. "How many times do I have to repeat it?" He'd corrected her many times before, but she always ignored him.

Maeve raised the hoe. "Then can I use this place to grow vegetables? I still have many seeds," she asked, bright-eyed. Among them was the box Jaylen left behind.

"Whatever you like. Plant anything," Byron said.

He couldn't be bothered to correct her anymore. She'll realize she's the mistress of this place after she stays here a while, he thought. But Maeve's mind was clearly elsewhere. The more she looked at the soil, the more she liked it.

Such a large piece of land is naturally meant to be used to grow vegetables, she thought. I used to be troubled by the small balcony, which made it impossible to grow many vegetables. Now, I'm not worried. Other than the original plants, there are many empty spaces for me to plant things. I can also plant some fruit trees—much more practical than these ornamental trees!

In ten minutes, she'd planned the garden's use. Will and Theo had to rush her several times before she could enter the house.

Theo looked around the huge villa. "Mommy," he said in a childish voice, "does this mean we're going to live under someone else's roof?"

Byron knocked his head. "This is your house. What do you mean, 'someone else's roof'?"

Theo, the little brat, is indeed not close to me. He even says he is living under someone else's roof, Byron thought.

Theo covered his head and pursed his lips. "I'm just staying here with Mommy for a while. Byron, don't worry, I'll pay you rent."

"Two hundred thousand dollars a day. Cash or card?" Byron said.

Theo hid behind Maeve. "Mommy, let's go! I suspect he wants to harm us!"

Maeve held back laughter. "Theo, you're such a powerful kid. Are you still afraid of him?"

Theo puffed out his chest. "Of course not! I'm the bravest and most powerful child!"

"His place is so expensive," Maeve said. "Wouldn't it be letting him off easy if we don't stay here? Not only do we live here, but we also don't pay him rent. We want him to lose money!"

"Mommy, you're so smart! Why didn't I think of that?" Theo patted his hands.

A faint smile touched Byron's lips as he listened to their "planning." The previously lifeless house finally felt human.

Will poked his head from the staircase. "Theo, come quickly. Let's go to our room."

"Alright," Theo replied in a cute voice, running toward Will.

Byron watched him go. "I've prepared another room for him. Should I remind him?" he asked Maeve.

"They stay together every day. Separating them would likely make them unhappy." Maeve was happy to see her children get along.

Byron nodded. "His room is next to Will's. I'll get someone to connect the two rooms tomorrow. That way, they won't be separated, and it won't seem too crowded."

Maeve thought he'd gotten someone to tidy Theo's room at the last minute. But when she looked, she realized the room couldn't have been decorated to this extent in less than a month. One month...Byron didn't know Theo's background then, she thought.

Confused, she asked.

Byron said casually, "I didn't know he was my child then, but he's yours."

Maeve's eyes felt hot. He prepared a room like this for Theo when he mistook him for Jaylen's son. Of course, it wasn't because he was generous. It was because he conceded to me, and he could accept my son with another man because of me. I seem to have underestimated how much Byron cares about me. It turns out he can do this for me.

She turned and hugged his waist. To hide her emotions, she changed the topic. "What about my room? You've prepared it for me, haven't you?"

Byron sneered. "Why? Do you still want to sleep in separate rooms with me?"

Maeve blinked. "Weren't we like that before?"

Of course, it was before I left the country.

Byron pressed his tongue against his teeth. He bent, putting his hands under her armpits and knees, lifting her horizontally. "What are you doing?" Maeve asked, panicked, afraid Will and Theo would see.

Byron said calmly, "I'll bring you back to your room." Then he added, "It's our room."

Maeve's face blushed. She saw someone coming upstairs. She patted his arm, asking him to put her down, but he didn't move. He turned. "What's the matter?"

Damian said respectfully, "Mr. McDaniel, Mr. Jason McDaniel and Mrs. Ryan McDaniel are here. They're waiting in the living room."

"Okay. I got it."

"Yes."

Alexis and Jason came late. It wasn't because they missed Byron. They'd seen the Star of Children Talent Competition video online, initially thinking Theo was Will. They were dumbfounded to see Will and Theo receive awards simultaneously. When Ryan saw Byron and Maeve, she asked excitedly, "Byron, Maeve, does Will have an identical twin brother? How come you never told us?"

"Yes. His name is Theo. He's Will's younger twin brother," Byron said calmly.

"Why are you hiding something as important as having a child from us?" Jason looked unhappy. "Also, why haven't we seen this child before? Could it be someone deliberately doesn't want us to know?"

Maeve knew the "someone" was her.