Was the person he hugged Deirdre McKinnon? Was the person the stubborn Deirdre who wouldn’t stop provoking him?Why did it seem like he was hugging a cold, lifeless corpse?Brendan couldn’t even sense her breath. This made him worried. Before he could recollect himself, he had strode into the house and rushed upstairs.Everyone in the living room was shocked, looking at Brendan rushing in. His eyes reddened while carrying Deirdre, who was in a life-threatening phase. They were surprised to see the panic on Brendan’s face, which didn’t appear even when the Brighthall Group was placed in a menacing state.Brendan turned on the hot water tap of the bathtub and put her in. “Deirdre! Deirdre!”He gnashed his teeth and commanded, “Wake up! Do you hear me!?”Why would it turn out like this when he merely wanted to punish her by locking her in the storehouse?Brendan couldn’t figure it out and never knew the punishment would eventually fall on him.Brendan was afraid. He was afraid tha
Before the doctor could finish his sentence, he realized who he was speaking to and immediately shut his mouth. However, he had not thought that Brendan didn’t even frown. He merely locked his gaze on the woman lying on the bed.The doctor was stunned. When Brendan recollected himself, he asked, “When will she wake up?”“I’m not sure, probably the latest on the second night.”“Okay.”After seeing the doctor off, Brendan returned to the room. While looking at the pale face of Deirdre and the beads of sweat dripping from her forehead, he sat at the edge of the bed, feeling complicated.After a day, Brendan had remained like this.Deirdre finally woke up from the nightmare. She opened her eyes, short of breath. The moment she sat up, she laughed at herself.Was ‘luck’ the only advantage she had now? She actually survived under that condition…She touched her cold face, just to realize through her sixth sense that someone else was in the room.“Sam, is that you?” Deirdre asked in
Deirdre waited for quite some time to ensure that there wasn’t any movement outside before she tried to get off the bed.She was so thirsty that she simply pulled out a coat from the wardrobe, put it on, and went downstairs. After satisfying her thirst, she heard footsteps approaching. When she was assured that the sound didn’t belong to Brendan, she asked, “Sam, is that you?”The man outside scratched his head in embarrassment and chuckled. “Miss McKinnon, you’re mistaken. I’m not Sam but Sawyer.”“Sawyer?”The man quickly introduced himself. “Sam and I are the bodyguards of Mr. Brighthall. We used to meet in the past, but I think you can recall who I am now.”Following that, he felt rather guilty because he used to mock Deirdre a lot because she was both ugly and blind. However, the incident yesterday night made him somewhat realize the status of Deirdre to Brendan. Hence, it was best for him if Deirdre could not recall.In fact, Deirdre couldn’t recall it. After all, many had
Brendan furrowed his eyebrows. “Stop flattering yourself, Deirdre.”“Am I wrong though? He defied your order when he saved me from the storeroom, so you were pissed off and punished him in that manner, right?” Deirdre thought about how anyone who helped her would end up in a tragic state and smiled bitterly.“In your perception, I deserve to die, right?”“Deirdre!” Brendan said in a stern voice, his dark eyes tainted with coldness. “Your survival is none of my business, nor is Sam being sent to the casino. He’s only sent back to where he’s supposed to be!”Deirdre’s eyes reddened with tears. “Let him come back. I shall acknowledge my mistake to you, Brendan.”She was most afraid of someone else suffering hardships because of her. “If you feel it’s infuriating that I was saved, I will go to the storeroom, and you can keep me there for ten days to two weeks!”Brendan took a step forward and clutched Deirdre's lower jaw so hard that she took a step back from the pain. She pushed h
Deirdre’s eyes were bloodshot, and she bit her lower lip tightly. “I didn’t…”“Charlene shuts herself in the room and refuses to eat now because of you, and you’re still stubbornly denying it?” Brendan was laughing from anger, his eyes bursting with coldness. “I thought you were begging for Sam to come back? Sure, if you can make Charlene forgive you, I’ll let bygones be bygones!”‘Make Charlene forgive me?’Deirdre felt her heart wrench in pain violently. He wanted her to beg the woman who killed Bliss for forgiveness? More importantly, Charlene would never let her off easily after seizing the opportunity with great effort.Brendan sneered. “How is it? Do you still want your Sam back?”He used the words ‘your Sam’ to mock her. Deirdre swallowed the bitterness in her throat, but her heavily damaged heart was still hurting. She could not care anymore. Would she still be afraid of being tormented when she had almost lost her life?“Sure, I’ll seek Charlene’s forgiveness if you ca
Deirdre was stunned for a moment. She could obviously tell from the servant’s tone what it meant by Brendan and Charlene being in the room by themselves. Deirdre felt unusually disgusted by the thought of Brendan raping her when he was already sleeping with Charlene. She suppressed the acid reflux in her stomach with great effort and said, “When will Brendan leave the room?”The servant smiled and said, “I’m not too sure about that. Perhaps Mr. Brighthall will be down in an hour or two.”Sawyer felt slightly uneasy because the servant’s remark was too strange. He immediately said, “Please let Miss McKinnon and I enter the house first. Miss McKinnon caught a cold yesterday, and her body is weak, so she can’t stand waiting in the cold wind. We’ll wait in the living room.”The servant’s gaze changed for a moment before she forced a smile. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have the right to invite a visitor into the living room without Miss McKinney’s order. If it’s fine with you, please just w
“She is your wife and has no fear of being harmed in any way… What is so different about her and me? Is it only because she is your first woman?”Brendan furrowed his eyebrows ever so slightly, yet he could not answer her question. He knew that everything felt very natural when he was with Deirdre while he resisted Charlene’s physical interaction with him.Perhaps it was because he still could not accept having intimate interaction with Charlene as a married man.“Don’t overthink this.” In the end, Brendan gave this answer while attempting to move her hand away. Charlene’s eyes were reddened with tears, and she hugged him tightly to stop him from moving. “I can’t stop myself from overthinking. Brendan, why can’t you accept me if you can accept Deirdre? We have been together for such a long time, yet we have never engaged in lovers’ intimacy. Could it be that you want me to do nothing while I watch Deirdre sleep with you?”She wept profusely. Brendan’s body was stiff as he watch
It was apparent that it was a critical situation judging by Brendan’s sternness. Sawyer did not have the courage to procrastinate, so he hastily asked, “What happened, Mr. Brighthall?”“Someone stirred up trouble and got several people injured. Sam was one of them, and his condition is quite critical.”Brendan described Sam’s condition as quite critical, so the critical level would surely be unusually bad in reality. Sawyer hastily opened the car door for Brendan. The latter was about to get into the car when Deirdre suddenly grabbed his arm.“Brendan, who did you say is injured? Is Sam injured? How bad is his injury?”There was no telling if her face was pale from the cold or scared out of her wits from overhearing the conversation. Brendan’s face was filled with evil emotions. He clutched her hand and pulled it away by force. “This is not an issue that you should concern yourself with. The pressing matter for you now is to figure out a way to make Charlene forgive you.”Deirdr
"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