“What are you doing?!” By the time Deirdre realized what he was going to do, it was already too late. The man had already pressed his lips on her neck, and she shouted in despair, “Get away from me!”“You should quit acting now. Everyone knows you're a wh*re who has slept with many different men, so why can't I join the party? I'm sure that a man like Brendan can't satisfy you, right? It's okay. You're fortunate to have come across me today. I'm sure that you'll very much enjoy it.”Deirdre was disgusted. If she could see now, the first thing that would appear in her vision would be the man's face, which was distorted by lust and desire.The man continued to tear her shirt apart, and Deirdre just wanted to kill herself. Suddenly, she stopped struggling.“You said you want me, right?” said Deirdre, her voice shaky and raspy. Anyone who heard her voice would be incited.The man stopped and grinned lecherously. “Of course. You’re so beautiful. Since there’s no one else here, we might
Declan found a woman crying with her face covered in the room when he rushed to the hospital overnight. He knew that the woman’s name was Reily Grant.Reily saw him at the same time and acted as if she had found her savior. “Mr. King!”“I’m aware of the situation. Where’s Kyran?”“Mr. Reed is at the police station.”“Has he lost his mind? He should be resting in bed!” Declan furrowed his eyebrows tightly and made a call while he headed to the police station.The call was not picked up all along. Declan arrived at the police station’s entrance to find Kyran standing inside by himself, holding his phone and wearing a hospital gown. He did not have a jacket on but a police officer’s coat. All of the police officers were rather respectful to him. In fact, one of them had even served him a cup of hot water. “Sir, have this…”Declan walked over swiftly and grabbed the man’s arm. “What are you doing, Kyran!? Didn’t I tell you that I’ve already sent someone to look into this? You sho
Kyran’s eyes lit up. He hastily approached the police officer and moved so strongly that his abdomen twitched in pain. He let out a few coughs and asked with bloodshot eyes, “Where is she?”The police officer pointed at the lower right corner of the computer screen. “The woman that is taken away here, is that Miss McKinnon?”The front of the woman’s face could not be seen where the police officer was pointing, but her outfit coincided with what Deirdre had been wearing.Kyran clenched his fists tightly and said, “That’s right!”“We’re investigating in the right direction, then. If we can extract the main roads' surveillance footage and track the black sedan's whereabouts, we can find out where they have taken Miss McKinnon.” The police officer dialed the phone to retrieve more surveillance footage. A location was found at last. It was on a mountain nearby to Rivstate Road. There was an abandoned backyard, and the road to the mountain was steep, so it would be easy to cover up
If Deirdre were to fall, she would be drowned to death even if she survived the fall. Deirdre felt a shiver down her spine. She stretched out her hand to grab the vegetation roots next to her and found that they were very sturdy. She took a deep breath and prepared physically and mentally before grabbing the vegetation and moving to the right on the slope, which was almost 90 degrees. A few wounds opened up on her hands from the friction, and there were countless scratches on her body as well. She felt the burning, piercing pain in her palms, but she did not have the courage to slow down at all. She loosened her grip only when she finally arrived at a not-so-steep path. Her palms were covered in blood. Deirdre wanted to cry from the pain but endured it with her teeth clenched and continued to walk down the path. She was afraid that the man would come after her. She had already lost the strength to run, even though she could see the place a little clearer now.She lost coun
Deirdre spoke softly as if she was sad. The woman pitied her even more. She kept her head lowered while she bandaged Deirdre’s hands and then said, “You can stay at my place for a while then. My son and daughter are working elsewhere anyhow, and I don’t have anyone to keep me company. You’re not going to eat much anyway, so we’ll just set the table for one more person. We’ll talk again when you remember who you can call.”“Thank you.” Deirdre was grateful. The woman waved her hand dismissively and said, “It’s fine”. Then, she prepared the room next to her and put up some warm sheets for Deirdre. “It’s cold under the mountain. Just make do with the current bed, and when the sun is out tomorrow, I’ll hang the blankets in the closet in the sun so I can add another layer of blanket for you.”“Sure.”The woman left after reminding Deirdre.Deirdre could not sleep. She heard Kyran’s voice as soon as she shut her eyes. She heard his promises, confession of love, and tender words for
The woman could not help feeling surprised after seeing how skillful Deirdre’s movements were. “You’re skilled in this as well?”“I can do many things, and people would compliment my cooking.” Deirdre smiled, but her smile faded after a short while.Afterward, she cooked for one person solely. She would try all sorts of ways to please the person and would constantly perfect her skills for him.Then, she lost her sight and stopped cooking in the kitchen.“Is that so?” The woman chuckled and said, “I found myself something precious, haven’t I? Cook something from scratch so I can have a taste when you’re well.”“Sure.”-“How long has he been standing there?”Declan stood at the door with his gaze fixed upon the inside of the room. Kyran stood near the window, his face so pale he looked unreal. Reily said softly, “He has been standing there since he got back and hasn’t slept for a night.”She could not stand it anymore, yet she was worried that Kyran might attempt to leave the
The man’s mannerism was casual and carefree when the police inquired about the scene of the incident, but he became unprecedentedly angry when Deirdre was brought up. “That b*tch! She screwed me over! I almost died in that yard!”“Watch your words!” The detective knocked on the table and asked, “What do you mean by you almost died in the yard?”The man pointed at his head. “Can you see this? This serious wound is all her! She hit me with a brick, and I almost lost consciousness. I wouldn’t have made it to the next day if not for my good physique.”“Where is Deirdre?”“She got away!” The man was furious and sneered. “However, I saw with my own eyes when she ran and fell off a cliff. I didn’t even manage to reach out and grab her at the time. I suppose you can say that she deserves it for running despite being blind. If only she were to behave herself…”The man suddenly stopped speaking and smiled.The detective furrowed his eyebrows. “Behave herself and what? We found the ropes th
“Deirdre, I’m going foraging in the mountain. Go harvest some vegetables from the backyard so we can eat when I’m back.”“Sure.”Deirdre nodded. She held the door frame and shut her eyes comfortably in the bright sunlight. It had already been three days since she lived strictly following a routine. The wounds on her hands had yet to heal for the time being, but the scratches on her body were starting to fade. She believed that the piercing pain radiating from her palms occasionally would reduce not long after. It felt as if life had returned to the way before she met Kyran.She carried the basket and walked on the path step by step. The vision before her eyes would turn dark frequently, so she could not see the path clearly. Hence, she was always very careful on her journey.She harvested vegetables when she arrived in the backyard. Before she could carry the basket, a pair of huge hands were extended to her.“I’ll do it.”Deirdre raised her head and saw a man with a dark c
"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