She thought about too many things in that moment, Odin Myres naturally understood, but even he couldn’t answer.
They could only look forward.
Odin Myres wasn’t someone who talked much, he sat quietly, ruffling her hair.
Maeve lay on his knee for a while, feeling a bit tired, and after sorting through her thoughts, she got up and went back to her room.
The bodyguard didn’t come in and closed the door from outside.
Odin Myres rose from the sofa and slowly walked towards the inner bedroom.
His right foot had a slight limp.
It wasn’t serious, the kind you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely, but the psychological barrier was still hard to overcome.
He temporarily used a wheelchair to travel around.
——
Once Maeve left the room, she didn’t feel tired anymore.
Myres Mansion was large, and when it used to have more people, it always felt lively and bustling.
She was simple-minded, the apple of Cesar Myres’s eye, and no one in the Myres Family dared to mess with her. Consequently, she didn’t understand those battles and calculations, and sometimes when she saw others arguing sharply, she felt tense and excited by it.
But——
Now, the Myres Family felt empty, extremely quiet.
She walked to her room, holding the big plush bear that Ivy Cox had bought her a long time ago, she felt sadness overwhelm her.
Soon after, she started crying.
Ivy Cox’s gentle voice seemed to linger around her ear, making her unable to sleep.
Too dazed, it took the phone ringing three times before she heard it.
The phone was bought by Caiden Ward; it lay in her small backpack she carried with her.
Maeve sighed in relief when she saw the caller ID and answered, softly calling, "Uncle Ward."
Caiden Ward was startled, "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Are you crying?" Caiden Ward heard the sobs in her voice, feeling unsettled. After all, the little girl had been with him for over three years and hadn’t cried much, but now that she was gone, she started crying. How could he not be upset and anxious?
Caiden Ward frowned as he listened to her talk, while Maeve couldn’t help but sob, "I miss my mom."
As soon as she said it, her carefully controlled tears broke free, and her sobbing transmitted to Caiden Ward’s ear.
Caiden Ward had just arrived home and hadn’t gotten out of the car when he heard her sobs, his heart feeling like it was clawed at by a cat, he directly told George Davis, "Go to the Myres Family."
"Now?" George Davis was startled.
"Right now."
"Alright."
George Davis turned the car around, dutifully driving back towards the Myres Family.
It was past eleven when they arrived.
The night guards were startled by the late visitors, hurriedly going back to notify Ari Murphy.
With Caiden Ward visiting at such a late hour, Ari Murphy naturally alerted Louis Cox.
Louis Cox hadn’t slept, wore black clothes and pants as he descended the stairs, quickly walking over when he saw him and asked, "Why come over so late?"
"Where’s Maeve?" Caiden Ward asked directly.
Louis Cox glanced at Ari Murphy.
The latter said gently, "Poppy just checked, the miss has already gone to bed."
"Who is Poppy?"
Unable to tell the gender from the name, Caiden Ward turned his head to ask.
Ari Murphy froze, "The maid at home."
Caiden Ward nodded, "Maeve was crying over the phone just now, said she missed her mom, I think it’s not right for her to stay at the Myres Family."
As he spoke Louis Cox pondered.
The Myres Family held too many memories, even for him, as he would unconsciously think of Ivy Cox, let alone Maeve and Odin who grew up at the Myres Family, Odin was precocious and sensible, but Maeve was entirely different.
She had been too well protected from a young age, as clean as a blank sheet.
But——
Caiden Ward’s current situation was really unsuitable.
Louis Cox sighed, smiling faintly, "She just came back, it’s inevitable to feel uncomfortable, with time she’ll naturally be fine."
"Let her cry for a while?" Caiden Ward frowned.
"Everyone has to grow up."
"I don’t want to say more, I’m here now, and I must take her back." Caiden Ward’s demeanor was gentle, but his words carried an irrefutable tone.
He had been kind to the Myres Family, so Louis Cox couldn’t strongly oppose, after a moment, he said warmly, "President Ward, I fear Maeve cannot bear such affection. She’s just nine years old, she doesn’t understand much, but what about when she grows up into a young lady? How will she withstand idle gossip? You should understand the power of people’s words, Madam Ward’s concerns aren’t baseless. You two are, after all, unrelated, and Maeve isn’t without family."
"Why didn’t you say this before?" Caiden Ward was displeased.
"Times have changed." Louis Cox said, "Maeve is growing up gradually. Moreover, your care for her is extraordinary."
"Doesn’t speculating like this seem vile?" Caiden Ward looked at him with a cold face.
Louis Cox smiled helplessly.
Indeed, there were nineteen years between them, thoughts drifting to that level were exaggerated.
But——
Who made Maeve the daughter of Cesar Myres and Ivy Cox?
With such legendary parents, people would naturally view their child with curiosity, speculating enough, it almost seemed true.
Caiden Ward was at the age for marriage, and the Myres Family’s upheavals had already subsided, there really was no reason to continue troubling Caiden Ward.
Louis Cox sighed, "President Ward, please reconsider."
His expression was solemn, Caiden Ward paused, softly said, "I’ll go up to see Maeve first."
"She’s asleep now." Louis Cox stood up.
Repeatedly obstructed, Caiden Ward felt irritated, raising an eyebrow and saying with displeasure, "I know what I’m doing. Put away those vile thoughts, I’m not so low as to fancy a child halfway grown."
"That’s not what I thought," Louis Cox froze, helplessly replied.
"That’s good." Caiden Ward’s words fell, he glanced at Ari Murphy beside him, stiffly said, "Lead the way."
Ari Murphy looked at Louis Cox.
Louis Cox pursed his thin lips, after a while, nodded.
Ari Murphy then led Caiden Ward upstairs towards Maeve’s room.
They quickly arrived.
The room light wasn’t on, but moonlight shone through the curtains, so it wasn’t pitch dark.
Maeve had changed into a nightdress, holding her plush bear, her head tilted as she slept, though perhaps not well as her delicate brows were tightly furrowed, even the corners of her lips were puckered, she looked troubled.