Maeve's eyelashes fluttered, and the wetness and bitterness that had surged up instantly welled into tears. Years of suppressed anger and resentment exploded in that moment. She opened her mouth and bit down hard on his shoulder, venting her fury while simultaneously trying to stifle the emotions he had stirred. Her bite was so deep that blood seeped through Byron's shirt, staining the white fabric. He didn't flinch. Instead, he held her close, his hand gently stroking her trembling back.

"Maeve," Byron said, his voice clear and more serious than ever before, "I've never looked at you the way those people in the video claimed, and I've never regretted marrying you. Look at me—do you really think I sent those people to do that?" Maeve slowly let go, her eyes flickering as she searched his earnest gaze for the truth. But she couldn't find it, seeing only her own reflection in his dark eyes.

"You seem to forget," Maeve said, her bloodstained lips moving, "Archer is your personal assistant. Who else could direct him but you? How do you expect me to trust you?"

"Archer was out of the office on vacation the day that video was made. I'll need to investigate before I give you an answer," Byron said, raising his hand to gently wipe the blood from her lips. "Do you remember the name of the clinic?" Maeve told him, reciting the name she had memorized years ago.

Byron's brow furrowed. "The Booth family's private clinic?" He had been there several times while staying with the Booth family.

The numbness in Maeve's eyes softened slightly. Remembering Karen's earlier words, she asked, "Did you ever tell Karen about my pregnancy?"

"I had no further contact with her after she was fired," Byron replied.

"When was she fired?" Maeve asked.

Byron couldn't recall the exact date, giving her a rough time frame instead. Maeve calculated the dates. It was before she got pregnant! There was no way Karen could have learned about her pregnancy from Byron. And considering the clinic's ownership, the answer was becoming clearer. The only question left was Archer.

A sudden thought struck Maeve. Her heart racing, she looked at Byron and asked, "Did you send someone to pick me up the day I was released from detention?" Byron looked slightly uncomfortable. "No." He had skipped an important meeting that day and driven to the detention center himself, but left after not seeing her for a long time.

"Archer picked me up that day," Maeve said calmly. "I passed out from the drugs in the car and woke up in the clinic. If you didn't order him, could he have colluded with Karen long ago?" Byron's cold expression softened. He lowered his head and kissed her hard and unexpectedly.

Caught off guard, Maeve's mind went blank. She felt the pressure of his lips, the sounds making her ears burn. She pushed him away furiously. "What are you doing? Why are you kissing me all of a sudden?" His sudden actions had tangled her emotions.

Byron chuckled. "How could I hold back after you said something like that?"

"What did I say?" Maeve asked, confused.

"You're already sure I didn't do it, even before seeing any evidence. Yet you say you don't believe me?" He rubbed his hand against her face. "Maeve, you're so cute when you talk like this." Maeve froze, blushing. She lost some of her fire, even as she glared at him.

"I'm not saying I believe you didn't do it," she stammered. "There's just too much doubt, and I need to reassess everything!" She warned him, "Don't get too cocky—you're only cleared of suspicion for now!" Byron's dark eyes gleamed with amusement. "So, are you going to punish me before we settle this?" It was true he hadn't directly harmed her, but not being there for her—he felt responsible. Maeve frowned. "Don't act like I've forgiven you just yet." She didn't completely trust him. It was just that…

Maeve glanced at the bloody teeth marks on Byron's shoulder, and her heart felt lighter. The man who had offered his body as an outlet for her anger—she couldn't believe he would ever truly hurt her.

Byron saw the softness beneath her fierceness. He leaned over, lifted her into a crouching position, and carried her out of the bathroom. Maeve, in his arms, was bewildered. This is the same technique she always used on Theo, she thought. The difference was that Theo was a child.

Byron set Maeve on the couch, closed her laptop, and fetched a medical kit. He knelt beside her to apply medicine to the back of her hand.

"I don't need that," Maeve protested. "It's just a scratch. You should be treating your shoulder instead." She tried to pull away, but he held her wrist firmly.

"Don't move. What if it leaves a scar?" Byron frowned, refusing to let go. Maeve, still unsettled, stopped resisting. She watched him apply the ointment, a sharp sting of emotion tightening her chest.

"Byron," she whispered.

"Hmm?" He didn't look up.

Maeve struggled to speak. Maybe he hadn't forced her abortion four years ago, but she remembered his opposition to her pregnancy. Even if he loved Will now, she couldn't forget the past pain. Some wounds can't be healed with just a few words.

Byron finished applying the ointment and looked up. "What were you going to say?"

"You're still bleeding from your shoulder," she pointed out. "You should apply the ointment to it too." Byron smirked, handing her the ointment.

"What for?" Maeve asked.

"You bit me, and shouldn't you take responsibility?"

"Seriously?" Maeve thought. It's just a small wound. He really knows how to push his luck. Maeve wrinkled her nose, tossing the ointment back at him. "Do it yourself. I told you, I'm still angry."

Byron was about to reply when his phone vibrated. He answered, "Yes?"

"Mr. McDaniel, as per your instructions, we've been monitoring public opinion about Ms. Reese online. Just now, her parents publicly accused her of not supporting them financially and framed her biological brother for his imprisonment. Should we handle it immediately?" the head of the McDaniel Group's public relations department asked.

The final sentence, "#", is removed as it's unclear what its purpose is. The repeated promotional sentence ("Search the FindNovel.net website...") is also removed as it disrupts the narrative flow.