Chapter 29
After a satisfying meal, Maeve waited for Byron to finish his shower and change his bandages before heading to bed.
She’d braced herself for Jeil’s retaliation, but two days went by whout any sign of trouble.
Maeve stayed home for two days, skipping work, and on Monday, she went straight to the company to handle her resignation.
As she left the office, a few colleagues stopped her and handed her a handbag. “Marve, you left this at the club the other night. Since you haven’t been in the office for the past couple of days, we kept it for you.”
“We’re really sorry about that day,” one of them said. “We believed Mr. Graves when he said he wanted to make up, and we never thought things would go that far.”
Another chimed in. “We were just as shocked as you were which is why we didn’t step in sooner. Maybe we could hang out sometime?”
Maeve kept her expression cool, despite their eager smiles. “Thanks for returning my bag,” she said flatly. “But we were never that close, and I don’t see any reason for us to hang out in the future.”
As she stepped out of the company building, the warm autumn sun felt like a breath of fresh air on her skin. No more pretending to enjoy a job she hated–what a relief.
Instead of heading straight back to her apartment, Maeve decided to swing by First Hospital for a check–up. Thankfully, the doctor, Ray George, gave her the all–clear–nothing serious to worry about. He advised her to stick to a light diet, get some regular exercise, and take care of her stomach
As for her hand injury, he told her to keep it dry and lay off any heavy lifting. A few days of rest and she’d be back on her feet
in no time.
“Oh, by the way,” Maeve said, keeping it casual. “My brother’s hur too, but he can’t come to the hospital. Could you take a look at a photo and prescribe something for him?”
Ray nodded. “Sure, show me the photo.”
Maeve quickly handed over her phone.
Ray’s expression tightened as he glanced at the image. Even though it only showed part of the injury, his medical instincts kicked in. He recognized that it was definitely Byron.
Ray adjusted his thin–framed glasses and gave Maeve a curious look. This injury looks pretty serious. It’d be best if he came.
in.”
“He really can’t make it,” Maeve replied, looking a bit uneasy.
Ray nodded. “Alright, I’ll prescribe something. But I’ll need his personal details. Can you give me his information?”
Maeve provided Ray with her brother Horace’s details instead, deliberately avoiding any mention of Byron. She didn’t know why Byron was staying away from the hospital, but she was determined to keep his condition under wraps–even from a doctor.
Ray paused, glancing at her with a hint of a smile playing on his ps
He’d heard Byron rarely had women around him, except for Karen. Yet here was this young woman, clearly important enough to keep his secrets. This was some juicy gossip Ray would love to bring up with Byron.
After leaving the hospital, Maeve stopped by the grocery store for some ingredients before heading back to her apartment.
15:05 Fri, Dec 27 VE G
Chapter 29
As the soup simmered on the stove, Maeve’s phone buzzed with few new messages.
661%8
They were from Bonnie Hancock, a wealthy patron Maeve had met when she first started working as an illustrator. Bonnie was a dedicated client who always supported Maeve’s work and ad a particular passion for fan art.
She claimed to be ‘allergic” to real–life men, preferring animated characters instead. Bonnie also had a special fondness for comics featuring these characters in various roles.
Maeve had even taken on jobs as a maid and a gardener just to gher material for Bonnie’s requests.
Bonnie: [Maeve! I’ve got a new husband! This time, I want to see him as a bartender, doing all sorts of things at the bar. Can you take it on?]
