’I wouldn’t have attended the bullsh*t party had I known that this would happen.’Noticing that Brendan could not be stopped, the hotel manager ordered a bodyguard to follow him.Brendan ran into the rain, and his body was drenched in just a moment. The rain did not feel like water droplets anymore but more like blades. The coldness of the rain cut into his skin like sharp blades. He was terrified.“Deirdre! Deirdre! Come out!”He searched for her everywhere and he assumed that he would be able to locate her within half an hour. That was far from what actually happened. He ran a few tens of meters and found the woman that was constantly on his mind standing at the bus station. She was holding an umbrella to shield herself from the rain. Despite the umbrella, her entire body was drenched due to the strong wind. Her hair was stuck to her drenched clothes, and she was curled up in the corner like an abandoned kitten. Brendan felt piercing pain in his heart. He reacted to the s
Brendan could only drive at a slower speed, yet Deirdre had already lost consciousness. Her face went from purplish green to burning hot, and she was chanting Ophelia’s name in her unconscious state. Even when she was at her lowest, the first thing on Deirdre’s mind was still Ophelia. Brendan could not bring himself to feel jealous because Ophelia was everything to Deirdre. He could only clench his teeth and comfort her by saying, “Hold on, Deirdre. You will only meet Ophelia if you’re conscious. It has already been more than a year since you last met her. Don’t you want to live a good life? You have to get through this even if you’re only doing this for her!”However, everything went south from then on. The car engine died. The hailstorm did not cease even after the car died halfway through the journey. Brendan removed his jacket and wrapped it around Deirdre’s body. He got out of the car and carried her in his arms as he ran into the rain without any hesitation. However, B
’She must live.’He would regret it very much if she were to die. He would experience an emotional breakdown and he would be utterly heartbroken. However, perhaps he and Deirdre would have died together that rainy night had the Land Rover not come to their rescue in a timely manner. ‘Why was I so reckless at the time?’After turning off the hot water, Brendan wiped his face and walked out of the shower. He found Deirdre alone in the room, her breathing even. She was still chanting Ophelia’s name even in her dreams. Brendan was planning on leaving when he heard Deirdre say in a weak voice, “Live, Brendan. You must live…”His mind began burning with an image all of a sudden at that moment. The woman was standing with her back facing him and saying through clenched teeth something like this in the blazing hot fire. “Live, Brendan. You must live.”Brendan felt like his body was brought back in time for a brief moment. He furrowed his eyebrows, finding this idea amusing. ‘Wh
Brendan lost track of time but he noticed that the whole corridor was dark when he walked out of the study after completing his work. The only source of light was the gap between the door and Deirdre’s room. He opened the door and found Deirdre sitting on the bed in a daze. He furrowed his sharp eyebrows at the sight of Deirdre still fully dressed. “It’s midnight. Why are you still awake and sitting on the bed?”Deirdre was jolted back to reality. She reached for her clothes and said anxiously, “I was trying to recall what type of clothes my mother likes to see me in. I’m planning on wearing something that she likes when I meet her in the morning but I really can’t remember her preferences.”She felt rejected as she talked. She forced a smile, and her head was lowered. “I’m not a good daughter.”Brendan felt a knot in the pit of his stomach, as if the scene before his eyes had triggered something in him. He was astonished that Deirdre was about to meet the woman in the blink of an
“It’s a pity that you’ll be meeting her tomorrow, as I’m afraid you won’t have enough time to do it today.”Brendan felt himself stop breathing for a moment as he looked at her worried face. An idea occurred to him, and he clutched Deirdre’s wrist abruptly. “Why don’t…”Deirdre raised her gaze in confusion while Brendan said through clenched teeth, “Why don’t you delay the meeting a little?”He was trying to delay it frantically, hoping for time to slow down because Deirdre had given him her all now. If his lie was exposed, he hoped that it would happen later, even if it was just one day later. “Delay the meeting a little?” Deirdre’s gaze was distracted. She reacted to the situation by biting her lower lip and rejecting Brendan’s suggestion. “No.”She took a deep breath and said, “I’ve been waiting for this day to come for way too long. My heart will bleed if I have to wait one more day.”“I understand, but think about the way you look now. I told Ophelia that you’re happy. Do y
It felt as if he was using this frantic action that came from the bottom of his heart to tell her something. Deirdre’s knees buckled, and she leaned her head on the man’s chest. She could not see him but she could feel his heartbeat racing. “Deirdre.” Before she could say anything, the man’s voice turned hoarse and his thin lips were already moving closer to her ear bit by bit. He asked imploringly, “Can I?”The answer to what Brendan was asking was obvious. Deirdre had not expected that Brendan would actually take it upon himself to seek her consent. It was as if he would loosen his grip without the slightest hesitation no matter how aroused he was as soon as she shook her head. Deirdre shut her eyes tightly and did not speak. Brendan’s thin lips curled into a smirk. “I’ll consider it consent if you don’t speak.”…Deirdre’s head was dizzy when it ended. She was carried to the bathroom to take a shower by Brendan. Then, he cuddled her in his arms as though he was protecting p
“Here, eat some eggs. You need protein.”Deirdre stopped moving her spoon slightly. Brendan caught the change instantly. “What is it?”“Nothing.” She cast her eyes down on her food, looking a little hesitant, before drawing the egg close to her lips. Sam snatched the spoon away from her, alarmed. “Miss McKinnon, no! Don’t you remember what the doctor said? No eggs two hours after taking your meds!”“What the…?” Brendan’s eyebrows were furrowed dangerously. Incredulity swirled behind his eyes as he scanned her face. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”Deirdre shrugged. “It was just not important.”“N-Not important?! You mean severe nausea is fine? Gastric pain is fine? Cold sweat and pain are fine?!” Even Sam was growing exasperated. “Or did you forget what happened the last time you ate a teensy bit of egg? Is that why you were gonna stuff yourself that much just now?!”His snippy retort made Deirdre choke on her reply. Brendan’s face, erstwhile pale in shock, turned redder and r
Brendan knew she was only compliant for Ophelia’s sake, but the result alone was satisfactory. He asked for a digestion pill and pushed it into Deirdre’s mouth. He checked the watch on his wrist. It was almost time. “Time to go.” He wrapped Deirdre in a coat and led her outside. Sam was about to follow too, but Brendan stopped him. “You’ll be staying at home today. Deirdre and I have some private business to attend to.”Dr. Ginger waited for the two of them to leave before ambling close to Sam and leaning on the bodyguard’s shoulder. He had a cheeky grin on his face. “Do you ever read the room, lad? Can’t you tell that these two are going on a date?” “A date?” Sam frowned. “No way.”“Why not?” Unlike him, Dr. Ginger knew precious little about the couple's messy history. Still, as he shook the hand towel clean, he pointed out, “Mr. Brighthall and Miss McKinnon’s relationship might be, uh-hem, complicated. But it’s obvious that their hearts are bound to each other. Misunderstandi
"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