Deirdre had been stupid. All Brendan cared about was whether Charlene lived. Why would he give a damn about Deirdre’s innocence?Three days passed. She never saw Brendan in her room. He even replaced Sam with a newly-hired nurse, who quickly took advantage of Deirdre’s blindness and how little anyone cared about her. She abused Deirdre—she would finish about half of the meal Deirdre was supposed to have before passing it back to the woman she was supposed to care for. Deirdre hated it. She was not going to eat a stranger’s leftovers, so she pushed the bowl away.“Whoa! Are you actually being picky about your food? Or do you just have a bone to pick with me, huh? You act like me eating your food is disgusting while looking like a disgusting freak yourself! God, can you get over yourself for a hot second? You’re a nobody without family or friends, b*tch. You should be grateful to even have a nurse helping you out!”The nurse was enraged. Deirdre, unfortunately, became an easy target
“That’s enough!”Brendan stormed forward and snatched Deirdre’s hand away from its motion. The entire spectacle was just so grating to him that he gnashed his teeth and snarled, “Are you done playing the victim!? You’re so into it! So into trying to make yourself look like the most tragic woman in the world that nothing is below the belt, isn’t it? God. You keep proving me wrong when I think you can’t stoop lower!”Playing the victim? How blind was this fellow to think this whole thing was an act to ‘play the victim’?Her injury stung so much her arm was shaking despite herself. She had not finished the task Brendan had ordered her to do, so she simply muttered, despite her ashen expression, “Can you please let me go? I’m not done cleaning up…”“To hell with cleaning up!” Brendan bellowed suddenly. He kicked the garbage bin so hard that every fragment from the broken bowl spilled back to the floor. He glared at the nurse and thundered, “You clean this up! And I want you to do it
Night City? Deirdre was aghast. As a local of this city, she knew exactly where this was. It was an entertainment establishment on the outside, but it was more of a sanctuary for the rich and powerful. Nothing was off-limits within Night City as long as nobody died. Her face turned pale. “Why did you bring me here, Brendan?” she cried as she struggled to wriggle herself free. Brendan could not possibly let her go so easily. His fingernails burrowed into her wrist like shackles. He yanked her close to himself and whispered, “Too late, Deirdre. You almost cost Lena her life. That isn’t something I’m gonna handwave away.”“But I didn’t!”Brendan shot her an icy glare. It had been three days, yet she still held onto her lie. He loosened his grip suddenly and said, “You wanna leave here, go ahead. I just wonder what’s gonna happen to Sterling if you go.”Deirdre was stopped dead in the middle of her bid to run away. Her chest ached as though someone was tearing it open with their b
“You’re here to drink in his place, right?” The young man started. “Time to do your job! Chug this!”“Chug! Chug! Chug!” The crowd began to clamor excitedly.Deirdre had always been alcohol-intolerant. Just the stench of beer triggered a gag reflex, and she pushed the pint away, to the young man’s displeasure. His smile stiffened. “Hey, what’s this supposed to mean? Are you trying to tell me that since you’re Mr. Brighthall’s b*tch, you wag your tail only for him? Boooooo! You’re no fun!”Brendan watched the exchange from his seat. He crossed his legs and fiddled with his ring, his frigid onyx-black eyes boring straight through Deirdre’s face. His lips were curved when he chided placidly. “Now, now. What did I tell you about your attitude when you were at my party? Have you forgotten already?”He did not sound particularly angry, but that nonchalance was a front to the biting chill only Deirdre understood. He was warning her. “Defy me, and I’ll take it out on Sterling.”“Um, I…” D
Brendan was forcing her to make a choice. She could save whatever remained of her dignity, but Sterling would have to lose his on her behalf. She would have to doom him to save herself. Brendan’s sadism knew no bounds. How could he be so heartless?Deirdre sobbed. She felt faint spells, yet her heart was ironically much calmer than before. “It’s alright,” she said, her eyes as empty as her tone. “I’ll do it.”The room cheered. It was what everyone wanted. Amid the revelry, though, was Brendan’s increasingly stormy expression. His eyes were cold. “Do you understand what you’ve just said? You’re going to strip yourself clean and dance in front of a crowd of strangers. If you call Sterling, the most I’ll make him do is make him drink.”The most he would do? Deirdre smiled between her tears. To hell would she even believe that!She would never believe him ever again. How could she? When he told her he would never play favorites and stand behind Charlene without reason that nigh
“Oh, you’re really thoughtful, Mr. Brighthall. This woman is indeed too skinny to look at. It’s better to look for other fun than to disgust all of us here.”“You’re right. Such a skinny woman won’t look beautiful when dancing.”The group repeated in agreement. It was only Sofia who furtively clenched her fist.‘How did Mr. Brighthall know when he said this woman was too skinny to look at? Can it be that he has seen this woman naked? Didn’t he feel disgusted?’The alcohol kicked in, and Deirdre began feeling hot and cold. Brendan dragged her forcefully to sit on the sofa.Deirdre was drunk and devoid of energy. She could only rely on Brendan for support. But when she sobered up, she would strive to hold herself up, unwilling to even touch Brendan.Brendan was infuriated when he became aware of it. He harshly grabbed Deirdre by her jaw as he barked, “Deirdre, are you a psychopath who doesn’t even know how to be thankful? Why didn’t you appreciate my kindness in saving your life at
