Afterward, Declan had to return to the company, so it became inconvenient for Deirdre and Brendan to stay for long, and they quickly left the villa.On the way, Brenda asked, "What did you talk about with Laura?"Deirdre leaned her head on his shoulder and looked up at him with her beautiful eyes shimmering, telling him what Laura had said before.After listening, Brendan was surprised. "Declan deliberately toyed with Glenna? How is that possible? What could have caused Declan to hate her so much?""I know." Deirdre also frowned. "This is something I can't figure out no matter what. If I remember correctly, Glenna and Declan only met after I introduced them. At that time, they were just common friends, but there was certainly no hatred between them. Unless after I left, Glenna did something to cause Declan to hate her so much."Do you know what happened between them afterward?" Deirdre asked.Brendan pursed his lips, his black eyes deep in thought before answering, "I don't know.
"It's true… I am the victim," Glenna agreed, lost in thought for a moment before asking, "Deirdre, if you were me, what would you do?"Glenna was trapped in confusion and sinking deeper into the quagmire.Meanwhile, Deirdre was taken aback, perhaps not expecting this question. When she came to her senses, she lowered her eyes and pursed her lips as she thought. If she were Glenna?If Brendan were to toy with her, insult her, trample on her dignity like a different person, and marry another woman, Deirdre thought she would probably break down."Although I don't know if I would be as brave as you, I hope that if I ever encounter this situation, I can be as free-spirited as you are," Deirdre replied truthfully.Looking at Deirdre's serious expression, Glenna took a deep breath. "Let's not talk about this anymore. After all, I have calmed down a lot after staying here for a couple of days. Since this is not the relationship I can have, I'm giving up. I plan to go to Erden to develop
Glenna stared at Declan's black eyes, which were narrowed with merciless mockery.Suddenly, a cold chill swept over her, and she took a deep breath and looked away.Declan followed closely behind and lit a cigarette, his smiling eyes now devoid of any humor as he leaned against the car.Glenna clenched her fists, trying to stay calm, and asked, "What do you want to say?"Declan took a puff of smoke and blew out a cloud of white mist as he spoke. "Two months ago, you gave yourself to me. Do you remember?"Glenna was stunned for a moment, her face distorted with anger. She wanted nothing more than to rush over and slap Declan.Declan looked at her with condescension, the shadow of the sunlight falling on her, and he repeated, "You gave yourself to me, do you remember?"Glenna trembled all over, her rational mind telling her she couldn't beat Declan."What do you want to say?" she asked."I took a picture," Declan replied.Glenna's eyes widened in shock."Just the picture you w
Fionn's face froze up. Meanwhile, Declan ignored him and walked toward Deirdre and Brendan. Deirdre had already heard the news from Brendan that Glenna had left suddenly by car. Seeing Declan coming over, she asked in a hurry, "What happened, Mr. King? Why did Glenna leave by a car suddenly? Did you say something to her?""I did," Declan said calmly. "I told her never again to set foot in Eastgene in this lifetime."Deirdre couldn't believe it. She was stunned, as if she was struck by lightning. No wonder Glenna had left in such a hasty manner. It was impossible for anyone not to be upset after hearing that.She frowned and looked at Declan in front of her as if he was a stranger. "Why? What happened between you and Glenna? She has never betrayed you. If you don't like her, you can just leave her. Why are you so heartless to her!?"Declan wasn't upset by Deirdre's angry questioning. Instead, he said softly, "Ms. McKinnon, when it comes to relationships, only the people involved h
Fionn nodded. "No problem, Ms. McKinnon, just leave it to me."Deirdre pursed her lips. She didn't want to care about Declan, but if Declan had changed because Laura manipulated him, then everything that had happened would be justified…After that, Fionn drove Brendan and Deirdre to the hotel. When Deirdre arrived at the hotel, she was not in high spirits. Instead, she instantly went to lie on the bed. Brendan kissed the corner of her lips and went to the living room to work.Then, Deirdre fell asleep. When she was half awake, she heard Brendan call someone on the phone, asking if there was any other way and when they could arrive with a solemn tone.She woke up, rubbed her eyes, and asked, "Brendan, who are you calling? Is someone coming?"Brendan immediately cut off the phone. "You're awake?"Deirdre shook her head, still feeling sleepy. "I need to sleep for a while more.""Okay, you sleep for a while. I will accompany you."Although he said he would accompany her, Brendan wa
"Maybe he thinks the hotel room is more convenient since it's just downstairs.""That makes sense." Fionn didn't doubt her. "I'll help you over there.""Alright."-Inside the room…Just as Emily lit the incense, Brendan pushed the door open. His handsome face was tense, and his brows were slightly frowned as he went straight to the side seat and sat down without even looking at Emily."Hurry up."Holding his aching forehead, he didn't fall asleep for a long time. For several days in a row, he hadn't just slept for two or three hours, but he hadn't slept at all.Before he finally couldn't hold on anymore, he had no choice but to call Emily and ask her to come over and treat him.Emily blew out the match and smiled charmingly before she leaned against the counter while she looked lazily at Brendan and teasingly said, "Mr. Brighthall, are you in such a hurry because you're worried that Ms. McKinnon will find out?"Thinking of the scene this morning, Brendan felt vaguely uneasy.
"Do you want to go in now?"Deirdre nodded. She wanted to know what secrets Brendan was hiding.As soon as Fionn opened the door with the key card, Deirdre anxiously pushed the door open. Because Brendan and Emily were in the living room, Deirdre saw the huddled figures without any hindrance. Even though she couldn't see clearly, the intertwined shadows still made Deirdre's pupils constrict."Ms. McKinnon?" Emily hurriedly pushed away Brendan's hand on her waist with a flustered expression. "A-Aren't you already asleep? Why are you here so late?"Deirdre felt giddy as if a gust of gas went from her chest to her brain. She had assumed she would never catch her man cheating on her red-handed in this life. But when she saw this scene, she was still shocked and disgusted.She also finally understood what the perfume on Brendan's body was all about. It turned out that Brendan would go downstairs to Emily's room every night when she fell asleep, and when she woke up, he would continue t
Was Deirdre so stupid in Brendan's eyes that she couldn't even tell if two people were hugging each other?Brendan was flabbergasted for a moment. His brows were slightly frowned, and his handsome face was tense. He felt dizzy and suffocated under the throbbing headache."Deirdre, don't be so unreasonable."Deirdre paused and then laughed, but there was no joy in her eyes."I'm sorry, but I love to be unreasonable. I just like to make trouble for no reason. Since you don't like it, then there's no need for me to continue being an eyesore here. Go ahead."She turned around and went out. Fionn immediately chased after her. "Ms. McKinnon!"Brendan was about to follow her, but his vision went dark, and he fell down on the sofa and passed out.Just then, Deirdre walked out of the room quickly, her body still trembling with anger. Fionn followed behind her, but he was completely stunned. It was undeniable that Brendan loved Deirdre from the bottom of his heart, which he had witnessed
"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