He had not expected the woman before him to have the nerve to play mind games with him at a moment like this.“I know exactly what you are thinking. You want to run away, right? I can’t believe that you would stoop so low as to use this kind of excuse. What makes you think that I’ll work with Brendan’s woman?”“The devil takes the hindmost. Maybe a second earlier, I was still Brendan’s woman, but since he refused to come to my rescue to save himself, why shouldn't I find another way to save myself?” Deirdre said candidly. She laid herself bare and added, “Mr. King, all I care about is my own safety. To achieve my goal, I’m willing to do anything I can, including betray Brendan.” Cillian squinted his eyes. There was a voice in his mind telling him to guard himself against the woman before him. After all, not everyone could stay as calm as she had when she had been abducted.That being said, he was curious about the things that Deirdre had said.“Then how are you going to take reve
Cillian fell silent. Given his current circumstances, he did not have any better options.It would only take two days to get everything done. Since Deirdre was here with him right now, he was confident that she would not be able to run away from him.In the end, he untied Deirdre’s hands and led her into his car.He took her to the room on the second floor of the private property he owned. Before he left, he warned her. "Deirdre, you'd better not be lying to me. Otherwise, I hope you'll enjoy your last two days. Then, I'll show you what it feels like to live in hell.”He smirked coldly and left. Deirdre rubbed the red welt on her wrist as the indescribable pain spread from her skin to her chest.Brendan did not show up anymore. He had gone off the grid completely. Perhaps he was on his way back to Neve, so she could only depend on herself right now.However, this was something impossible for an ordinary person to handle, let alone a blind woman like her. After she calmed hersel
Even though Deirdre had expected it, her heart still sank a little when the bodyguard told her about it.She had not expected a heartless person like Brendan to show her any compassion, but she had not expected him to leave in his car without any hesitation when she was in danger either.‘He really is the most heartless man I’ve ever met,’ Deirdre thought as her eyes were filled with mockery. “Okay,” she replied. “I know what kind of person Brendan is, so you can tell Mr. King. As long as he can ensure my safety, I have plenty of ways to bring him down from his throne.” The bodyguard turned around and left. Deirdre was still sitting on the bed in the same position even when he came back from the grocery store. Her face was hidden in the shadows, so he could not see her expression right now.He felt a little bit sorry for her, so he said in a gentle voice, “Don’t worry. As long as everything you said is true and you’re willing to cooperate with Mr. King, he won’t hurt you.”Deir
The bodyguard behind them said, “Yes, she’s telling the truth.”Cillian frowned. His desire disappeared without a single trace, and he felt a bit disgusted. “I know what you want, Mr. King. But we don’t have to rush everything. We can always have more fun after we’ve pulled Brendan down from his throne.”Cillian felt that Deirdre was right. Women were the last thing he would be lacking. However, the satisfaction of being able to trample Brendan under his feet was something that could not be replaced by anything else. “Where is Charli now?” “She’s at a church in Neve.“Church?” Cillian’s face sank. The place was a bit too far away. He said with displeasure, “What is she doing there?”“A while ago, Brendan was seriously ill and almost died in the hospital, so Charli went to the church to pray for him while atoning her sin for running over someone.”It was a good excuse, and Cillian did not press on as he was confident that Deirdre did not dare to lie to him. He went away excit
However, things were different now. She had Kyran with her. If she died, Kyran would be devastated. At the very least, she wanted to say a final goodbye to Kyran before she died. “You want to live? Does Brendan want you to live?” Cillian scoffed. “Well, you can’t blame anyone but yourself. After all, you were the one who chose him to be your man.”Deirdre’s eyelashes trembled. A pang shot through her chest, and she gasped out in pain.“I met with the wrong person. Please give me another chance,” she said.“Another chance?” Cillian grabbed her hair and enunciated each word. “You don’t have any chance anymore!”He took off his tie. “You’ve exhausted my patience. Initially, I planned to have some fun with you. I might keep you for a few more days if you serve me well today. If not, I'll send you to the owner of Mystic Midnight today and force you to serve other people right away!”After he finished speaking, he stretched his arm forward to tear Deirdre's shirt. He was furious. He
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Cillian tutted in a taunting manner. “If you were to come six days ago and tell me this, perhaps I might be touched by your unfaltering devotion. Yet, you’ve only returned after leaving Eastgene for six days. