"My elder brother forced her to do that against her will, and she couldn't resist him because she would be badly beaten up for doing that. She could only survive by showing obedience and following his order."She has been living in guilt and regret all this time. She doesn't have the courage to get close to me out of fear after a long time, and she can only be herself again after my elder brother's passing."Hence, I don't blame her, but I want to protect her more."Deirdre expressed her hesitation. "How about Glenna then?"The woman's beautiful face flashed past Declan's mind. Soon afterward, he frowned deeply and sounded rather uneasy when he said, "Why are you bringing her up out of nowhere?"Deirdre said, "She's a friend of Fionn, right? Is she attending your wedding?""I didn't invite her." Declan's expression was calm. Deirdre could not help feeling surprised. "Why? I thought you two have always been close?""That was the past." Declan's tone was tainted with a tinge of
Deirdre was still caught in a daze after arriving at the hotel. Brendan wrapped her in his arms and shielded her from the wind while they were waiting for the car ride. “What’s going on? You’ve been spaced out from the time you dropped the glass earlier. What’s on your mind?”Deirdre suppressed her astonishment and said, “When did Cillian pass away?”“Five days ago.”Deirdre furrowed her eyebrows. “Didn’t you say that he was involved in a motor vehicle accident two months ago?”Brendan pushed away the messy hair from her face with a smile. “He was involved in a motor vehicle accident two months ago but didn’t die at the time. He was diagnosed with a persistent vegetative state, and he was put to rest in the Kings’ family home. Laura was tasked to care for him.“However, he didn’t pull through in the end and passed away. However, I think that it is a relief for Cillian in a sense. After all, it would be very hard for him to regain consciousness from his vegetative state, so it
Fionn scratched his head in embarrassment. "I wish that I deserve your compliment. I'm holding more responsibility and taking over more tasks now, so it's only natural that I become more adept at my work."Deirdre smirked and came to realize something. "Is Glenna coming?"You can tell her that I'm here if she is in Eastgene. It's a coincidence that I haven't gotten in touch or met her for a long time."Deirdre made a casual remark but did not hope for Glenna to come because the latter would not feel good to see Declan and Laura getting married. She did not expect that Fionn would say, "How do you know that Glenna is in Eastgene, Ms. McKinnon?" "Is she in Eastgene?" Deirdre was even more astonished. Fionn hastily said, "Don't ever let Mr. King find out about this. If he were to know…If he were to know…"He could not give a reason. Deirdre asked, "Do you know something that is difficult to disclose?"Fionn gave a forced chuckle. "It's not something that is difficult to dis
Fionn felt very troubled in his heart as well. "I'm only speculating! It's just speculation! It's not real!"Deirdre was overwhelmed with emotions. "I don't think that Declan is that kind of person."Brendan chuckled and said, "He is not, indeed. However, Fionn could be right too. I think that only the people involved would know."The car stopped in front of the hotel. Deirdre said to Fionn when she got out of the car, "Can you find an opportunity for me to meet Glenna once?"Fionn said, "I'll attempt to reach out to her. In truth, it has been a long time since I connected with Glenna because she is very secretive.""Thank you for doing this. Please let me know if you have any updates."Fionn said, 'You're welcome' repeatedly. He did not have the time to take them to their room because he was busy. The hotel's staff member guided them to the room. Deirdre lay on the bed on her side. She asked Brendan, "What are your thoughts on today's matter?"Brendan removed his tie with one
Upon saying that, Deirdre looked toward Laura with slight puzzlement in her eyes. "Why did you suddenly bring up Glenna to me, Ms. Smith? Could it be that you know her?"Laura's expression changed ever so slightly. She smiled and said, "I know her, of course. However, we are only acquaintances, but I'm slightly curious about her.""Curious?" Laura said, "I heard about Glenna from Decky, so I'm curious about… how they know each other and became close friends."Suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, Deirdre said, "Isn't it better for you to ask Mr. King about his close friend? I'm just an outsider, so I won't know any better than the people involved."Laura gave a forced chuckle. "You may not know, but Decky and Ms. Glasser got into a slight conflict. Even though they didn't go to the extent of becoming completely estranged, Decky doesn't wish to hear anything about Ms. Glasser anymore."Deirdre was astounded. "How did that happen?"Laura heaved a sigh. "I'm not too sure e
Deirdre was incredulous. “Glenna? It really is you? I thought that I must have misheard. What brings you here?”Glenna looked around and pulled Deirdre to a deserted corner. She appeared to have mixed feelings.“Deirdre, I heard about you and Brendan getting back together. I’m sorry that I didn’t have the time to visit you in Neve all this time.”Deirdre shook her head. “That is not the point at all. What happened between you and Declan? I heard Fionn that you were almost dating. However, what is going on with Declan and Laura then? Why did you lose contact but suddenly show up at the wedding venue?"All sorts of questions filled her mind. Glenna managed to find joy in adversity somehow. “I don’t know which questions of yours I should answer when you ask so many questions.”“Let’s talk about you and Declan first. What happened between you and him?”Glenna removed her mask and leaned against the counter with a dazed gaze. “Him and me… In truth, it would be very complicated to ta
"I don't have evidence to prove that Laura did something to Declan indeed. Hence, before I get the evidence…" Glenna clenched her fists tightly. "They can't get married."Deirdre was stunned. "What are you going to do?"Glenna inhaled a deep breath, grabbed Deirdre's arm, and said, "Deirdre, I'm going to ruin the wedding!""If you're willing to trust me, I need your help. If you don't want to get yourself involved in this trouble, just consider that you haven't seen me, and I'll handle this myself."Deirdre heaved a sigh. "How can I possibly leave you at this point?"What's your plan? Let me see how I can help you."Glenna hugged her in excitement and burst into tears beyond her control. "You're the best, Deirdre."Deirdre patted her back. Deirdre put herself in Glenna's shoes and felt that she would probably not be able to be as bold as Glenna if Brendan were to suddenly hate her out of nowhere and be good to another woman.Glenna's current plan was so arduous that the man t
"Behaving like a different person?" Brendan recalled and said, "Our interaction was fine. He didn't seem like a changed person, but if I were to pinpoint the change, he cares way more for Laura than before, perhaps because they are getting married."Deirdre had mixed feelings. Afterward, Brendan took her with him to socialize with others and addressed him as his wife when he introduced her. Deirdre did not refute but devoted her full attention to the wedding venue. At long last, it was time for Declan to wait for his wife to walk down the aisle. Perhaps they wanted a simple ceremony. Declan did not even have a wedding officiant at the scene, but only music played in the background. Laura wore a wedding gown, walked down the aisle from the dressing room to the arbor across the carpeted floor, and exchanged vows with Declan.Deirdre's palms were sweaty. Music was playing in the background, and Laura was walking out of the dressing room, yet there was still no commotion at the ent
"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