Brendan's flawlessly handsome face was filled with confusion. "I don't remember. How can I actually not have any recollection of such an important matter?"Deirdre was astonished. "You don't have any recollection of it? Why would you invite Emily to come today, then?""For a land auction. Collins Pharmaceuticals wants to work with me to have a share of that land, so Emily met me to discuss it."Deirdre pursed her lips. "So, you invited Emily to come today just to discuss the collaboration?""Hmm."Deirdre was rendered speechless suddenly. What else could she say after Brendan declared that he had forgotten about it? She pulled her hand away from Brendan and walked ahead by herself.Brendan clutched her wrist, and his dark eyes were solemn. "Are you angry, Deirdre?"Before Deirdre could speak, he said, "I have no idea how I can forget such an important matter. I'll get a proper clarification from Emily."Deirdre gave Brendan the benefit of the doubt. "Don't meet her anymore. Jus
"I don't have the evidence, but I have you, Brendan! I can attest to everything I said. Look into Emily if you're willing to trust me, and you'll most certainly be able to find Shea!"She finished her sentence agitatedly and left behind a death-like stillness in the ambiance.Deirdre felt her left eyelid twitching frantically, and the silent ambiance was suffocating. Soon afterward, she heard Brendan say, "Rest well."At that moment, she was so agitated that her body was shaking. She felt as if her spirit was dampened."Brendan, just consider it as me begging you, alright? Shea's situation can't be delayed for a day longer. If only you investigate Emily closely, you'll most certainly be able to find something!"Brendan appeared to have mixed feelings. "Deirdre, I understand that Shea's situation is also very dangerous. Hence, I will do my best to get someone to save her, but you're only going to distract the rescue personnel if you behave like this."There's no reason for Emily t
If Emily were to continue to allow them to progress like this, apart from the fact that those people would abandon her, it would be highly possible that Deirdre would plot against her brutally.At that thought, a cold glint flashed past Emily's eyes, and she beckoned Nolan to come. Nolan immediately leaned over, and he was shocked to hear Emily's whisper. "Miss, are you sure that you want to do that? That is against the law…"Emily glared at him threateningly. "Why? Are you scared or can't bear to do it? Is it because you have feelings for the woman after spending so much time with her?"Nola lowered his head instantly. "No, of course…"Emily poured toner into her palm and said coldly, "Do as I said then. I'm going to seize the opportunity to ruin Deirdre and Brendan's relationship so I can rise to Mrs. Brighthall's position steadily."-The next morning, Deirdre was awakened from her nightmare. She subconsciously wiped the cold sweat on her forehead and felt lingering fear
Deirdre hoped that Sterling would give her the answer she wanted without hesitation, but all Sterling gave her was silence all along.After a long time, Sterling said, "Please stay calm. Go back to the sofa and sit down first."Deirdre's pupils were shaking. "How can I sit down? Shea is supposed to be alive!"Sterling's eyes were misted over with dimness, but he still tried his best to comfort her by saying, "Deirdre, this matter is no one's fault, especially not yours."It's apparent that those people want to take Shea's life, and no one could stop that."Deirdre's entire body was shaking, and she dropped to her knees. She could not see Shea's face clearly, yet she knew that Shea was still young, kind-hearted, and smart.It was her fault for getting Shea involved in the strife—she lost her life."Why am I still alive when I'm supposed to be the dead one!?" Deirdre was in agony. "If they want to take a person's life, they can just take mine! How will killing Shea do any good f
Those words of anger and hatred from Deirdre had made Brendan’s face turn pale. His dark eyes were turbulent, and when he moved his lips to speak, an unexpected visitor came over.“Ms. McKinnon, Mr. Brighthall, you’re both here!” Emily walked over in high heels, her face filled with anxiety. “Are you aware of Shea’s situation? I can’t believe she’s dead. Wasn’t she one of them? Is it possible that because she no longer was of any value to them, she was simply discarded?”Deirdre was enraged by Emily’s seemingly perplexed but actually derogatory words.As the culprit behind Shea’s death, Emily had no right to come over and ask questions.Both Deirdre’s eyes were red, and she was tearing up as she angrily rushed forward, grabbed Emily, and slapped her several times.“Emily Collins, you will pay for what you’ve done! You will definitely get retribution!”Deirdre did not show any mercy, and Emily screamed in pain.Brendan reacted by forcibly pulling Deirdre back by her shoulders.
“Stop pretending. You’re just making people sick,” said Deirdre, her eyes turning cold.Emily was stunned, and her eyes turned red.When Brendan saw this, his headache worsened, and a sense of irritability began pressing on his nerves. Frowning, he said, “Deirdre, don’t talk nonsense without evidence! What does this have to do with Emily?”Deirdre’s pupils shrank, not hiding her disappointment.“Brendan, you’re the only one who pretends not to understand such a clear matter.”“Forget it, Mr. Brighthall. Don’t argue with Ms. McKinnon because of this. If your relationship deteriorates any further, I will end up being blamed." Emily sighed.“Ms. McKinnon, if you think this is my fault, then I will try my best not to appear in front of you again to avoid offending you.”“Then why don’t you get out of my way now?” Deirdre demanded. She had had enough.“Deirdre!” It wasn’t Emily who spoke up this time, but Brendan, in an exasperated tone.“Shea died. I know it’s a big blow to you, b
“Sterling, it’s your fault that this happened. If you intervene again, won’t it make Mr. Brighthall even more furious? Mr. Brighthall loves Ms. McKinnon so much that he definitely won’t hurt her! But the result would be different if you got involved and enraged him!”Sterling looked tense, and he watched them leave while clenching his fists.Brendan threw Deirdre on the bed, and Deirdre felt so furious that she hit and kicked him back with all her strength.“You lunatic! Other than dominating and controlling others, what else can you do? You just want to turn others into your puppets! Is that what makes you happy? You are still the same person you were before, selfish and never changing! Why did I believe you could change? If I could, I wouldn’t even want to conceive your child. I hate you!”Deirdre’s words were like piercing needles in Brendan’s skin. Her hatred was like a knife cutting into his flesh.He wanted to shut her up, so he leaned in and used his thin lips to cover Deir
‘I a-actually did this to Deirdre… I completely disregarded her personal will…’ Recalling Deirdre’s resistance, the anger and hatred in her eyes, Brendan hugged his head tightly, finding it hard to breathe.What had happened to him? Why would he do such a thing?All the color in his face was drained, and he rushed out of the room as if he was escaping.Deirdre came back to her senses, feeling a dull pain in her abdomen. She calmly took a shower, rubbing her face for a long time, as if trying to wipe away the dampness in the corners of her eyes as well.Sterling arrived early in the morning as scheduled, even earlier than before.When Deirdre came downstairs, he seemed somewhat eager to stand up. “Deirdre.”There were obvious dark bags under his eyes because he had been suffering from insomnia.His mind was filled with images of Brendan losing control and taking Deirdre away. He had thought he had become stronger, but he had only been able to watch as it had occurred.All this
"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