The Heir's Secret Bride novel Chapter 1

It was only October, but the air in Kleymond was already crisp and cold.

Early in the morning, Maeve Reese was still curled up in bed, deep in sleep. Suddenly, her mother, Valda Reese, burst into the room, her voice slicing through the silence. "Maeve, come on! Stop lazing around. You've got to get ready—today's the big day. You and Jeff Graves are getting your marriage license. Don't make him wait!"

The words "marriage license" hit Maeve like a bucket of ice water. She shot up in bed, hesitating for a moment before lowering her gaze. "Mom, I don't want to marry him," she mumbled.

"What the hell did you just say?" Valda's voice spiked with disbelief. "Are you out of your damn mind? Jeff comes from a rich family! Marrying him means you'll be set for life. Do you know how many people would kill for this chance, and you're saying you don't want it?"

"He's screwing around with someone else. There's no way I'm marrying him," Maeve said firmly.

Just yesterday, she had gone to bring Jeff some hangover medicine, only to stumble upon a gut-wrenching truth. Peeking through a crack in the door, she had seen Jeff tangled up in bed with another woman.

The sight was a brutal wake-up call, shattering the illusions she'd held about him and making her realize just how little she really knew about him.

Maeve had first met Jeff at the hospital when her father was seriously ill and in desperate need of an expensive surgery the family couldn't afford. It was Jeff's father, Wallace Graves, who had stepped in to help, covering the costs and even offering Maeve's father a job at the Graves family company.

Out of gratitude for the Graves family's support and feeling crushed by the pressure from both sides to make a match, Maeve eventually gave in to Jeff's advances.

At first, Jeff seemed like the perfect guy—kind, attentive, and always looking out for Maeve. But as soon as she refused to take their relationship to a physical level, his attitude took a sharp turn.

Jeff became distant, dismissive, and often downright cruel. He'd call her in the middle of the night to bring him medicine or deliver booze, not giving a damn about her needs or feelings.

Over the past year, Maeve had been feeling more and more drained, both mentally and physically. In her relationship, she felt less like a girlfriend and more like an unpaid maid.

Last night, Maeve had cried softly under the covers, hoping that talking to Valda this morning would bring some comfort, maybe even a bit of understanding.

But instead, Valda's response was harsh and unyielding. "We've already blown through most of the engagement money from the Graves family. If you back out now, where the hell are we supposed to find the tens of thousands we need for your brother's tuition?

"Have you ever thought about what this means for your dad and me? Do you expect us to sell our blood to cover the costs?"

Maeve stared at her in shock, thinking, 'I'm the one who's been wronged, and all she cares about is the damn money? I didn't even know they'd already received the Graves family's engagement gift!'