“That’s right. Mr. Brighthall just wanted to clean up the stench of that woman. Let’s continue drinking!”Everyone agreed but smiled rather forcefully. It was difficult for them to believe what they had said themselves.Brendan went to the room inside, kicked open the bathroom, and filled the bathtub with water. Following that, he tore Deirdre’s clothes and threw her into the bathtub.“Ah!” Deirdre choked on water, struggled vigorously, and her hands weakly clung to the edge of the bathtub. Her eyes reddened as she lifted her head to look at Brendan.Deirdre’s whole body flushed at the effects of alcohol. Brendan was allured as his Adam’s apple moved. He held her neck and kissed her hard.“N-No— D-Don’t—”Deirdre gasped for breath. She tried to push Brendan away, but she was so weak that it made her look as if she was pretending to be shy.Brendan ruthlessly restrained her wrist with formidable power. With hostility, he reprimanded, “Don’t? Weren’t you trying harder than everyon
Brendan said in an icy-cold and condescending tone, “It’s because you can do such a thing. Anyway, I’ve made a concession. If you are still stubborn, don’t blame me!”Brendan went out and slammed the door behind him. Deirdre was freezing. However, her disappointed heart was far colder than the freezing cold water itself.Deirdre’s teeth chattered from the cold. She climbed out of the bathtub with difficulty, used her touch to locate a bath towel, and wrapped herself in it. When she opened the door, she felt an unfriendly gaze.Sofia was sizing up Deirdre before she said dismissively, “Your figure is nothing more than that. I thought even if you looked ugly, you might have a good body shape. Now it seems that I’m wrong.”From the voice, Deirdre knew who the person was. However, she didn’t want to argue with her because her hair was still wet, and her head was in pain. She simply asked, “Anything?”Sofia threw the bag she had been carrying at Deirdre’s feet. “These are the clothes M
"Where is she?"Brendan stared at him, utterly surprised. Sean's voice trembled a bit, but his eyes held a clear and hopeful gaze.Brendan finally calmed down and looked behind him. "There, that's your mother."This was the first time Sean had spoken. Deirdre felt her mind buzzing. When she snapped back to reality, she extended her hand. "Sean, come here."Sean's eyes held gentle amazement. He was intelligent—perhaps he had sensed it on the way there. Thus, his feelings were a blend of happiness and satisfaction.He felt joy that Deirdre was going to be his mother.Being a kid, he took a few steps but couldn't stop his tears, holding onto Deirdre firmly.Deirdre suppressed her own urge to cry and crouched down, wiping away his tears. "Do you... hate mom for not being there and not recognizing you?"Sean shook his head frantically. "As long as you're here… That's enough…"Deirdre hugged him tightly, and Brendan approached, wrapping them both in his embrace.When they brought S
"I was too young back then, still sulking with my father," Brendan replied after recalling his childhood.Arthur chuckled. "Kids will be kids, after all. Besides, your father was an excellent businessman, and you've followed in his footsteps. I've heard about your impressive success with the business in Neve. You're truly talented. With the Parkers under your control, I can finally relax." Brendan thought it was just praise from an elder. He was about to give a humble response when he got surprised by the rest of the statement. This made him freeze in place."The Parkers?" Deirdre was equally surprised."What's wrong?" Arthur beamed. "Don't you both already have children? Although you've divorced, your relationship is still strong. Don't tell me there's no thought of remarriage?""Remarriage? It's not the right time yet." Deirdre blushed from the teasing."It'll come eventually. If that's the case, then you are both part of the Parkers now. You're my only daughter, and he's my s
Beneath the envelope lay the evidence. Deirdre stared at it for a long time, with Brendan by her side, offering silent support.The next day, they boarded a plane back to Southedge. Within three days, news of the top political figure's downfall due to corruption spread like wildfire throughout Southedge, even captivating the interest of other cities.Upon learning the full story in his study, Arthur's aging face was stained with tears of regret. "If only I had known sooner... I wouldn't have let your mother leave like that."Deirdre lowered her gaze and handed the letter to Arthur. "My mother explains in the letter that her departure was a voluntary sacrifice to protect everyone. She never blamed you."Arthur gazed at the letter, struggling to find the right words.Deirdre left silently, shutting the door.-Ryker was also brought to the police station. Under Sterling's methods, he confessed to the murders. Emily faced the same outcome.All of them waited for their trials.-
