Brendan looked solemn. "Are you sure that my emotions will no longer get out of control after the counseling?"Emily smiled confidently. "Instead of doubting, Mr. Brighthall, why don't you try it yourself? You'll know then."Brendan was skeptical. Emily lit the incense, which exuded a pungent smell. Especially since the window was closed, Brendan's mood unexpectedly relaxed when he smelled it.Emily took a pocket watch out of her bag and put it in front of Brendan. "Mr. Brighthall, let's start."Brendan fainted, and after an unknown period of time, he gradually woke up. His head was a little heavy, but his body was relaxed."I fell asleep?"Emily was originally sitting far away, but when she heard this, she came over. "Yes, Mr. Brighthall. You were too stressed out and fell asleep quickly during the counseling."Brendan held his forehead. He hadn't slept so soundly for a long time."How long have I been asleep?""Ten hours."Brendan's pupils shrank sharply. Ten hours?He ope
Deirdre blinked and sat up unconsciously. "How was it?""It's not bad. I slept for ten hours, and my mental state feels a lot more stable. If this continues, I won't do that kind of thing again."Deirdre couldn't help being surprised. "Ten hours? That psychologist is so amazing?""Yeah. I've never slept so soundly before."Brendan saw the woman's face through the moonlight, leaned over passionately, and kissed the corner of her lips. He just gave her a peck and soon put his head on Deirdre's shoulder."Deirdre, I'll get better."Deirdre lowered her eyes. Facing Brendan, who had revealed his vulnerable side, she had mixed feelings in her heart, but she mostly felt bad for him. He didn't want to lose control of his emotions, and he had been working hard to control them."Yeah. I'll wait for you."After responding, Brendan twitched the corners of his lips and held Deirdre's fingertips tightly. At such a close distance, he even had the illusion that he could hear her heartbeats.D
Hearing them bicker, Deirdre was slightly annoyed. It felt as if they would argue every time they met. They would've gotten into a fight if they weren't holding back."Stop arguing. It's time for breakfast. Sterry, have you eaten yet?"Sterling said, "Yesterday, I regretted not trying your mother's cooking, so I haven't eaten anything today. You've kept a portion for me, right?"Ophelia came out of the kitchen in a hurry. "Yes! I've specially kept some for you."Deirdre also walked over. "I made egg custard, exactly four of them, one for each of us."She put the egg custard on the serving plate, and before she could take it out, Brendan went to take it himself."I'll do it."He directly took four of the egg custard and placed two in front of him.Deirdre was taken aback. "If you take two of them, what about Sterry?"Brendan looked at him provocatively. "I haven't tasted the egg custard yet. Mr. Fuller, you don't mind if I take two, do you?"Sterling smiled. "Of course, I don'
Deirdre raised her head in astonishment. "You believe me?"Sterling smiled. "Don't put too much burden on yourself. Although I don't like Brendan, he is really not the kind of person who hurts you maliciously and escapes responsibility by blaming it on his illness."I also thought it was strange at first. It stands to reason that even if he took you away, he would not cross the line for the child's sake, but since that happened, it shows that he was acting impulsively, but he has always been relatively calm."Deirdre's pupils trembled. She was happy and excited and pursed her lips. "This is what happened... I couldn't figure it out, but I finally understood it when he said that he had been haunted by nightmares for half a month and would only sleep for three or four hours daily. He has a mental problem, and the symptoms only appeared after he fell ill. He did this to save my mother. I have no reason to just ignore this."With a serious expression, Sterling looked at Deirdre worried
The explanation given by Emily was that his body was too exhausted that it would sleep retributively after feeling relaxed. It would get much better as time passed.At that moment, Deirdre received a call from Declan."Ms. McKinnon, why don't you come to relax at Eastgene with Brendan?"Declan had been busy with the King family's affairs. Yet, not only did he call her today, but he also invited her to go to Eastgene to relax, and it caught her by surprise.She joked, "Seeing that you called to invite me over so suddenly, something good must have happened?"Declan smiled sullenly. "You guessed it right. I have good news."Deirdre was taken aback, "What good news?"Declan kept her guessing. "I'll tell you when you come here."He hung up the phone, but Deirdre couldn't wait until she went over to Eastgene. When Brendan returned, she asked him if he knew what had happened."Declan? He called you because he has good news?""Yeah." Deirdre nodded. "He wanted to invite us to Eastgen
Deirdre was taken aback and slightly embarrassed. "Brendan, that's cheating!""No, it's not," Brendan said seriously. "I won't get the reward until tomorrow. It stands to reason that I should tell you about it tomorrow, but if you want to know in advance, you have to give me a taste first."If Deirdre didn't know what the man was thinking, she might have been fooled by his serious attitude."Are you really just looking for a taste? You are clearly…" She couldn't say it aloud.Brendan knew that she was thin-skinned, so he asked without hesitation, "What is it?"Deirdre lowered her head. "If I kiss you once, you'll tell me?"Brendan smiled. "Yes."Deirdre pursed her lips. Even though she couldn't see him clearly now, she knew that the man was waiting for her kiss. For some reason, something as normal as kissing became slightly awkward and feisty under the man's waiting.Deirdre suppressed the burning heat in her chest and resigned herself to kissing Brendan's lips. She intended t
Brendan said, "That woman was Declan's first love. Now that Cillian is dead, it is only natural for them to be together. After all, Declan still loves her.""No." Deirdre shook her head and said, "If Declan loves that woman, what about Glenna then?""Glenna?" Brendan's eyes showed confusion. "Who is she? Is she related to Declan?"Deirdre was taken aback. "Have you forgotten Glenna?""Is this someone I should remember?" Brendan held his forehead. "Could it be that I knew her? When did it happen?"Deirdre helped him recall. "During the time in Village Alnwick, you met Glenna when you were Kyran, do you remember? She was a friend of Declan's assistant and helped me out so much. She was even the first to notice that you were Kyran."Brendan's face gradually turned pale. He tried to recall, but his brain went blank."It turns out that so many things happened between us. So, I know Glenna?"Deirdre felt uneasy. "What's wrong? You don't remember?""Yeah." Brendan's face turned serio
Brendan forgot about Glenna today, and he wondered… if one day, he would forget himself…-Deirdre notified Sterling on purpose that she would be heading to Eastgene the day after tomorrow.Sterling did not mind, and he prepared the medication for her to bring over."Just take your prescribed medication on time in the next few days of your trip. Remember to exercise more. I'll take you to the hospital to check on the blood clot in your brain when you're back."Deirdre put away the medication. Sterling was meticulous and had prepared a pill box with each dosage properly stored in each compartment. Deirdre did not need to spend any effort to count the pills.Deirdre boarded a flight with Brendan the day after tomorrow. After getting off the plane, Declan came to pick them up in person. He took a glance at Deirdre's growing belly and smiled widely. "When will I be holding my goddaughter?" Brendan replied, "I haven't chosen you as the child's godfather yet.""Your choice doe
"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