"It's a pleasure to meet you." Declan took it upon himself to extend his hand without any arrogance of a powerful person.Sterling had a rather good impression of Declan. He could see that Declan's eyes were filled with craftiness and that he was extremely intelligent, so it was hard for him to associate Declan with being a victim of hypnosis. Declan did not seem like one."I'm here today to check on Ms. McKinnon's condition. Are you doing alright, Ms. McKinnon?"Deirdre nodded. "I haven't felt any pain since I regained consciousness. I think that I should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow."Fionn said in a friendly tone from outside, "Dr. Fuller, you're a doctor, so can I seek your help on my small health issue in private? I would like to talk to you."Sterling was summoned away, so Declan took the opportunity to shut the door and said in a joking tone, "Both of you are really unlucky that you are sick together."Deirdre could not help clutching the blanket tightly. "What
"I think it would be very easy for someone to do something to him out of ill intentions."Deirdre raised her head abruptly, and her pupils were shaking intensely. "Where is he now?'"Emily took him away, so I don't know his specific location either."Deirdre clenched her fists tightly and had an uneasy feeling in her chest. She knew that hypnosis could be used to overload anyone's mental state so much that it could be fatal. It would be as easy as breathing for Emily to get to work now indeed, but…Deirdre inhaled a deep breath. "Are you sure that you're telling the truth, Mr. King? Is Brendan really dispirited?"Declan smiled nonchalantly. "Deirdre."The term of address brought both of them closer instantly. It felt as if they were parting ways after their previous meeting."I am Brendan's good friend, but I'm your friend similarly. I wouldn't come and talk to you if Brendan was not behaving strangely. Could it be that you don't find it strange when he picked a fight at the s
"It's because even Brendan didn't know what was happening to himself. He didn't dare to meet me after the incident. He is ridden with self-guilt and dispirited. It's very apparent that his mental health is not doing so well—"Sterling interrupted her with a soft voice. "Deirdre, are you really willing to accept this explanation?"I witnessed him hurting you today with my own eyes. He behaved like a madman and injured others without any concern for others in the street just because he was jealous. If you were to claim that he behaved that way because he was sick, he should be receiving psychiatric treatment in an institution then. Why is he still living a good life out there?"Sterling heaved a sigh. "Or is it because you still can't move on in your heart?"Deirdre was stunned. Soon afterward, she bit her lower lip and said, "That is not the case, Sterling. Brendan is having some issues with his mental health…only that it's not that serious. He is also looking for a psychiatrist to
Brendan could be hurt by someone's revenge, but she would not allow this to happen to him.If that was the case, she would feel that she played a role in his demise."Sterling… I'm sorry." Her head was humming for a long time, and she could only utter that when she was jolted back to reality. "I've disappointed you."Sterling shut his eyes and felt mixed feelings surging in his chest. "Forget it."Deirdre raised her head. Sterling said softly, "If you insist on returning to him, I have nothing else to say. You care for him, and I won't make you leave him."Sterling looked at her and said in a righteous tone, "However, if Brendan hurts you, I won't just idle around and do nothing either."Deirdre raised her head in astonishment. Sterling said in a self-mocking tone, "Or do you find that I'm meddling with your matters?""No." Deirdre shook her head strenuously and smiled in a gratified manner, with tears welling up in her eyes. "I just thought that you'd be utterly disappointe
"Even though I'm going back to my city, it doesn't mean that we won't see each other anymore in the future, right?" Deirdre bent over to appease Aurora. "You can come to visit me at my place during the festivities, and I'll take you to many fun places and eat all the desserts you want."Aurora's eyes were shining brightly. She was still a child, so she got distracted by the fun places and delicious food quickly. Deirdre nodded. "You may ask Uncle Declan if you don't believe me."Declan smirked and answered, "That's right. I'll take you there myself by then, I promise."Aurora loosened her grip over Deirdre unwillingly in the meantime. She waved her hand with great effort at Deirdre before she got into the car.Deirdre could only see Aurora's blurry movements and nodded to express her acknowledgment.After the car drove away, Declan looked behind Deirdre and asked, "Where's Sterling?""He's going to drive over the car, and he's bringing me breakfast on his way here."Upon heari
Deirdre found it incredulous because Brendan used to be such an arrogant person. He would never allow himself to show his weakness in the presence of others, even if it was just a stranger that he had never met before.Yet, he tolerated those strange glances now.Deirdre felt her chest wrenched in intense pain. She was in so much pain that she furrowed her eyebrows and could not refrain from taking a step forward.She stopped before Brendan. He was stunned for a moment and then raised his head, and his body became frozen soon afterward."Are you looking for me?" Deirdre made herself sound calm with great effort. Brendan's eyes were bloodshot. He stood up abruptly, and a moment before he wrapped his arms around Deirdre, his movements halted to a stop. "Are you not discharged from the hospital yet, Deirdre?"Deirdre behaved like her usual self. "I am discharged, but I'm waiting for Sterling to pick me up. He is getting the car."Emotions gathered in Brendan's eyes for two secon
"Deirdre, what happened?" Sterling got out of the car and walked in the direction where Brendan left.He did not expect that Brendan would come and leave so swiftly. Moreover, he could tell that something was very off with the atmosphere earlier.Deirdre put up with it by shutting her eyes, her eyelashes batting intensely. "Sterling, Brendan wants you to take me with you.""What!?" Sterling was astounded. "Did Brendan really say that?"Deirdre was weighed down with anxiety. "He said that he would hurt me if he was near me. Even if he didn't hurt me badly this time, he would hurt me badly one day. He refused to let that happen, so he left."Sterling furrowed his eyebrows tightly. He recognized that Brendan did not seem to be making up excuses for himself. However, he wondered if Brendan would make such a huge sacrifice willingly.The act of pushing away Deirdre did not seem like something Brendan would do unless…Sterling pondered with great effort but could not figure out how Br
"I'm not. I really am worried about you. It's only that I've been busy with something recently."Glenna could hear the gloominess of Deirdre's voice, so she asked in an exploratory manner, "What is it?"Deirdre hesitated for a short while and wondered if she should say it. "Glenna, do you know who Cillian King is?"Glenna paused for a moment and said in an unnatural tone, "Naturally, I know who he is. Cillian is that son of a b*tch's older brother. Isn't he dead already? Why did you bring him up?"'Son of a b*tch…'Deirdre almost choked on her saliva. She thought about how Glenna loved hard and hated harder. "I've been staying at Declan's villa all this time, and I've discovered that Laura caused Cillain's death through my investigation."The other end of the phone was quiet for a few seconds. Soon afterward, a sharp gasp sounded. "Hold on! It's possible that my mind is not so sober now. I will need to verify first, but have I misheard? Did you mention earlier that… Laura kille
"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