“Charlene! You deserve to die!”Charlene chuckled. The curse was so gentle that she could not be bothered about it. “Deirdre, you’re very naive. How will I forgive you so easily when I hate you so much? You’re the person who robbed me of my life!”‘Rob her of her life?’Deirdre clenched her teeth tightly. She was the one who had saved Brendan, and Charlene went under her name and took her place by undergoing plastic surgery to look like her. Now, Charlene had actually accused her openly that she robbed Charlene of her life?“Tell me, who robbed whose life off?” Deirdre spoke through her gritted teeth.Charlene’s beautiful eyes darkened abruptly. She took a step forward and glared at Deirdre ferociously. “Shut up! If I say that you robbed me of my life, that is the truth, then! If you have the courage to declare otherwise in Brendan’s presence, I will assure you that you won’t end up well!”Charlene grew tired when she had her fill of complacency. She yawned gracefully and said, “
At that moment, Brendan felt his heart wrench in pain violently for no apparent reason.He felt an ineffable anger surge into his head and could not help holding Deirdre’s wrist. “Deirdre? Why are you here?” he asked in rage.Deirdre opened her eyelids ever so slightly and jerked back from unconsciousness to reality by the pain in her wrist. She listened to Brendan’s query and found his remark taunting. Her lips moved when she said, “Where else can I be if not here? Didn’t you make me come here?”The woman’s wrist felt ice cold, and the coldness seeped into Brendan’s palm like an invisible hand. His face turned green with anger. ‘Yes, it was me who made Deirdre come here. Yet, I assumed that Charlene would not make things difficult for Deirdre because she is such a kind woman. Still, she actually punished Deirdre to stand in the cold yard when the temperature is dropping from the impending winter?’Brendan felt his chest hurting and darted a look at the bloody, mushy laceration w
She was under the assumption that her well-coordinated lie would be flawless. Brendan’s expression turned cold, and his dark eyes were rippling with evilness as he stared closely at the speaking servant. “So, you let her punish herself by standing outside just because she said so? You feel no sympathy at all. If she were to tell you that she wanted to commit suicide, would you give her a knife too?”The servant’s face turned ghastly pale in an instant. She hastily defended herself by saying, “No… I wouldn’t… Mr. Brighthall, we’ve already advised Miss McKinnon against doing it, but Miss McKinnon insisted on…”Blood drained from Charlene’s face similarly. She did not expect that Brendan would be so concerned about Deirdre that he would lecture her servants. “Brendan, it’s my fault. I was too tired, so I went upstairs to rest after chatting with Miss McKinnon for a while, and that is why I didn’t notice that she punished herself by standing outside at once.” Charlene expressed her g
Charlene smiled bitterly while the servant cried. “Miss McKinney, your body is so weak, and you haven’t taken a bite of food for the whole night. How can you possibly be by Miss McKinnon’s side at all times?“Mr. Brighthall, this matter is completely unrelated to Miss McKinney. If you wish to put the blame on someone for not stopping Miss McKinnon, blame me!”Both of them chimed in with each other in perfect harmony and put on a perfect act.Brendan relented in the end and suppressed his anger. However, he sounded extremely rigid when he said, “It’s too cold. You should go back into the house first, Charlene. I’ll drop by tomorrow to see you.”“Alright…”Brendan still felt like his head was splitting when he got into the car. His mind was a chaotic mess after standing in the cold wind for a few short minutes. He could not withstand the cold, so he could not imagine how a woman who had just recovered from a severe illness like Deirdre could stand in the cold for so long.‘Did sh
“Yes.”“I wanted to inform you the other day that the homeless man is dead.”Deirdre was incredulous. “He’s dead? How did he die out of nowhere?”Sam’s eyes turned gloomy. “I’m not too sure, but I heard that he died from food poisoning. However, I believe that the matter is certainly not as simple as it seems. I believe that Miss McKinney tried to destroy all the evidence in an attempt to hide her tracks after executing her plan.”Upon hearing that, Deirdre shivered despite not feeling cold and felt a shiver down her spine.‘How can Charlene be so sinister? She took a man’s life!‘On the other hand, Brendan is ridiculous. How will he feel when he finds out one day that the woman he trusts and loves is actually a devil?’She bantered herself in her head and said to Sam, “So, does that mean that dead men tell no tales?”“I thought so too initially.” Sam smirked. “For that, I looked into the homeless man and found nothing useful other than that he had a homeless friend when he was
Brendan felt his rage growing because her smile vanished as well. Sam’s expression was rigid. He greeted his employer before he left respectfully. Brendan shut the door and approached Deirdre step by step before grabbing her lower jaw in a brute manner. The woman could not conceal her panic, and the sight of her hurt Brendan inside. He spoke in a solemn tone. “Smile.”“What?” Deirdre was confused. Brendan exerted more strength in his hand and said, “Don’t you understand? I’m asking you to smile. Why? You can smile so joyously in Sam’s presence, but you pull a long face when I’m around as if you’re mourning the death of a family member?”Deirdre felt her heart racing from the coldness emanating from the man’s body. She clutched the blanket and forced a smile, yet she was caught off guard when Brendan flung her away. “Your smile looks disgusting.”‘Why is her smile in Sam’s presence relaxed and carefree, but her smile is so troubled and agonized when she is with me?’Deirdre
Brendan left the office, but his tightly-furrowed eyebrows had yet to relax. He was worried that Deirdre had been rendered infertile for the rest of her life after the miscarriage of her first child. As for the reason he was worried, the only thing he could think of was that he needed a child.‘Deirdre is the most suitable candidate to provide me with a child now.’He arrived at Deirdre’s room to find Sam guarding the door outside. At the thought of how Deirdre could possibly still be sitting on the toilet bowl and not be properly dressed, his gaze turned colder as he looked toward Sam. “You haven’t gone in the room, right?”Sam kept his head lowered. “No.”Brendan felt relieved. He warned Sam with a cold voice before he entered the room. “Don’t get fancy ideas, and remember your place. Don’t forget what you promised me.”After entering the room, he found Deirdre already shaking in pain on the toilet bowl. He wrapped her in his arms and fed her warm water before calling the doctor
Sam replied, “I’m not very sure.”He was unsure indeed because he had been guarding the door at the time without stepping into the room even for a moment. “Mr. Brighthall talked to the attending physician for a while in the room and left afterward. Why?”Deirdre said with a bitter smile, “It has been close to a week since he last came here.”She had not felt much previously, but the situation was different now. The truth about Bliss’ death had already surfaced, and she wanted to hand the evidence to Brendan so eagerly that she could not wait a moment longer.Sam furrowed his eyebrows, unable to figure out the situation either. However, he tried to pacify her by saying, “Don’t worry, Ms. McKinnon. It’s possible that the company has been busy.”Deirdre did not believe him because she knew that Brendan would still find time to visit the comatose Deirdre on the third floor daily even if he was so busy at work. Nothing could stop him from coming if he wanted to. Besides, it had bee
"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