When Deirdre was putting the clothes back, Eilis came over and asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t like them?”Deirdre lowered her voice and said, “Let’s go to another place.” “Why? Tobey told me to bring you to this store. He said that the winter clothes in this store are the best in town,” said Eilis. Suddenly, she realized something and chuckled. “You don’t have to worry about the price. Tobey just transferred 3,000 dollars to me. He told me to use the money to buy clothes for you, so I have to do as I’m instructed.”When Eilis dragged Deirdre over to the counter, the shopkeeper said, “That man over there has already paid for the clothes. Do you need a bag? Otherwise, you can leave us your address, and we'll deliver them to you.”Eilis and Deirdre were stunned, especially the latter. She already felt they had troubled Kyran too much when he sent them to the town. She did not expect him to pay for her clothes at all and did not know what to do now. “How much did he pay?” asked De
“But…” Deirdre lowered her head. After falling silent for a while, she said, “I might not be able to pay you back so soon.”She had nothing left. She did not even have the ability to take care of herself, let alone find a job to earn money. Under the circumstance where she couldn’t find any job, she could only depend on others for survival.“You should take the money. I can pay Tobey back at any time, but aren’t you leaving once the project is done? I don’t think I can get so much money in such a short time.”Deirdre did not think that Kyran would stay in Alnwick for his whole life. Alnwick was not his home, and he was not the kind of person who would stop at one project. She was certain that another Alnwick was waiting for him.Kyran did not take the money. Instead, he asked, “So, can I say that you’re asking me to stay in Alnwick for a while longer?” The mechanical voice from the phone was cold. She could not tell whether Kyran was joking or being serious.Before Deirdre could
Dierdre was forced to lean her head on the man's broad chest, his nice scent tickling her nostrils. She couldn't tell what kind of cologne he was wearing, but she found it rather pleasant to smell.It was just that other people might misunderstand them when they saw their posture right now.The woman harrumphed and said, “Jeez! So you guys are a couple? I don't know what is going on with people nowadays. Why are all of the handsome men matched with ugly women? This is so frustrating!”She stormed off angrily.Kyran tightened his grip when he heard what the woman said.Deirdre could sense his feelings. She did not want him to get angry because of a stranger, so she said, “It’s okay. I’ve already gotten used to it.”Kyran’s face was dark. He stroked Deirdre’s face with his hand and wrote on her palm. “You’re prettier than her.”He was not lying. In his eyes, Dierdre was prettier than the woman, and Deirdre could sense his sincerity from how he wrote on her palm.Deirdre laughed a
The seed of suspicion began to sprout in Charlene’s heart after listening to Elaine's speculation. However, she had seen Brendan at Neve yesterday, and Neve was pretty far away from Alnwick, so what was going on?When Charlene did not say anything, Elaine added, “What are you still waiting for, Charlene? Do you really want to hand over the man who you’ve been in love with for so many years to that woman?“She got it easy and became his wife because she looks like you. Not only that, but she’s also the reason you can’t appear in public. Now she’s going to steal your fiance away from you again! If you don’t do anything right now, you’ll lose what you have today!”The things Elaine said reminded Charlene of her bitter past. A hint of coldness crossed her eyes. She was not going to go back to those days again.“Alright, I know what I should do. Thank you so much, Elaine,” Charlene said gently. “I’ll get someone to send you the purse that just got released this year.” Elaine’s eyes gl
To be honest, Charlene did not care who the man was. All she ever cared about was Deirdre.She had been trying to get Deirdre's news from Brendan but to no avail. Little did she expect that Deirdre had returned to Alnwick. A hint of coldness crossed Charlene’s eyes. After she came out of Brendan’s house, she called Elaine.-“I don’t like you mentioning another man in front of me.”Deirdre’s head went blank for a moment when she heard what Kyran said. Even though he was typing on his phone, she could sense that he did not like Tobey at all through the mechanical voice of his phone. Her heart clutched a little as she pressed her lips and asked, “Why? Is it because you haven’t seen Tobey before? You should see him first. He’s a very nice person…”“Not because of that.” Kyran looked fixedly at Deirdre. “You wouldn’t want to know about it.”‘I wouldn’t want to know about it?’Deirdre’s brain went blank again. Anyone would be able to get what he was trying to say easily, but Deir
Kyran felt they were right. He looked at the road and replied with his phone, “Okay.”As soon as he stopped the car, the snow got heavier.Deirdre opened the door, and the icy wind that gusted across the courtyard felt like knives cutting into her skin.After they got into the house, Eilis went to take some charcoal to set up a brazier in Kyran's room. As for Deirdre, she helped Kyran make his bed. She took off her snow-laden jacket and got to work.Kyran looked around and picked up the picture on the table. There were four people in the picture, two young women, a boy, and a girl.The girl was looking at the camera with two of her fingers stuck out. There was a bright smile on her face, and she was the one who stood out the most among the four people in the picture. The boy standing next to her was looking at her. Even though he tried to hide his emotion, Kyran could still see from his eyes that he had a thing for her.Kyran looked at the girl and fell into contemplation. “M
Deirdre made her way to the left side of the yard and stood against the wall while she said, “It should be here.”Kyran turned on the flashlight on his phone and saw it. He opened up the switchboard and discovered that it was a little more complicated than a tripped breaker. It was fortunate that the toolbox was nearby. “Can you hold the phone?”He needed someone to shine the light. Deirdre nodded. “Sure.”She took the phone and was assigned to stand at a suitable position by Kyran. It was fortunate that there was no wind in the yard, but she was still shivering in the cold. Kyran removed his jacket suddenly and draped it across Deirdre’s body. Deirdre felt no longer cold when she was wrapped in the man’s jacket with his warmth. Yet, she remembered that Kyran did not dress warmly either, so she wanted to remove the jacket. “It’s fine, Mr. Reed…”Kyran insisted and helped her to button the jacket before he continued his task. Deirdre felt comforted for some unknown reason
”Yikes, yikes!” Eilis said in astonishment while she ate her oatmeal, “An influential person like him is injured? How did that happen? Aren’t influential people like them constantly being protected by bodyguards? It’s not some cancer, right?”Deirdre was stunned and felt her heart wrench in pain. She laughed at how silly she was in her heart and kept her head lowered to consume the oatmeal.The news report was replaced by something else, and Eilis was having a delightful time watching the entertainment news. Deirdre washed her face and grabbed her gardening tools before she said, “I’m heading to the yard.”It had been a long time since she had done gardening. Due to the snow, there was nothing much for her to do, yet she could not allow herself to remain idle. She would need to find something to do because it was the only way she could stop herself from thinking and asking.Eilis knew Deirdre’s personality very well, so she concerningly reminded Deirdre to be careful. “Hmm, I’l
"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