Chapter 82
“I have no idea. Let’s just call it a streak of conscience p>
If he had refused to help, she would have found it completely normal. But his sudden generosity only made her uneasy.
“What will you do if Frederick finds out p>
Sebastian laughed. “You can barely save yourself, and you’re worrying about me p>
“You could easily pretend you never saw me,” Maeve said bluntly. “I don’t want to drag you down. I have nothing to offer you, and I can’t afford to owe you a favor p>
She knew perfectly well that nothing in this world came for free.
“Who said anything about owing me?” Sebastian dropped his playful smile, turning to look her right in the eye.
“Can’t I just help you because I want to p>
For some inexplicable reason, Maeve’s heart skipped a beat. She awkwardly turned her head away and murmured softly.
“Then… thank you p>
Sebastian immediately returned to his usual carefree demeanor.
“Don’t mention it p>
“Relax, okay? I’m basically Frederick’s eyes and ears. If I cover my own eyes, he won’t see a thing p>
Finally at ease, Maeve thanked him again.
“Thank you for doing this p>
He chuckled, waving it off casually.
“No problem, no problem p>
Maeve remained completely silent.
Three hours later.
Maeve’s private flight touched down in Silveridge.
Standing on familiar soil, she gazed out at the hometown she had missed so desperately, a wave of profound melancholy and disbelief washing over her face.
Just hours ago, she had been fighting for her life trying to escape Frederick at the airport.
And now, she was finally back in the place she had dreamt of returning to for so long.
The dramatic shift was almost too much to process.
Unable to believe it was real, Maeve reached up and pinched her own cheek.
The sharp sting brought a genuine smile to her lips.
Thank God.
It wasn’t a dream. She was really home.
She hopped into a cab and pulled out her phone, which she had powered down in the airport restroom.
A flood of missed calls and text messages instantly blew up her screen.
She completely ignored the unknown numbers.
Instead, she tapped on Jonathan Giles’s contact to check his messages.
[Frederick is at the airport! Do not board your flight. Get out of there now p>
Maeve thought for a moment before typing her reply.
Mr. Giles, I’m so sorry for worrying you. I’ve already made it back to Silveridge. Thank you again for everything you’ve done for me]
Jonathan replied almost instantly: [How did you get back p>
Maeve pursed her lips: [I have to keep that a secret. But I’m safely in Silveridge, so please don’t worry about me anymore p>
It was, of course, exactly what Sebastian had requested.
He insisted it remain a secret between the two of them.
A moment later, Jonathan finally responded.
[Take care of yourself p>
Maeve smiled faintly: [You too p>
With the texts sent, she let out a long breath of relief.
Looking out the window, she watched the cab turn onto the main road, and soon enough it pulled up to the gate of her family’s modest villa.
The moment she stepped out, her father’s shocked voice rang out.
“Mae p>
She whipped her head around to see Marcus Sinclair standing right in front of her. He was wearing a basic gray t-shirt, but his temples were now heavily dusted with gray, and his handsome, gentle face bore new, deep-set wrinkles.
The man who had endlessly spoiled and sheltered her since childhood had quietly aged so much while she was away.
Realizing just how much time she had lost with her parents, a sudden, sharp ache gripped her chest.
Fighting back tears, she ran up and threw herself into his warm, broad embrace, just like she used to when she was a little girl.
“Dad, I’m home,” she choked out.