“Don’t move!”He suppressed his anger and waited until Deirdre’s finger stopped bleeding at last before he went looking for the first aid kit left by Dr. Ginger in haste. The temperature of the man’s lips was still lingering on Deirdre’s finger. She was supposed to feel the stinging pain of the cut, yet the finger felt burning hot for no apparent reason. She could clearly remember that Brendan was a neat freak, yet he did not mind doing that for her.‘Has he lost his mind…’“Give me your hand.”Brendan’s tone was filled with intense anger, but he had not lost his temper. Instead, he dressed Deirdre’s wound with a bandaid meticulously. He did not speak even after he was done. Deirdre was rather anxious. “Are you angry, Brendan?”“Is there nothing else that you can say other than this?”Brendan answered in a hostile manner. He was so fueled by anger that he could lose his temper at any moment.Deirdre bit her lower lip tightly. “It’s because you are angry… but you’re not v
It was Brendan’s first time relenting and giving her permission to go out. Deirdre’s empty eyes were glistening with a glint. Brendan said, “Sam won’t be coming, so only both of you are going. Remember to be back before six and don’t catch a cold.”“Alright.” Deirdre was delighted. “We will be back soon.”“Hmm.” Brendan was done with his breakfast, so he was preparing to leave. He tossed an ATM card to Deirdre before he left. “There are four million dollars in the card, so there should be more than enough to cover the expenditure for both of you today. Call me if it’s not enough. You know my number.”“It’s fine…” Deirdre swallowed her words after blurting out her rejection. They were a married couple now, so it was very normal for Brendan to give money to his wife for shopping. If she were to reject him, it would make them appear estranged and stir up Ophelia’s suspicion easily. “Alright.”Brendan did not speak more but left with Sam.Deirdre and Maeve waited until the weath
“Is there anybody else with them?”The sales associate shook her head. “Just the mother and daughter. I have yet to see anybody else with them.”Charlene’s pupils constricted abruptly, and she clutched the sales associate’s arm. “Mother and daughter? What do you mean by mother and daughter?”She was really agitated. The sales associate looked anxious because she had no idea what she had done to trigger Charlene’s anger. She answered cautiously, “You asked about those two. They are mother and daughter… The first thing the young woman with the disfigured face said when she entered the shop was that she’s shopping for clothes for her mother. What else can they be if not mother and daughter…”Charlene was extremely shocked. No one knew better than her that Ophelia was already dead. She had died a year ago. Hence, Deirdre could not have a mother. She pressed the sales associate with a gloomy expression by saying, “Are you sure? Are you sure that the young woman acknowledged the othe
Charlene tutted repeatedly. “Deirdre, do you think that the woman who talked and laughed with you was really Ophelia? Why are you so naive that you would believe it’s true when Brendan just hired someone casually to portray her?“Would the real Ophelia be so much taller than you, so young, and shop for clothing with you like an ordinary person? Besides, you couldn’t see her face because you’re blind. Don’t be a fool. The woman takes care of her complexion very well, and not even a trace of wrinkles can be found on her face. Could you not have noticed it when you touched her with your hands? It would be utterly impossible for a woman like her to be the mother who lived in the slums and endured hardships with you!”“Shut up!” Deirdre widened her eyes in shock and felt a heavy weight bearing down on her chest. It felt suffocating. ‘What?‘What is Charlene talking about?‘Is the woman who was talking and laughing with me earlier not… Ophelia? Is she not the mother who raised me?‘Ho
Deirdre’s lips were trembling, and she stretched out her hand with great effort. “Mother, can I… touch your hands?”She knew Ophelia’s hands. They were a pair of old hands covered in calluses that felt very different even at a very young age, especially in some spots. She had not felt out Ophelia’s hands seriously before this but she had grown suspicious after Charlene’s remarks. Maeve’s heart was racing. “What’s going on? What’s going on with you… Deirdre?”“I’m fine…” Deirdre took a deep breath and cracked a fake smile with great difficulty. “I used to hold your hand frequently in the past and I missed doing that all of a sudden. I yearned for the feeling of you holding my hand when you walked me home after school…”“I see.” Maeve smiled, but her heart was still on guard. She had figured out that Deirdre must have noticed something. At the same time that a feeling of uneasiness grew in her, she had no choice but to stretch out her hand. “Alright, I shall hold my little Deird
“Ah, ah.” Dr. Ginger adjusted his tie and said, looking unconcerned, “From Ms. McKinnon. Didn’t she go shopping today? She came home with gifts and brought me this tie. Sam got a gift too. His gift was a phone accessory.”Sam, who was following Brendan, was caught off guard for a moment. Brendan’s sharp eyebrows were tightly furrowed. He had given Deirdre permission to go out yet she seemed to be thinking about other men too. “Where is the phone accessory?” Dr. Ginger pointed at the coffee table and said, “I have one more appointment today, Mr. Brighthall. I shall…”“Go.”Brendan waved his hand to dismiss Dr. Ginger impatiently and made his way to the coffee table swiftly. There was a phone case with a puppy print in the gift box on the coffee table, and the case looked unusually adorable. When Sam’s gaze landed on the case, he could not look away. Brendan turned around and glared at Sam with an icy gaze. “Do you like it?”Sam shook her head and said hesitantly, “Ms. McKi
When those words were spoken, Brendan did not realize what was happening yet. “Money? What money?”“The money I spent to buy the gifts… I don’t have a source of income for the time being, so I spent the money on your ATM card. I’ll figure out a way to pay you back.”There was agitation in Brendan’s eyes. He had never cared less about things like money and he was delighted that Deirdre had spent his money. “Why do you have to draw such a clear distinction?” He then said in an unkind tone, “Did you think I’d care about a few thousand dollars?”Deirdre was silent. ‘If that is not a problem, why did he bring up this issue?’Brendan took a deep breath and got straight to the point by saying, “Where’s mine?“What is it?“You brought gifts for Dr. Ginger and Sam, so do you have one for me too?”Deirdre was stunned upon hearing that. Brendan furrowed his eyebrows, his gaze darkening when he saw Deirdre’s surprised expression. “You didn’t get me anything, huh, Deirdre?”“I…” Deirdre
Brendan’s body tensed up without him realizing it. It had always bothered him that Deirdre might discover the truth, so he immediately inquired, “Where is she? Is she still suspicious?”Maeve shook her head and raised her calloused hands. “I’m lucky that I prepared in advance and dispelled Ms. McKinnon’s doubts at once.”“Great then.” Brendan’s expression was gloomy. “It is apparent that something happened while you were in the changing room. It’s highly possible that some loudmouth talked to her, and I’ll look into this matter. Just do your part of the job.”“Alright.” Maeve was sensible enough to get ready to leave. “Hold on.” Brendan called out to Maeve. He furrowed his eyebrows and said, “Were you by Deirdre’s side at all times while she bought the gifts?”“Yes. How can I help, Mr. Brighthall?”“Did she purchase anything else other than gifts for Sam and Dr. Ginger?”Maeve pondered it for a while before she said in frustration, “I don’t remember so well. I remember walking