She had not managed to protect the music book, which had been torn into two anyhow. It made her feel uneasy, as if its destruction had verified that something was about to happen. Brendan could see that she was sad, so he said, “The music book is not completely destroyed. It was only torn down in the middle. We should be able to restore it if we get a professional to fix it.”“Really?” Deirdre turned around and clutched Brendan’s hand out of excitement but loosened her grip due to the pain. There was a look of anticipation in her eyes. “Hmm.” Brendan stared at her. “When have I ever lied to you?”Afterward, he filled the bathtub with fresh water and left Deirdre soaking while he went outside to call up Sam. “Today’s incident aside, I believe that Vyn has committed quite a number of crimes too. Look into the things he’s done and send him to jail so he can experience some hardships.”Brendan spoke in an ice-cold voice that did not leave room for any resistance. Sam wanted to do
“You’re leaving tomorrow?” Deirdre was jolted back to reality, and her grip tightened ever so slightly. “So soon?”“It’s not soon. I’ve already stayed for two weeks. Don’t you worry, I’ll come back when my treatment is completed.” Maeve caressed Deirdre’s face and said smilingly, “I hope that when I’m back, you and Brendan will give me grandchildren so I can dote on them.”Deirdre’s lips moved, and she felt her heart wrench in pain and bitterness. She wanted to tell her, “You were supposed to have a grandchild, but it was taken cruelly by Brendan because its existence went against his wishes.”“What time will you be departing tomorrow?”“In the morning, at around ten o’clock, I guess. Why, would you like to see me off?”“Hmm!” Deirdre suppressed the urge to cry. “I don’t know when I will be meeting you again. Mother, you must take good care of yourself and come back soon.”Maeve hugged Deirdre with a dreary look in her eyes. She’d think about how great it would be if Deirdre was
‘You still have me.’In the past, Deirdre would not have been relieved. Instead, she would have been haunted by Brendan’s remark. However, Deirdre lowered her gaze now and felt her heart, which was sealed in ice, begin to crack slowly. She actually found Brendan’s remark convincing; perhaps it was due to Ophelia’s presence that her withered heart had been restored. She had found a way to pursue her dream and she was no longer living like a zombie. Similarly, she would not attach any hope to Brendan, like she had in the past. She felt that her current life was pretty great. Her mother would return to her when her illness was cured, and she would be working in the meantime. That was already enough for her, and she would be able to leave without feeling any disappointment and live a life that belonged to her when Brendan was bored of her. “Hmm.”She answered nonchalantly in a very soft tone, as if the voice came from her throat. However, Brendan managed to hear her reply, which
The narrow single bed suddenly felt wide, and Deirdre propped herself up with her hand on her forehead. ‘What time is it? When did Brendan leave?’She found it a pity because she had been thinking about asking Brendan why he wanted her not to hate him when she was awake. She wanted to find out the meaning of his remark. All of a sudden, the door to her room opened. She assumed that it was Maeve, so she raised her head and said smilingly, “Mother? What time is it? Is it morning already? If not, why are you here so early?”“Mother? Are you calling out to Maeve O’Keefe?”She was caught off guard by the spurious laughter. The smile on Deirdre’s face froze instantly, and she stared in the direction of the door cautiously. “Charlene, what are you doing here!”“How could you speak to me like that, Ms. McKinnon? I feel sorry for you for being deceived by a bunch of people and getting treated like a clown, so I’m here to warn you out of kindness.”“Out of kindness? Don’t you think that
Deirdre stood frozen in the same spot, her eyes wide in astoundment as she listened to the sound of someone sobbing with her face covered. She felt as if her ears were playing a trick on her and she was in so much pain that she could not speak. The voice that she could recognize anywhere… The voice that had kept her company all this time and called out her name was actually saying to another girl now… ‘You’re my dearest child?’ “Really? I thought you'd abandoned me. Why did you not respond to me when I’ve been attempting to contact you all this time? Besides, that blind woman in the room is addressing you as ‘mother’. You’re only 40 years old. How did you end up with such a grown daughter, and how do I end up having an elder sister?”“Uh…” Maeve sounded hesitant. Siobhan was growing very impatient. She stamped her foot in anger as she looked at the door. “What the heck is going on! Tell me, quick. If you don’t give me a proper explanation, I will disown you as my mother from now
Maeve’s face turned ghastly pale instantly. “What happened to your hand!”She hastily called for the doctor and nurse, yet Deirdre was jolted back to reality. She covered her bloody hand with her other hand and said with a lowered gaze, “It’s… It’s fine. Don’t worry.”“How could you say that it’s fine? The dressing is soaked and red! Why won’t you take care of yourself? What are you going to do when I leave today?”Maeve was panic-stricken and furious. The doctor came and examined Deirdre, only to find that her wound had opened up again and needed stitches. The doctor frowned deeply at once. “Mr. Brighthall was very worried that your palm would be scarred right from the start. You need stitches again now, so that is surely going to leave a scar. Ms. McKinnon, bear with it and bite something if you can’t stand the pain.”Deirdre’s mind was somewhat unhinged. She was in so much pain after the stitching procedure that she was sweating, yet she did not make a sound. Only her eyes wer
Maeve lowered her head to check the time and furrowed her eyebrows. “It’s after nine…”“You’re going to leave at ten, right?”It would certainly be impossible for Maeve to claim that she was willing to part with Deirdre. She was very fond of Deirdre yet she was still not Deirdre’s real mother, and her own daughter was still waiting for her. “Hmm,” Maeve said smilingly, feigning a relaxed demeanor. “But it’s a good thing that I’m going to receive treatment. That way, I won’t forget your childhood stories next time.”Deirdre cracked a smile and delayed giving a response. Then, she shut her eyes and said, “Mother, will you… please call me by my name again?”Maeve appeared to be slightly hesitant. “Deirdre?”A tear rolled down from the corner of Deirdre’s eye. “Thank you.”Maeve stretched out her hand to wipe away Deirdre’s tears. In the end, Maeve left. Deirdre did not see her off because she did not have the ability to be there. She assumed that it was only a simple farewel
Deirdre did not answer but she continued talking about this topic. “You took away the house where my mother was staying and let her be taken by some unknown psychiatric facility to be punished. She was 40 years old but she was forced to eat rotten food and get beaten up. I had no choice but to submit myself after seeing how cruel you were…”Brendan’s pupils constricted abruptly and he felt incredulous. “Hold on! What are you talking about? I did take back the house where your mother was residing but I never let her be taken by that psychiatric facility. Do you remember it wrong?”“Remember it wrong?” Tears streamed down Deirdre’s face continuously. The scene that had taken place a year ago had haunted her nightmares for countless nights. Her mother used to be a proud woman when she was young, yet she had been treated like an animal when she was sick because of Deirdre. ‘Brendan made such a casual remark about me remembering it wrong… Would that turn back time and return everyth