"Of course not," Deirdre replied softly, unsure of Brendan's reaction. "But the topic I want to talk about is related to Ryker."Brendan fixed a serious gaze on her."Go on."Since Brendan didn't mention anything else, Deirdre felt relieved, thinking he hadn't noticed what she had done to his milk. She sighed and pretended to be uneasy. "Never mind, it's nothing. After thinking about it, I realize I have nothing to say to you. You should get some rest. I'm leaving."Just as Deirdre was about to walk away, Brendan suddenly grabbed her arm and threw her back onto the bed. He positioned himself over her, making sure to avoid putting pressure on her belly, but his strong arms held her in place, preventing any movement.Deirdre panicked and placed her hands between them."Brendan! What are you doing?""What am I doing?" Brendan stared into her eyes, including the sweaty tip of her nose. "You came to my room out of nowhere, wanting to say something, but then you turned around and refu
Embarrassment flashed across Deirdre's face as she declared, "I'm leaving... Of course, I'm leaving!"She straightened up and made her way toward the door. However, just as she reached for the doorknob, she sensed movement behind her.Suddenly, a muscular arm stretched out from the side and forcefully slammed the door shut, catching Deirdre off guard. Standing closest to her, Brendan emitted erratic hot breaths on the back of her neck."What did you do?" Brendan's question tightened Deirdre's body, but she feigned ignorance."What?""Don't play dumb!" Brendan's grip on her hand tightened.Deirdre inadvertently noticed Brendan's scorching skin."What did you do to that glass of milk? Why do I feel unwell?"Deirdre's pupils twitched. Did Ryker lie to her? Didn't he assure her that Brendan wouldn't be harmed?In the next instant, she turned her head and frantically searched Brendan's body, her teeth chattering nervously. "What's wrong? What's happening? You— Ah!"Brendan abruptl
In an instant, Brendan stabbed the fruit knife toward his arm without hesitation, feeling a sudden pain that brought him back to his senses. Clenching the knife tightly and gritting his teeth, he stumbled toward the bathroom.Unable to see the blood but catching its scent, Deirdre refrained from touching Brendan and gritted her teeth, hastily leaving the room.Downstairs, Frances was still tidying up. Holding her breath, Deirdre urged, "Call the doctor! Tell him to come right away!"Knowing that Brendan had his own family doctor, Frances agreed, but when she picked up the phone, she hesitated and ended up calling Ryker instead."Deirdre wants to call the family doctor?" Ryker feigned ignorance and asked, "What happened?"Frances explained, "Ms. McKinnon was in Mr. Brighthall's room, and then Mr. Brighthall went in. Afterward, Ms. McKinnon rushed out to call the family doctor.""I understand," Ryker replied.Confused by his response, Frances asked, "Mr. Wight, should I call the d
The current Deirdre was the piece of meat that Brendan could feast on. Even if Deirdre's protruding abdomen trembled violently as if it couldn't withstand any torture… Brendan's eyes were red, and he lost his mind and bent down.Desperate, Deirdre searched for something at the top of her head. Upon finding the object, she hesitated for only two seconds before hurling it at Brendan's neck. With a loud thud, Brendan fell headfirst onto her body and toppled sideways.Instinctively, Deirdre supported his head, but the blood on her hand pushed her emotions to the brink. With red eyes and gritted teeth, she rose from the ground, turned off the water, and reached for a bathrobe.As she touched the unconscious man on the ground again, his body still radiated intense heat. The moment her hand made contact, it scalded her. Deirdre's hatred for Ryker intensified.But what surprised her even more was...Deirdre's gaze landed on a certain place, causing her to feel awkward. After struggling fo
The family doctor went upstairs, followed by Frances, but Deirdre stopped her. "You don't need to come up! Just wait downstairs.""Ms. McKinnon, since your eyesight is not good and the doctor needs to take care of Mr. Brighthall, I can be of great help by staying by your side," Frances offered.Deirdre was aware of Frances' potential assistance, but Brendan's unique condition made her cautious. Frances could be a spy for Ryker, so Deirdre couldn't reveal the truth."It's not a big issue. I'll manage alone in the room. You can go downstairs and make some tea. I'll come down and have it later," Deirdre replied firmly.With that, Deirdre entered the room with the family doctor and closed the door.The family doctor was stunned when he saw Brendan lying unconscious on the carpet, blood on the back of his neck."He was drugged! I'm pregnant, and if I didn't knock him out, something bad would have happened!" Deirdre explained.The family doctor snapped out of his daze, realizing that
"Mhmm." Deirdre replied quickly, "He's much better now. The fever has subsided.""That's good," said the family doctor, pointing to the prescription. "I've prescribed some medicine for Mr. Brighthall. Boil it for him tomorrow morning. As for the wounds on his arm and the back of his neck, I'll come by later to re-dress them.""Alright, thank you," nodded Deirdre.The family doctor didn't linger for long as it was late and quickly left with his medicinal kit.Before heading back upstairs to her room, Deirdre instructed Frances.Closing the door behind her, she felt an intense ache in her lower back, making it difficult to stand up straight. Her face displayed a complex expression as certain images flashed through her mind—shame and uneasiness made it hard for her to lift her head.Fortunately, today's incident had finally come to an end. Deirdre cleaned herself up in the bathroom and lay in bed, contemplating how she would explain everything to Brendan the next day.However, Bren
"I admit I didn't consider that aspect thoroughly," Ryker replied casually as if the idea had occurred to him on a whim. "It was sudden, and I thought it would be the most convenient and efficient way, so I acted impulsively."Deirdre didn't look pleased. "Even if it was impulsive, you're still a doctor.""Yes, that's why I'll wholeheartedly face this collaboration with Ms. McKinnon," Ryker said sincerely. "For instance, I'll answer one question for you."Deirdre held her breath. The truth was within reach now."I believe you have many questions in your mind. I can give you an opportunity to have your doubts answered." Ryker smiled with interest.Deirdre clenched her palm. The answer seemed urgent, but she hesitated."I'll give you one chance, Ms. McKinnon. But certain private and confidential topics won't be disclosed," Ryker warned.Deirdre's gaze darkened. "You said you want something from Brendan, but I've never heard of your group. You're not from Neve, right? Where are you
Deirdre took a deep breath and held her head high with effort. "Isn't this normal? Ever since I married Brendan, I've been nothing but a joke. He doesn't love me. He sees me as a substitute, and maybe we developed genuine feelings along the way, but—""But he has forgotten about that connection," Ryker replied, smiling.Deirdre clenched her fists. "Yes.""I never expected your emotions to be so turbulent. I apologize. I didn't intend for it to be this way. Alas, to achieve my goals, I must proceed like this," Ryker said, showing no remorse.Deirdre lowered her head. "You don't have to make yourself sound righteous. And even if you did, what can I do to you, especially when you specifically aimed to destroy this relationship?""It's not the same," Ryker said firmly. "Deep down, I genuinely respect you. In fact, this is also a good thing for you. After all, Brendan is not worthy of you."The last sentence left Deirdre stunned. Brendan was not worthy of her?She couldn't understand