Brendan frowned, his voice filled with irritation. "It's your own responsibility to find your way back, just like how you got here. Are you waiting for me to personally escort you back?""Mr. Brighthall—"Brendan interrupted her sharply, his face exuding a powerful and oppressive aura. "Mrs. Wanner, I spared you from questioning about Deirdre's presence here because of your age. But if you continue to support her, I don't think this job is suitable for you."Mrs. Wanner was rendered speechless, and Deirdre shook her head, disappointed. She took a deep breath, not willing to give up. "Brendan, can you help me one last time? For the sake of the child... if you give me $40,000, I promise to leave immediately and never bother you again!" she pleaded.Brendan turned away, demanding, "Don't make me say it again. Get out of here."Deirdre watched him walk away, her eyes filled with despair. She gnashed her teeth, determined not to shed another tear in front of Brendan.Mrs. Wanner hurri
"I don't need the money, and what's the use of having so much? It's meant for emergencies. If you don't borrow it today, someone else will. Since you're in trouble, just take it," Mrs. Wanner explained, tightly holding Deirdre's hand.Struggling, Deirdre bit her lip for a moment and whispered, "I'll return the money to you.""I know, Ms. McKinnon. That's precisely why I feel at ease lending it to you. Is your friend still in the hospital? Tomorrow morning, my younger son will bring the money to you," Mrs. Wanner said, delighted."Thank you." Deirdre nodded sincerely.Shortly after, a taxi arrived, and Deirdre got into the car. Her mind was filled with the resolute image of Brendan. She would never forget his heartlessness for the rest of her life.When she arrived at the hospital, it was already past 1:00 a.m. Dragging her exhausted body to the third floor, she didn't expect Josie to still be there.As soon as she saw Deirdre, Josie's eyes lit up. Holding her sleeping baby in her
"Mhmm." Deirdre smiled.Later, Deirdre and Josie found an affordable hotel nearby to stay for the night. They had less than six hours of sleep before waking up the next morning to inquire about Joseph's condition. Unfortunately, his legs couldn't be saved, but he didn't want them amputated. He hoped that they could heal, at least to appear intact.However, this would require a significant amount of time and money. Josie and Deirdre were willing to make this sacrifice.Soon, Josie received a call from Mrs. Wanner's son. They met him in the lobby, where he handed over $30,000 in cash to Deirdre.She expressed her immense gratitude, while the son felt slightly embarrassed and said, "You've helped my mom so much. Consider it a loan. There's no need for thanks. If you ever need more money in the future, you have my phone number. I have an extra $15,000 that I won't need for the next few years."Deirdre held back her tears as she accepted the money.After counting the exact amount with
The police officer rudely interrupted her, "What you did can't be considered a mere assault. It's attempted murder. And you did it in front of so many people. As for your claim that Ms. Collins injured your friend first, do you have any evidence?"Deirdre stammered, "N-No...""Well, there you have it. Our police force relies on evidence. Without any evidence, how can we believe your empty words?" The officer's words filled Deirdre with despair.Even if she had evidence, Emily had the power to erase it. As long as Emily insisted on her death, Deirdre wouldn't survive until dawn.After a while, Emily's lawyer finally arrived. Upon seeing Deirdre locked in the cell, the lawyer pushed up his glasses and said, "Ms. McKinnon, you have two options now. You can either be sentenced to prison for attempted murder, which, as a pregnant woman, would last until after the child is born, or... we can settle this privately."Deirdre was astonished, thinking she had misheard. "Settle privately?"
"Here's what I propose. I'll allow you to think it over for a day. I'll come back tomorrow at this time, and I hope you will give me an answer then."After saying that, he turned and left."No need," Deirdre called out to stop him, a cold smile playing on her lips. "No need. I can give you an answer now. I won't give her the $30,000. Let's go to court and send me to prison if you're willing."The lawyer couldn't believe it. He turned around and saw the determination on Deirdre's face, furrowing his brows instantly."Ms. McKinnon, I hope you don't come to such impulsive conclusions. Do you know what kind of outcome you'll face once the judgment is passed?""I know." Deirdre lowered her gaze. "It's precisely because I know I won't exchange someone else's life for my freedom. Whether it's three years, five years, or ten years, it doesn't matter how long you sentence me. If my child ends up in a welfare institution, so be it. But as long as I can get out, I'll exhaust all means to fin
"No..." Josie exclaimed urgently, desperation evident in her voice. "But I really need to discuss an extremely important matter with your CEO! It's a matter of life and death! I don't know what will happen if we delay any longer."The receptionist, skeptical of Josie's claim, replied with a polite smile, "Please leave. If you refuse to leave voluntarily, I'll have to call security."Josie had no choice but to step outside, her heart filled with anxiety and impatience. Just then, a car pulled up beside her, and a tall, muscular figure emerged. He was dressed in a sharp suit and had a cold demeanor that accentuated his striking handsomeness.Brendan, unaware of Josie's presence, continued walking. But she recognized him and hurriedly rushed towards him, calling out, "Mr. Brighthall! Mr. Brighthall!"His assistant, taken aback, quickly blocked her path. "What are you doing?""I need to talk to Mr. Brighthall. He knows me! It's a matter of life and death, Mr. Brighthall! I'm Josie Sch
"Brendan Brighthall, how can you say such things... Are you even human?" Josie exclaimed, holding the child in her arms, who immediately burst into loud wails, sensing the emotional turmoil.Brendan furrowed his brows, finding it somewhat amusing. "Am I even human? What a consistent and boring rhetorical question that comes from all three of you."Deirdre is nothing more than a pastime for me when I'm bored. It's perfectly normal for me to have no feelings for her, isn't it?"On the contrary, she's delusional, thinking I should marry her because she's carrying my child. Everything that has happened is a result of her lack of clarity. If she hadn't indulged in her delusions that I liked her, she would never have ended up in this situation."With those words, Brendan glanced at his wristwatch and briskly walked away.Josie snapped back to her senses and angrily rushed forward, but the assistant intercepted her before she could take more than two steps."Miss, our CEO has made himse
"How do I gather more information?" Emily asked.Ryker glanced at her and replied, "You do it with your own body, of course. Since he likes you, he won't be able to ignore you. As a man, I understand how men think very well. Go meet him tomorrow and dress more provocatively."Emily instantly grasped Ryker's intention, and her face darkened. She pursed her lips and sneered unhappily. "Ryker Wight, what do you mean? You slept with me last night, and now you want me to go to Brendan? How heartless can you be? No wonder you have so many women, but none of them stay with you."Ryker pulled Emily into his embrace. "Are you jealous?"Emily turned her face away. "No, I'm not jealous. I just didn't expect you to be so heartless. You not only use me like this, but you also want me to meet Brendan tomorrow. Aren't you afraid he'll see the marks on me and come after you?"Ryker laughed heartily and held her, his eyes filled with indulgence. "I believe you have the ability to hide those marks