Laia had already told the staff in the boutique. Hence, when a staff member heard Charlene, she smiled apologetically.“I apologize, Miss McKinney. Laia is taking care of an important guest now. Why don’t you wait a while? When she’s done, she’ll definitely get to you immediately!”“What?” Charlene was enraged. She was a VIP client of almost all the boutiques in Neve, yet today, she was being humiliated before Madame Brighthall. While suppressing her anger, she said, “What do you mean an important guest? Is that guest more important than me?”While putting a business smile on her face, the staff member replied, “That important guest is Mr. Brighthall.”“Bren?”Madame Brighthall was rather surprised, while Charlene’s smile contained hints of complacency. “Oh, it turns out that it’s Bren. In that case, Laia should come over here. Where’s Bren? Is he currently with Laia?”The staff member kept a business smile on as she answered, “Miss McKinney, I apologize, but we can’t violate our
‘Do you think she is presentable?’Just like a sharp knife, every word pierced Deirdre’s heart and twisted.Deirdre was trembling faintly while Brendan stood before her and said with a frigid face, “Mother, your words are too harsh!”“Harsh?” While looking at his furious face, for the first time, Madame Brighthall sensed the estrangement between her and her son and felt disappointed. “Do you expect me to greet the third party in your relationship with a smile and treat her like my daughter?!”“Deirdre is not the third party!” Brendan gritted his teeth. “We’ve registered–”“Bren!” Charlene, who had intended to be a bystander, suddenly chimed in. Her eyes revealed how panicked and incredulous she was.Did Brendan want to tell Madame Brighthall the truth? Did he want to tell Madame Brighthall that the woman who had been spending time with her in the past few years was actually the third party?That Deirdre and Brendan were true husband and wife?If Brendan did it, what would her s
Madame Brighthall shot Deirdre a frigid glare. “A woman like her must be kept at home. Don’t even think about taking her out again.”Following that, Madame Brighthall no longer felt like shopping and left with Charlene.Deirdre’s gaze remained blank. She thought she was shameless herself, but Madame Brighthall accusing her of being the ‘third party’ and ‘that kind of woman’ had destroyed her accumulated willpower.“Deirdre, are you alright?” Brendan caressed her face. Deirdre furrowed her brows tightly while her forehead was sweating. She was in a daze, and Brendan didn’t know what she was thinking.“I’m fine.” Deirdre recovered from her daze and avoided Brendan’s hand.Brendan missed his target and felt that something was missing. When he realized what it was, he clasped Deirdre’s wrist. “Are you angry? You should be aware of the matter between Charlene and my mother. My mother misunderstood that you’re the third party, so it’s normal that her harsh words made you feel bad. Don’t
Just like Madame Brighthall’s remark, Deirdre had been staying at home because she was not presentable.Brendan wanted to add on, but his phone rang. Sawyer’s voice came from the other end when he accepted the phone call. “Mr. Brighthall, Madame McKinnon has arrived. Shall I let her enter the mansion now? Or…”Brendan was about to command Sawyer to let her in when he saw Deirdre abruptly lift her head, and her eyes lit up. Hence, he changed his command to “Just let her wait outside.”He put down the phone and asked, “Would you like to welcome her on your own? Let me take you there.”Deirdre couldn’t restrain her excitement. While nodding her head, she tidied up her messy hair nervously. Even though she had an ugly face, she still hoped that her appearance wouldn’t scare Ophelia.With Brendan’s support, Deirdre went down the stairs and went straight to the door.From afar, Brendan had seen the woman at the door.Even though he clearly understood that the woman was a stranger whos
Deirdre smelled a faint sweet osmanthus fragrance from Ophelia. Although it wasn’t strong, it didn’t escape Deirdre’s nose.It was because she clearly recalled that Ophelia would cover her nose and cough each time they passed by the sweet osmanthus tree at the entrance to the slum. Ophelia was allergic to the sweet osmanthus, so much so that she would feel itchy and cough non-stop with just the smell of it.“What is it?” When Maeve became aware of Deirdre’s stiff reaction, she caressed Deirdre’s face as she asked, “Why did you suddenly get into a daze?”“Nothing…” Deirdre forced a smile. She lowered her head and said, “It’s just that I smell the fragrance on you. It smells very good. What kind of perfume is it?”“Oh.” Maeve was relieved and smiled. “I don’t wear any perfume. I think it’s probably the fragrance in the hotel. After staying there for a day, my clothes are stained.”“Is it sweet osmanthus?”“Yes.” Maeve nodded. “I think it’s this smell.”Deirdre suddenly pressed her
Deirdre’s eyes were filled with uncontrollable joy and reddened from holding back her tears. She inhaled a deep breath and said, “Thank you, Brendan.”She spoke in all apparent seriousness, and there was gratitude in her eyes. However, Brendan was not pleased by her gaze. On the contrary, he felt a knot in the pit of his stomach and felt suffocated. Deirdre was the only person who was unaware that Ophelia was already dead. He was making up a fake world just to delude her.He could not afford to accept her gratitude. “I told you that I don’t like the words ‘thank you’.” Brendan’s dark eyes turned dim, and he abruptly got up from his seat. “I’m sure that both of you have a lot to talk about because you’ve just been reunited after so long. I’m going to do some work in the study room. You can come to me if you have anything important.”He walked upstairs and took a seat in the study room. The desk was stacked with documents, yet he could not bear to read even one word. He felt an
Deirdre knew that Brendan was looking at her from the moment he raised his head.It was because she could feel his intense gaze. She could still feel his gaze stopping on her face even when all she could see was darkness. Deirdre lowered her gaze and felt so overwhelmed with emotions in her heart that she could not even hear her own breathing.Brendan leaned over to kiss Deirdre’s lips. He took his sweet time and kissed her gently but affectionately as if he was conquering her with all his life’s patience.“Brendan…” Deirdre pushed him because she was having trouble getting accustomed to this. “Don’t do this…”“Don’t do what?” Brendan asked her with his deep, dark eyes staring at her, “Don’t stand so close to you, don’t kiss you like this, or don't say what I said to you earlier?”Deirdre clutched Brendan’s arms tightly and felt his warm breath blowing on the side of her face. “Tell me, Deirdre. You can tell me anything. I’ll satisfy you and meet your needs.”At last, Deirdre
Before Deirdre shut her eyes, she wrapped her arms around Maeve’s arm and said, “I feel lucky that you’re still alive, mother. Don’t be saddened by dad's death. I’ll protect you from now on, and I will live well for you.”She fell asleep drowsily while Maeve’s eyes widened. She was so deeply moved by Deirdre’s remark that she didn’t know what to say. What would the real Ophelia say at this very moment? She could not figure out an answer. The phone in her pocket vibrated. She waited until Deirdre was in a deep sleep before she moved away Deirdre’s arms cautiously and got out of bed. She walked out of the room to find Brendan smoking at the door. There were already a few cigarette butts scattered on the ground. His dark eyes were narrowed as he looked up to the first floor and said without even turning to Maeve, “Is Deirdre suspicious?”Maeve shook her head. “It is apparent that she isn’t. Ms. McKinnon is very pure and will go straight to the point and express something that is bot
"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