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
The call was connected. Brendan gnashed his teeth as he said, “Where the hell are you, McKinnon?!”Deirdre said nothing. At the end of her silence came a click—and the call was hung up by her.She stuck the phone back into her pocket, feeling disappointed that it was not Sterling. How was he? Was he okay? She had no idea how he was.The only silver lining right now was how well-known the Fuller family really was in the city. Even a run-of-the-mill cab driver knew exactly where to take Deirdre when she asked him to take her to their house.She paid the driver, who told her where the doorbell was, and pressed it. There was a series of quick footsteps, accompanied by a voice thick with annoyance. “Which nutcase is it this time? It’s like they all think they can just ring whenever they feel like it!”“I’m sorry,” Deirdre huffed, feeling anxious. “I… I just wanted… to know where Sterling is? He’s not picking up his phone—”“Sterling?” The maid scoffed. It was palpable just how little
Brendan was so infuriated that his eyes turned beet red. He had never been relegated to second place by a woman before. He had never felt this way before!“Is that how important that son of a b*tch is to you?! You’re acting as if you’ll die if you aren’t with him!”Deirdre clenched her hands into fists. The way the maid had spoken—combined with how inferiorly he was treated in his own family—implied that he had suffered some serious bodily harm. And yet, Brendan did not give a d*mn about his suffering! He had always been like this! He’d always treated everyone else’s lives as insignificant and expendable! His apathy infuriated Deirdre. “You’re damn right, Brendan! I’ll die if I’m not with him! There, I said it! But what’s your excuse? You promised me, but did you do what you said you would?!”“McKinnon!” Brendan growled and tightened his hold around her arms. His blood was boiling. “You just keep testing my patience, don’t you? Do you know how easy it would be for me to make the
The room seemed suspended in shock. No one would even remotely react in any way, and Deirdre looked like a forest nymph who had jumped out of a masterfully-crafted painting, but she… Well…Richard was the first to compare Deirdre’s height and figure to the unknown individual Sterling had shielded in the video that topped the hot search online. He then reeled in realization.No wonder that moron had attracted so much of Mr. Brighthall’s ire. Richard had been mystified to see Sterling’s name gone viral, but now he knew why. That idiot had stolen Mr. Brighthall’s girl! What really made Richard furious was not just the stupidity of it all. It was the girl this whole fight had been about! F*ck, of all the girls his b*stard son could have gotten into a fight for, he had to pick this freakshow and drag the entire family through the mud over… her!He whispered something to his maid before facing Brendan with a smile. “I see. I’ll have him over right this instant. It won’t take long, so he
Malice poured out of Brendan’s eyes. He looked less like a man and more like a monster braying for blood. “I let you off the hook, Sterling! How dare you spit on my goodwill! How f*cking dare you take my woman?!”Pain burned Sterling’s cheek, but it did nothing to hold him back. He snickered. “Your woman? Oh, I see! Being forced to do someone else’s time for a crime she didn’t commit is a perk of being your woman, huh? Being dehumanized as your means of entertainment is also the sort of thing ‘your woman’ should do, right? God, is it just me, or is being ‘your woman’ the cruelest torment anyone could ever suffer?”Brendan’s eyes turned bloodshot. He then attacked again.Sterling was no match for him in a fight, but he did not let that stop him from putting up a fight. Everyone else in the room, including Deirdre, was too aghast to react. She had to stop Sterling from angering Brendan even further. After all, it would be all too easy for someone as obscenely powerful as Brendan to
"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