Chapter 32
Maeve fought to keep her emotions in check as she held up her phone. “It’s deleted. I only took one photo while you were asleep. I didn’t mean any harm. If it caused trouble, I’m really sorry”
If Byron had been in a calmer state, he might have noticed the tremor in her voice. But his anger clouded his judgment, and all he felt was rage.
Byron had always suspected that Maeve had hidden motives for getting close to him. He had watched her with the patience of a cat stalking its prey, intrigued by her every move.
But he hadn’t expected her to reveal her hand so soon. Her actions had nearly derailed his meticulously crafted plans. Byron shot Maeve a look of sheer disdain before turning on his Heel and walking out, leaving without another word. Maeve’s legs buckled, and she sank to the floor, staring at the ground as tears welled in her eyes.
She wondered, “Had I really overstepped? Is everything I’ve done wrong? I wasn’t trying to be intrusive–I just wanted his wound to heal faster. Why is he treating me like this?”
A wave of confusion and despair washed over her, leaving her feeling more lost than ever.
Byron didn’t come back after he left. Maeve sat alone at the table, staring at the soup she’d spent all afternoon making, now barely touched except by her own spoon.
She couldn’t taste a thing. Her mind was blank, swallowed up by the emptiness around her.
She didn’t sleep much that night. When she dragged herself out of bed the next morning, her head was pounding, but she forced herself up to make breakfast,
After she ate, she grabbed her sketchbook and flopped onto the small couch on the balcony, trying to focus on her latest webcomic.
But she kept getting distracted. Her mind kept drifting, and then it hit her for the hundredth time: her marriage to Byron was never about love.
It was just a way to avoid marrying Jeff. Now that she had what she wanted–the marriage license–she didn’t need anything
else.
‘If Byron wants a divorce, fine. I will move on. There are plenty of other options out there, she thought.
Lately, things between them had made her think that maybe–just maybe they could make it work in the long run. But Byron’s words from yesterday snapped her back to reality. She wasn’t built to catch feelings for anyone.
Maeve exhaled softly. With this realization, a weight lifted from her shoulders.
Three days went by without Byron showing up at the apartment Maeve settled back into her solitary routine, going about her days as if nothing had changed.
During the day, Maeve scoured online job listings for design positions. In the evenings, she headed to Starlight Pub.
Starlight Pub only opened in the evenings and had a strict dress code. Maeve rarely wore off–shoulder dresses, but she made an exception that night, stepping out of her comfort zone.
Maeve settled onto a barstool and struck up a conversation with the bartender, inquiring about job openings. Even a trainee position would work for her.
The drinks at Starlight Pub were too pricey for her to afford regularly, but working there would make it easier to gather
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Chapter 32
material for her comic-
Interested in learning to mix drinks?” the bartender asked, sliding a cocktail her way with a charming smile. “Next time I see the boss, I can put in a good word for you. But with a pretty face like yours, I’d be happy to mix drinks for you forever.”
Maeve hadn’t expected such a corny line. She let out an awkward laugh, taking a sip of her drink to cover up her discomfort. She wasn’t much of a drinker, so she made sure to pace herself.
Downstairs, the bar was alive with warmth and cheerful conversation, but up in the VIP section on the second floor, it felt cold, like the heating had decided to give up.
Ray leaned against the railing, his eyes locked on Maeve down below. “Isn’t that Byron’s girl?” he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Looks like she’s having a hell of a time with the bartender. What do you make of that, Byron?”
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