But now Deirdre didn’t have any reason to force herself to eat something she disliked.“Can’t you understand why I ate it in the past?” Deirdre took a deep breath. “Because at the time, the things you gave me were the most precious to me. Back then, even though the ring that you were forced to buy me didn't fit, I was reluctant to take it off at all. I preferred to put something on the ring and wear it on my finger, but now..." She shuddered as she breathed but didn’t continue. Brendan, however, looked like he had received a blow in the face and had found the answer himself.It was because Deirdre no longer loved him. Hence, she wouldn’t treat whatever he bought as a treasure. The pastry had melted into a puddle of butter on the ground, as she didn’t need to force herself to eat this anymore.Brendan felt a sudden heartache and felt so stuffy that he had difficulty breathing.He didn’t understand why he would feel uncomfortable and furious. However, he clearly felt that something
“Brendan? Why aren’t you speaking?” Charlene felt rather surprised when she did not receive a response. She bit her lower lip and said, “Are you still angry at me?”Deirdre could only say, “Brendan is not in the office.”As soon as those words were spoken, Charlene’s expression changed drastically and her voice turned into a high-pitch screech. “Deirdre! Why are you picking up Brendan’s phone?! Who gave you permission to do so? Pass the phone to Brendan immediately.”Her voice was so piercing that Deirdre had no choice but to hold the phone further away from her. She could not help mocking her. “Ms. McKinney, it would be best for you to be gentle. If Brendan is next to me, he’s probably going to be very disappointed to hear your hostile tone.”“Stop talking nonsense. Deirdre, you b*tch. Did you figure out a way to get Brendan to come to you? Are you going to take Brendan away from me?”Charlene had lost her senses from anger. It was most likely because none of her calls had been p
At that thought, Brendan was having trouble concealing his agitation. He had to calm himself down for a moment before he said, “I don’t have any urgent matters to attend to today, so I’m back home to rest. Don’t overthink the situation.”He ended the call concisely. Charlene clenched her teeth and swept away all the items on the table out of anger after seeing her phone’s dark screen. ‘Deirdre! Deirdre! Screw you, Deirdre!‘If it was not for Deirdre, Brendan and I would have already consummated our relationship yesterday night and perhaps I might have already been pregnant with Brendan’s baby. But Deirdre had to destroy everything for me!’“I want you dead, b*tch!”After venting her anger frantically, Charlene turned around to find the assistant standing at the door, looking embarrassed. A look of surprise flashed past her expression. The assistant suppressed her shock when her eyes met Charlene’s and forced a faint smile. “Are you alright, Ms. McKinney? I heard noise in the of
It was what Brendan wanted indeed. However, he was puzzled and displeased by Deirdre’s attitude. “Yes, you’re going to bear a child,” Brendan said in a calm tone. “I refuse to believe that you don’t want a child!”Deirdre took a deep breath because she felt suffocated. “Whose child am I going to bear? Yours?”“Who else’s?” Brendan’s voice turned nonchalant abruptly, as if he was doubting Deirdre. His dark eyes turned cold as well. “Who else do you want to have a child with other than me?”Deirdre wanted to laugh but could not bring herself to laugh after feeling the acid reflux in her throat. Brendan had destroyed her first child and her ability to become a mother, yet he claimed that he would help her seek treatment as if he was doing charity. ‘Does he think that doing this will offset his guilt and the hardships that I’ve endured?’She had to push her tongue against her teeth with great effort to stop herself from asking him to leave, yet her body was still shaking. She looke
“You only need to comply with my treatment and take the liquid medication.”Deirdre’s empty eyes finally moved once. Her soft lips parted to blurt out, “Leave.”“Ms. McKinnon… You really don’t need to be so sad because you’re going to be pregnant again…”Deirdre stretched out her hand to knock over the medication cup and the warm water. She didn’t feel anything, even though the warm water splashed her hand. She glared at the doctor with bloodshot eyes and said, “I told you to leave! Can you hear me? I won’t take the medication!”The doctor was stunned for a moment but he noticed Deirdre’s hand soon enough. “Your hand is hurt, Ms. McKinnon!”“Leave!”The doctor had no idea what to do against her resistance, so he could only call up Brendan to report the situation. Brendan left an important meeting halfway and found Deirdre sitting on the sofa as soon as he entered the house. There was a mess on the rug, and Deirdre’s hand, the one she had used to protect herself, was already swo
She was left all alone in the villa that particular afternoon, as the doctor had coincidentally left to purchase something for the prescription. She was bored of staying in the room, so she felt her way downstairs. She heard noise from outside as soon as she got to the living room and assumed that the doctor was back. Then, she heard the sound of high heels clicking on the tiles, approaching her. Charlene showed up at the door arrogantly, and Deirdre could feel her hatred even from a few meters away. Deirdre did not find it surprising. In fact, she felt that Charlene was late to see her. She ignored Charlene and leaned back on the sofa. Charlene sneered upon smelling the pungent smell in the air. “Why does the house smell so strongly of medication? Deirdre, are you dying?”There was no one else around them, so Charlene had spoken in a harsh tone. Deirdre answered nonchalantly, “I’m sorry for disappointing you, Ms. McKinney. I won’t be dying anytime soon. The medication presc
However…A moment later, Charlene’s gaze turned sharp and her lips curled into a smirk in delight. Would Deidre still be so sharp-tongued when she found out about that matter?Charlene looked forward to that very much. Deirdre could not be bothered to beat about the bush anymore, so she turned around and headed upstairs after she finished her sentence. “Hold on, Ms. McKinnon!” Charlene beamed widely and said, “Don’t be in such a rush to leave. There’s something else that I wanted to tell you when I decided to come here today.”“It’s fine.” Deirdre continued to walk up the stairs. Charlene spoke slowly as she said, “Are you sure it’s fine? This is related to your mother.”Deirdre’s footsteps halted to a stop. ‘Mother?’Even though she knew that nothing good would ever come out of Charlene’s mouth, Deirdre still could not help stopping because she wanted information related to her mother so badly. Brendan had always kept a very tight lid on that. Despite speaking to her mo
Charlene’s face was green and purple. She had almost fainted, and her lips were trembling. Deirdre still wanted to throw herself at Charlene but she was stopped by the man. Charlene said, “Haven’t you wondered why Brendan refuses to let you see Ophelia, Deirdre?! It’s because she is dead, of course! Her corpse has been burned to ashes! Hence, you won’t be meeting a dead person no matter how obedient you are. You may ask Brendan personally if you don’t believe me and see how he answers you!”Upon saying that, Deirdre knew that time was running out, so she turned around and left with the man. Deirdre sat on the rug by herself and felt icy coldness spreading through her body. There was confusion and fear in her eyes when she muttered to herself, “It can’t be… It can’t be…”“Brendan promised me that he would let my mother off if I agreed to be the scapegoat. How is she dead? How?”She attempted to convince herself over and over again, yet her mind was filled with past events constan
"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