Steven hung up the phone and assumed a guilty expression. Next to him, Charlene was filing her nails when she darted a look at Steven and said in a carefree manner, “Steven, you and I are in this together. If you don’t handle this matter thoroughly, both of us will end up meeting a bad end when Brendan finds out that we’ve been involved in this. Do you understand?”Steven nodded with difficulty. He had always abided by Brendan’s orders, and Brendan had ordered him to obey Charlene’s instructions. However, he had not expected that the situation would grow more and more serious until it could not even be dealt with properly. Deirdre was disfigured, she had lost her child, and her eyes were now blind. “That damned Deirdre is still creating problems even after being disfigured and blinded!” Charlene clutched the nail filer so tightly that it cut her palm and made it bleed. Her eyes were filled with resentment when she said, “She’s still trying to seduce Brendan and use her disability
Deirdre wanted to hurt him even more. “I found it disgusting! I kept feeling disgusted about being pregnant with your child! I regretted being with you in the past, and if I could turn back time, I’d wish I’d never met you in my life!”Brendan felt as if he had been stabbed in his heart. Soon, he was struck by rage and astonishment. ‘Deirdre adored me deeply, and that is an indisputable truth. ‘However, she is actually claiming that she was disgusted and that she regretted being with me because of Sterling?’“Good, very well! Deirdre, you’re trying to challenge me, right? Do you think that I’m a good-natured person just because I haven’t punished you?”Brendan pinched Deirdre’s chin. “I don’t care if you really mean what you said. I’m going to make you regret saying those words to me!”Brendan left after slamming the door on her. Deirdre held her chest with her hands tightly. She was in so much pain that she felt suffocated, yet she remembered Brendan’s remark before he left.
Sterling’s expression grew solemn while Deirdre burrowed her face into his chest. He said through clenched teeth, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but you already violated the hospital’s privacy policy when you recorded a video in the hospital. Please make way! We’re leaving!”Someone shouted aloud amid the chaos, “They’re all equally bad!”Soon, heavy objects were flung at them. These people had actually begun to attack them!Someone grabbed the drip stand on the side and swung it at Deirdre’s back. Sterling hastily turned Deirdre to the other side, yet his back was inevitably struck. Deirdre heard Sterling’s muffled grunt and asked hastily, “Sterling? What happened? Are you alright? Which part of your body is injured?”“I’m alright.”“You’re lying!” Tears streamed down Deirdre’s face. “You should go! These people are here for me. Please leave, I’m begging you! Don’t get injured because of me again!”Instead, Sterling hugged her tighter and said, “Deirdre, it would b
Charlene dug her nails deep into her palm, her face going pale. ”Bren!” she called out as she stepped forward. “The media is here! We have to go—now—before someone notices you here in the hospital and we have no idea how to explain it!A storm of impatience and frustration pooled in Brendan’s eyes. Why was the media here?He turned to Deirdre sharply. “Come back to me. There’s still time.”“No, thanks, Mr. Brighthall,” Sterling parried pointedly. His back—his entire body, in fact—still hurt from the impact, but he would not compromise when it came to protecting Deirdre. He hugged her even more tightly. He shot Brendan a steely glare, his eyes sharp as daggers. “You have no reason to trouble yourself, Mr. Brighthall. I’ll take care of Dee just fine.”“Sterling Fuller! You son of a b*tch! You think you’re worth jacksh*t to be able to defy me?!” Brendan bellowed. He was livid. Then, the media broke inside, getting stuck on the backdoor in a stampede. They wielded their camera stic
The voice sounded youthful. It belonged to a woman—a furious young woman.Deirdre could feel her heart shrinking in dread. “Who are you?”“Who am I? Who am I?!” Eva Heinemann sized Deirdre up with unreserved contempt. “Sterling is doomed because of you! Because of a stupid, irritating blind woman like you!”Deirdre grabbed the fabric of her own dress. “What happened to Sterry?”“What happened? Ha! Do you know how much Sterling has sacrificed to protect you? They took his picture—the media took his picture and spread it all over the internet, and now he’s doxxed! The internet is canceling him! Do you know how big of a deal this is to a doctor? Saving and curing people is literally his job! And now, thanks to you, he can’t ever work in a public hospital again!“And that Brendan Brighthall—he led the charge to cancel the Fuller family! Do you know that? Any deal his business ventures made that was even remotely connected to the Fullers has been automatically voided, but oh, there is
The man sounded impassioned, and yet Deirdre shivered. She was terrified. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Brendan had been waiting for a long time, his legs perfectly overlapping atop one another, his eyes settling on Deirdre’s suitcase before they turned stormy. His hands around the armrests tightened. “You even packed all your things!” He mocked her. “Lemme guess. Had nothing ruined your plan—say, had Sterling not gotten into the biggest trouble of his life—the two of you would have been on your way, merrily eloping!”Deirdre instinctively stepped between him and her suitcase. She dropped her eyes low and ignored his remark altogether. “Leave Sterry alone, okay?”“Sterry?” The intimacy of that nickname made Brendan’s ears bleed. He grazed the black diamond hooped over his ring finger and fidgeted with it slowly, almost as though to let out some of the fury burning in his eyes. “Why should I? He challenged me, didn’t he? Strutting around like some big d*mn white
“Sh*t, you don’t want this?” Brendan growled. His hands had turned into fists, and his eyes were nailed on Deirdre.This woman had scraped her knees for Sterling. Stripped for Sterling. She had no f*cking concept of shame if it meant he would leave that b*stard alone. And yet, the moment he wanted her to please him sexually—she balked!She balked at the thought of pleasing him, Brendan Brighthall! She balked as though she was refusing to court the Devil himself! Did she know just how many women would throw themselves at him and see the invitation as a privilege? So many women would wish they were in Deirdre’s place right now, stripping and teasing and pleasing him!He laughed mockingly. “God, you’re so pretentious. Fancy yourself a chaste, devoted maiden dying to preserve her purity now?”Deirdre’s face suddenly paled. A long beat later, she finally said, “Don’t you feel disgusted by the way I look, Mr. Brighthall? It’s… It’s one thing to make me grovel, but… this? Why must you…?”
The receptionist kindly escorted Deirdre to the front door. She thanked the former before adding, “Can you tell me where the closest pharmacy is?”The receptionist was not sure why she needed one, but she gave her the required directions either way. With help from her walking stick, Deirdre made her way to the pharmacy and asked for some morning-after pills. Despite how soft her voice was, it managed to attract some attention. A gang of teenage hoodlums made no attempt to hide their laughter. “Why would an ugly b*tch need morning-after pills?”Deirdre ignored them and went out of the store. She wasted no time, downing the pill without even asking for a glass of water. Yes, her tormented body was hardly fertile anymore, but she would not take even a one-in-a-thousand chance of bearing the Devil’s spawn. The receptionist had not actually left. She stood at a distance and watched Deirdre discard the pill package, feeling bewildered. After Deirdre left in a cab, she went to that exac
"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