Sawyer had arrived. It was just the thing for Brendan to seize and regain his mental footing. He descended the stairs. Seeing him, Sawyer passed him a booklet. “Mr. Brighthall! This here catalogs all of the designs for Miss McKinney’s engagement dress. The shop would like you to finalize your selections as soon as possible.”Brendan hummed and took it. “Where is Sam these days?”Sawyer scratched the back of his head. “He, uh, is still looking for her body. He said he wanted to find her so she could have a resting place.”Brendan had not made it explicit, but even he had given up on the possibility of seeing Deirdre’s body ever again. Sam’s persistence surprised him into silence. After some time, he remarked, “These are bitterly cold days, Sawyer. Tell him not to stay by the sea for that long in a day. I don’t want him to compromise his health at such a young age.”“I know, I know. I advised him against it so many times, but I don’t think he listened. Still, he will probably take
Brendan did not wait for Charlene to form an excuse. He leaped to his feet in sheer rage. “And you swept this under the carpet without telling me a single word of it! Through your silence, you agreed to have Deirdre sent to prison in your stead! Why? Because the one who would be protected with this act was you, wasn’t it? F*cking hell! Charlene McKinney… How do you even sleep at night!?”His veins were popping out of his skin, but worst of all, he called her by her full name, as though she was a stranger.Charlene panicked, reached out to him, and pleaded, “No, I can explain!”Brendan swung her hand off him. He suddenly realized he did not know her anymore.Who was he looking at? How could she be so calculating and cruel? How could she even think the means justified the end? She was no longer that kind, innocent young woman who would throw her life away to save others anymore.Charlene’s eyes were red. She was both terrified and panicking as she tugged on Brendan’s sleeve and so
Brendan woke up with both a sore throat and a body as heavy as lead. Jolts of chill and heat cycled through his veins, cluing him in on the possibility that he had a fever. The last time he had been sick like this was about a year ago, and Brendan had a faint idea of where the medicine kit was. Deirdre had placed it in the cabinet near the headboard. He coughed and pulled the door to the cabinet open. Every medicine bottle had a post-it note with scribbles on the dosage and its expiration date. It was just who Deirdre was—she had always been very meticulous with whatever she undertook.Brendan tore the note away and felt his chest somehow get torn open.A few days had passed with no sign of his sickness availing. Still, he went to work, battling his coughing fits and general sickness as he thumbed through paperwork. More days passed, and he was beginning to think his memories were fading into white noise. Then, suddenly, he received a call from Sam.“Mr. Brighthall, we found t
“100%, Mr. Brighthall. Going down there in this weather was no piece of cake, sir. We wouldn’t resurface without any results unless there was no result to begin with,” the diver answered. “Honestly, this is my first time seeing something like this. Not a single body inside a car skidded into the sea—that’s just creepy!”“Maybe the body got moved elsewhere by the current?” someone else asked.The man shook his head. “Hell no. The windows were shut, man. No one could have pushed the car open against water pressure after the entire vehicle plunged into the sea. The only plausible explanation is that… no one was in the car when it went down.”‘No one was inside.’It felt like an explosion in Brendan’s chest. He could not even tell if most of it was joy or sorrow—all he knew was that it soared straight into his skull and caused the world to spin before his eyes. He felt ready to black out altogether. Deirdre was not dead. He reeled in realization. Instinctively, he concluded that it
“Goddamn it!” It was the first time Madame Brighthall had ever been so apoplectic. She shot daggers at Brendan and snarled, “Haven’t you reached rock bottom yet?!”Brendan took a deep breath. “Yes! Which is why I need Deirdre. I need to atone!”“And what if she doesn’t want your stupid atonement?” Madame Brighthall retorted. Brendan felt a pang in his chest and clenched his fists. “I’ll make her accept it.”Madame Brighthall turned to face a statue of Mother Mary. “No, I don’t think it’ll work at all. Do you really think she’d be eager to leave because of me? No. It’s because she hates you to her very core. She wanted to escape you and never see you again in her entire life. If you’re really seeking atonement, then put everything about her behind you and settle down with Lena already. Treat her as though she’s already dead!”“Never!” Brendan snapped unthinkingly. Without flinching, he demanded again, “Where did you hide Deirdre?!”Madame Brighthall ignored him.A coughing fit s
Brendan’s lips were pale, as was his entire appearance. And yet, every word sounded like a strike at an old bell. “I’ll see her even if it kills me!”He rose to his feet and began to cough his lungs out. His body was careening with every step, but he gritted his teeth and marched toward the front door—and right into the snow.“Stop it!” Madame Brighthall bellowed breathlessly. “How dare you blackmail your mother with your own life? What now? You’re gonna stand outside in the snow until you die unless I reveal her whereabouts? This is how you’re going to threaten your own mother?!”A winter gale swooped through the landscape, kicking up a chaotic swirl of snow in front of Brendan as he stood by the door. Framed by the nipping white horizon and the unforgiving flurry, his back looked small and forlorn. “I’m not blackmailing you or anything, Mom. I just don’t want you to regret this even harder than I do.”“What’s that supposed to mean?”“If Deirdre dies, the young woman who’s been y
“T-Then… Then who is this?!”Brendan clenched his fists. “The year when you objected to our marriage, Lena got into an accident and went into a coma. No one knew if she would ever wake up again, but I knew you would never let me marry an unconscious woman. The only means I had was to find someone else to pretend to be Charlene. And that impostor… was Deirdre McKinnon.”Madame Brighthall had not liked Charlene the first time Brendan had brought her home. The older woman had prided herself on her acute judgment of character and had known based on the greed and ambition in her eyes that Charlene would only be the start of a nightmare.Naturally, she had objected to her son’s marriage. But then, one day, Charlene had just… changed.Madame Brighthall had been befuddled to see the same calculating woman carrying her on her back through the snow when the older woman had had a heart attack. She had been bewildered to hear about that schemer nursing her to health for days on end. She had
“Tobey is coming back?” Deirdre could not help feeling surprised. “Why? Isn’t there still some time until Christmas?”Madame Russell looked toward Deirdre with a smile. “He called me up some time ago, and it was only natural that I brought you up in our conversation. Then, he applied for a long leave of absence from his company, claiming he missed me after not seeing me for more than six months. However, I’m quite certain that he is coming back to see you.”“To see me?” Deidre wrung the towel and was confused. “Why is he coming back to see me?”“Silly girl, I refuse to believe that you don’t have the slightest idea about this.” Madame Russell cracked a gentle smile. “Didn't you know that Tobey has liked you since he was a child?”Deirdre choked on the water she was drinking. Madame Russell hastily soothed her. Deirdre recovered from the cough, but she was still in a daze.She regarded Tobey as her elder brother all this time, and they did not interact much with each other before
"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