The Heir's Secret Bride

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"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you overthinking," Byron said smoothly, but his tone carried a sharper edge. "He died suddenly during the transfer. They found traces of a delayed-action poison. It activated seven days after exposure and killed him." Maeve frowned, her lips pressing together tightly. "Pretty convenient timing, don't you think?"

Byron didn't argue. "It was. His death cut off several

Critical leads. This investigation just got a lot harder."

Maeve stayed quiet, her mind racing. First Fiora, now Henry. Whoever was behind this wasn't just ruthless, they were downright terrifying.

Still, she wasn't alone anymore. That thought steadied her, but it also reminded her of the stakes.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the warmth of Byron's hand resting lightly on her head. He tilted her face toward his, his palm brushing her cheek in a calming gesture.

"What are you so worried about?" His voice was calm, confident. "You've got me."

Maeve let out a small sigh. "But you won't always be around." She hesitated before adding, "Maybe I should learn more self-defense... just in case."

The judo she knew wasn't nearly enough anymore.

Byron gave her a once-over, his gaze thoughtful. "You've missed the best age to start martial arts, but you're flexib quick. You could pick up some basic moves."

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "I'll teach you when we're back."

Maeve narrowed her eyes, sensing the faintest hint of teasing in his tone. It kind of felt like it.

d

When they got back to the villa, Maeve didn't even make it to the living room before she was stopped-by two towering figures.

She froze for half a second, then blinked. Standing in front of her were two massive robots, each at least 6.5 feet tall, decked out in a sleek cyberpunk style.

One robot dropped to one knee, holding out a rose with fresh dew on the petals. Its voice, mechanical yet weirdly charming, filled the air. "Lovely lady, please give me the honor of taking you for a walk. I'll easily carry you for miles."

The other robot flexed its gleaming arms dramatically. "Or perhaps you'd prefer some outdoor exercise with me? I promise the evening breeze of love will be unforgettable."

They were actually good at flirting. Maeve couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

Byron, however, looked like he was ready to shove both robots into the nearest scrap pile. His expression darkened, his jaw tightening.

She tilted her head, feigning indecision. "Hmm, but there are two of you. How will I ever choose?"

The two robots stood up straight, their blue laser eyes locking on each other. In a split second, the glow turned red.

"Guess we have no choice," said the one on the left.

"For the pretty lady, I'll fight you to the end," declared the one on the right. "Let's go."

Maeve couldn't help laughing. But when it became clear they were about to throw down, she quickly stepped in, shaking

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their metal arms. "Will, Theq! Get out here! Your robots are about to wreck the house."

Two small heads peeked out from the living room doorway. Will and Theo stacked up like a human totem pole, their matching faces extra adorable. "Mom, don't worry," Will said quietly, tugging on his shirt nervously. "They can't actually fight. We didn't install the force programs yet."

Theo nodded like a bobblehead. "Mommy, which one do you think is cooler? Is it my Baymax?"

Maeve pointed at the more animated one on the right. "Is that Baymax?"

"No, no," Theo corrected quickly, shaking his head. "Baymax is the calm one! The show-off on the right is Tucker-Will's troublemaker robot."

Maeve laughed even harder. "How come your robots are the total opposite of your personalities?"

Will sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "I accidentally programmed Tucker wrong. Now he's... like that."

Theo was the first to finish his robot, and its personality turned out pretty normal.

In fact, it was like a mini version of Theo-practically his robotic kid. Exactly a perfect reflection of all the hard work he put into programming it. The thing was as flirty as Theo himself and somehow even knew how to scam batteries Maeve leaned against Byron, laughing so hard she had to catch her breath. "Honestly, I love it. They balance each other out, just like you two."

Will groaned. "It's not funny, Mom. Dealing with Theo is bad enough, and now I've got Tucker too?"

Byron smirked and nudged Maeve toward the stairs. "Let them figure it out," he said.

As the adults left, Will and Theo crouched by their robots, whispering like they were planning a heist. "Do you think Dad gave us these robots just to distract us so he could have more time with Mom?" Theo muttered suspiciously. Will considered it, then nodded. "That sounds exactly like something he'd do."

Theo touched his chin. "Hey, Will, do you think we can upgrade them? Like, add medical functions, a danger alarm, maybe even a bodyguard mode? That way, Mommy will be super safe when she's out."

"I've never done this before, but we can'try it out together."

""Great! Let's do it!"

The fifth floor of the villa was like Byron's personal playground; part gym, part Taekwondo studio, part shooting range.

He wasn't expecting Maeve to nail it all in one go. That would be like trying to rush a baby to run overnight. But, she was definitely going to feel it.

However, Maeve had a knack for pushing through pain.

After two hours of training, every time Byron thought she'd call it quits, she'd grit her teeth and keep going. Somewhere along the way, she even started to enjoy it, relishing the sweat pouring down her face. Her determination made her glow-sweaty and radiant.

Byron couldn't look away. When she finally stopped, he leaned in and kissed her, unable to resist.

Maeve blinked, caught off guard. "What... What was that? Why are you kissing me again?"

Byron straightened up, trying to act casual. "You did well today. Consider it your reward."

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Maeve rolled her eyes. "I want a drink instead." She licked her lips. "I burned a ton of calories, and now I need something

sweet."

Byron shut that down instantly. "No junk drinks. Or have you forgotten what happened the last time? You drank too much and ended up in the hospital with stomach pain."

Maeve furrowed her brow, trying to remember, but came up blank. But of course, he would remember something like that.

"Whatever. I still want a drink," she insisted.

Sighing, Byron rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen. "Fine. Wait here." He rummaged through the ingredients, deciding to make her something himself. With a small milk pot on the stove, he started mixing. He told Maeve to stay out of the kitchen. Didn't want her sharp-object phobia acting up again.

In less than half an hour, Maeve finally got the drink she'd been craving. She took the glass and held it up to Byron's mouth, asking, "I'll let you have the first sip. Am I being sweet enough?"

Byron gave a quiet laugh. "You really know how to work that charm of yours."

He took a sip but didn't comment on whether it was good or not. His face had a puzzled look, like he was trying to figure out why she liked something so sweet.

Just then, the phone on the table rang. Maeve motioned for Byron to take the call while she enjoyed her c

It was nothing like the sugary stuff she usually had; this one had a completely different fragrance, something unique.

But as she sipped, she noticed Byron's expression shift. He hung up and looked at her, his face serious.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Grandpa fell down the stairs," Byron replied. "They're rushing him to the hospital."

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