Maeve never expected billionaire heir Clayton Grey to respond to her message. The post wasn't meant to be serious, just a way to prove to Fred and the entire Orchard family that she could do whatever she wanted.
She didn't care if she never got married again. Her reputation was already in ashes. What more could the world possibly take from her? But one thing was certain, she would never be with Fred Orchard ever again.
"What are you doing, Maeve?" Mirabelle's voice cut sharply through the air. Her eyes widened the moment she saw what Maeve had typed.
"This isn't a joke, Maeve. Brother Fred doesn't deserve such treatment," she scolded, but Maeve ignored her completely, her fingers hitting post before doubt could creep in.
Within seconds, the internet exploded.
She had been off social media for an entire week after the scandal broke, and now, she was publicly proposing to the most elusive billionaire alive.
Clayton Grey was a man rarely seen, barely photographed, and rumored to be untouchable.
The kind of man who owned half the world, while she, Maeve Davis, was being mocked as a washed-up scandal.
Maybe she had gone too far. But her point had to be made.
Online, chaos erupted:
"Is she sick?"
"Is she on drugs?"
"What the hell is this 😂😂😂"
"The biggest joke of the century."
"Did she think he's Fred Orchard? This is Clayton Grey, for crying out loud! 😂😂"
"He'll never respond to you, Maeve, you whore. Find someone else." 😡😡
The insults flooded in faster than she could read.
But Maeve didn't flinch. She had been hated before. This wasn't new.
Across the dining table, Genevieve frowned. "What is she doing?"
"I don't know what's gotten into her, Aunt Aurora," Mirabelle said quickly, trying to contain the damage. "Please forgive her."
"Forgive her?" Fred snapped, his knuckles tightening around his glass.
"She just messaged Clayton Grey," Mirabelle said, voice trembling. "She asked him to marry her. Publicly."
The room fell into stunned silence before erupting again.
Fred's father, Mr. Orchard, who had remained quiet all evening, finally spoke. "What have you done, Maeve?" His deep, commanding voice filled the room. "This fight between you and Fred isn't needed. We can settle this as a family. Fred has agreed to forgive you. Why continue this foolishness?"
A cruel laugh echoed from Matilda, Fred's aunt. "Forgive her? She just contacted Clayton Grey. You have no idea who he is."
"Why's that, Aunt?" Mirabelle asked, curiosity breaking through her panic.
"Because," Genevieve interrupted with a mocking smirk, "Clayton Grey is the most invisible man in the world. He's not even online neither does he have the time to be."
Maeve tilted her head slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"A joke," Matilda sneered. "Nothing more than a desperate woman's cry for attention. Ignore her like the world would and see how she'd become a complete joke. I would be very angry if you go back to this abomination Fred."
"You have insulted the Orchard family after everything we did for you Maeve.
"Let her be Aunt," Fred snapped coldly. "This is the beginning of her downfall. She chose this path herself. Let her deal with the consequences. When uncle arrests her for fraud, maybe then she'll learn."
Aunt Aurora's voice trembled. "I expected better from you, Eve. You've disappointed me."
Mirabelle's eyes filled with tears. "Maeve, please! Delete that post before it's too late. You're the only family I have left, I don't want to lose you."
Before Maeve could reply, her phone buzzed.
The sound sliced through the tension in the room.
Everyone froze.
A notification flashed on her screen.
@ClaytonGreyOfficial: Yes. Meet me in my office tomorrow."
Velmora erupted...
The Orchards stared at one another in disbelief as the internet went wild again. Phones began buzzing simultaneously, hers, Fred's, Mirabelle's, flooded with notifications and news alerts.
"H–He just accepted," Mirabelle stammered.
"That's impossible," Genevieve hissed, snatching the phone. Her eyes widened as she read the message. "What is the meaning of this? Don't tell me Clayton would dare..."
But Maeve only smiled. Calm, composed, almost regal. She slipped her phone into her bag as though nothing extraordinary had just happened.
"Since we're settled now," she said quietly, "I'll take my leave."
Every pair of eyes followed her as she stood and walked out.
In the hallway, she pulled out her phone and dialed Becky's number.
"Becky," she said, her voice steady. "I need help, I think I asked the wrong person to marry me."