Chapter 526

Byron turned and headed for the stairs, ignoring the two boys. Their chubby faces mirrored each other's confusion.

"I added herbs," Theo mumbled, scratching his head. "It shouldn't be bitter." Will nodded, equally puzzled. "Is any good medicine good to drink?"

Will had grown up on medicine; it was always awful. He remembered Byron's lectures: "A man overcomes hardship! Good medicine tastes bitter!" Each bitter dose, Byron claimed, built strength.

So it's all a lie, Will thought.

Theo's exploded hair seemed to mirror his frustration. "Give me time! I'll make better medicine!"

Will's eyes widened. "The medicine I take…"

Theo, mimicking Byron's serious tone, said, "Will, you're a boy. A little suffering won't kill you."

Will stared. He's never seen Byron like that. Is Theo really his son?

The next day, Maeve's fever broke. A lingering headache was her only complaint. Two days behind at the studio, she had to work.

Theo and Will spent the morning making her medicine into palatable pills. He only had time to say goodbye before school, leaving Maeve with the bottle, a warmth spreading through her numb heart.

Then she heard familiar footsteps. Her back stiffened. They passed her, heading for the entrance. The coldness radiating from Byron's tall back was palpable.

A bitter taste filled Maeve's mouth. Yesterday's events solidified her decision. He has someone else. This can't last. I need to end this.

Chapter 526 (Continued)

At the studio, Maeve was overwhelmed by two days' worth of work.

Meanwhile, Ray, released from the hospital after two months, headed to the McDaniel Group to see Byron. He was stopped at Byron's office.

Archer, shamefaced, explained, "Mr. George, Mr. McDaniel forbids your entry."

Ray was dumbfounded. "What about the dog?" he asked, referencing a well-known saying.

"Dogs are allowed," Archer replied.

Ray exploded. "I'm not a dog! Let me in!"

Archer sighed.

Ignoring the ban, Ray barged in, sprawling into a chair opposite Byron's desk. A cold glare straightened him instantly.

"Byron, have I offended you?" Ray asked, deflated. "You used to drink with me, talk about your marriage…"

"Maeve called off the engagement," Byron said, his voice glacial. "Explain."

Ray sat bolt upright. "She did? Impossible!"

Byron's gaze intensified.

Ray understood his ban. "Byron, you're almost there! Girls play hard to get. She wants you to prove your feelings. Wait, she'll regret this!"

Byron smirked. "The Christo Sea is blue. I want a different color. Your thoughts?"

Ray's blood ran cold. He wants to feed me to the sharks! "Bros are like hands, women are clothes! This is how you treat a friend?"

"Broken limbs are common. Nakedness, however, is not," Byron countered.

Ray fell silent.

Byron signed a document. "Haven't seen Jarrett lately. I have a surveillance report needing his expertise."

Ray snorted. "Love woes. He's on an island, soul-searching." His eyes gleamed. "Surveillance report? Let me see!"

Byron showed him. The strangeness of the situation, the missing hangover soup, pointed to something far more complex.

Ray's casual demeanor vanished. "You should have detained that woman, sent her to the hospital! What couldn't you find out?"

"It was sudden," Byron explained, "She ran. Her behavior… she seemed deliberately close to me."

Her advances, her claim of sleeping with him...something was wrong with the hangover soup. He wasn't easily intoxicated.

Ray stroked his chin. "The high school girl who chased you? Does she match the age? I can't recall her face. Do you?"

"Years ago," Byron murmured. The sketch in his mind faded, replaced by other memories. He hadn't thought of that time in a long while.

Ray teased, "You still go back to Kleymond yearly, wait for her at your meeting spot? Won't Maeve be jealous?"

Byron remained calm. "Why would she care?" Doesn't she have a childhood sweetheart?

Ray sensed their argument. He dropped the subject, glancing at the calendar. "The 22nd is in two days. Your meeting with that girl."