The distance from Southedge to Village Alnwick was immense, yet Brendan displayed unwavering resolve."Then let's depart today," he said.As Deirdre bid farewell to Arthur, an unexpected glimmer of sadness flickered in his eyes. "Visiting your mother's grave, huh? Okay, go ahead. Take care of yourself, don't overexert.""Yes," Deirdre replied. Faced with Arthur's hesitant gaze, she felt compelled to add, "Dad, I'll be back."Arthur met Deirdre's gaze, hope rekindling in his eyes.Deirdre softly sighed. "You're my father, my family. Of course, I'll return." "Really? You mean it?" Arthur's excitement made his hands tremble slightly. He held onto Deirdre as if wanting to convey something, but all that emerged was a murmur, "Then please return early... Come back as soon as you can...""Sure. I have a friend coming over later today. Take care of him. Oh, and my boyfriend is here, too. Don't worry about the specifics. I'll explain everything upon my return."As she stepped out, Bren
"Brendan Brighthall?" Ryker wiped away his own nosebleed. "How did you manage to come from Neve? Didn't I ask Emily to keep an eye on you? That useless fool who can't even accomplish simple tasks.""Choosing to control minds with drugs all along, you should have anticipated this outcome." Brendan acted roughly. As he got up, he took the key from Ryker and placed Ryker on a chair.Deirdre clenched Brendan's sleeve tightly. Sensing her tension, Brendan embraced her to calm her down."It's okay. I'm sorry for coming back so late, making you go through this.""It's not your fault. Your timely arrival saved me from further trouble. It's my own foolishness... I let him find something to use against me," Deirdre said, shaking her head weakly.Brendan frowned, cupping Deirdre's face. "He wasn't someone easily deceived, to begin with. You've done well. I'm the one who brought you into this danger, which is unforgivable."Brendan's dark eyes were filled with intense emotions. He had arrive
Deirdre hugged Ryker, resting her head on his chest as he patted her back. "By the way, you're not curious about where I went after I left early this morning?"Deirdre realized the hidden meaning behind Ryker's words, retreated from Ryker's embrace little by little, and looked at him.Ryker's eyes, as enigmatic as ever, held a clarity that seemed to pierce through everything. "I went to the hospital."He didn't wait for Deirdre to respond. "Because I was curious why I was so sleepy last night for no reason. Any ordinary person might chalk it up to exhaustion. But I know my body too well. You drugged me."Deirdre felt a sudden chill running down her spine.Ryker took a step forward casually, but his eyes were full of killing intent. "I underestimated you, Deirdre. Your acting skills are far more impressive than I imagined. You nearly had me fooled. You deserve an Oscar. What a pity that you're now in my hands."Deirdre retreated abruptly, but she found a cold wall barring her esca
Deirdre was momentarily stunned as she watched Arthur search around the study. Eventually, he uncovered a rusty key from a drawer.Arthur raised the key. "Is this what your mother desired?"Deirdre's mind raced, thoughts swirling. "Is this from my mother?"A hint of disappointment shadowed Arthur's eyes as he nodded. "This is the only thing she left me before she departed. She didn't explain why. She just made me promise to keep this key and never search for her."Although I agreed, the thought of it weighed heavily on me. So, I hid the key in a corner of the drawer instead of treating it like any other possession. In hindsight, I shouldn't have made that promise. I shouldn't have let her go alone."Deirdre's voice wavered, confusion evident. But as realization dawned, her heart raced. "Can you give me the key?"Arthur earnestly nodded, his expression solemn. "This belongs to your mother. I'm willing to give it to you whenever you're ready. To be honest, I'm relieved to pass it o
The butler nodded and guided Deirdre to the study's door. Gathering her emotions, she pushed it open.Arthur's attention was on some documents, but the door's creak made him look up. He met Deirdre's gaze, causing a subtle flicker of surprise and uncertainty in his eyes."Deirdre..." He set aside the file. "Did you just wake up? Hungry? I'll have the kitchen prepare something."Deirdre shook her head, closing the door gently."Not hungry. I came to talk.""Everything okay?" Concern colored Arthur's expression. Though he seemed worried she might leave, he tried to hide it. "Go ahead. I'm with you."Deirdre found his reaction slightly amusing. "I'm not leaving."A spark returned to Arthur's eyes. "Then what's up?"As Deirdre grew more serious, she said, "I came to Southedge not just for a visit. I want to know if my mother left something with you before she passed. Something significant.""Left something?" Arthur was puzzled. "She left several things. Which one do you mean?"De
Brendan's eyes held a hint of pity as he spoke hesitantly. "Your mother took that item away."He gently touched Deirdre's face. "That man kidnapped your mother years ago. I don't know what happened during that time. Maybe he hurt your mother and wanted to keep her forcibly. Eventually, your mother found a chance to escape back to your father with the man's item."She left suddenly while pregnant with you, not out of hatred for your father, but to protect you. Now, that person is unsure if your mother or Arthur has the item. Thus, he aimed to kidnap both you and your father, taking his time to retrieve them."Deirdre's mind was overwhelmed, flooded with information that threatened to drown her. This unexpected revelation left her in disbelief.'My mother left my father because of me? And the mastermind behind Ryker is responsible for my mother's kidnapping?'"So that item holds significant importance for this person, enough to bring him down, right?" Deirdre forced herself to calm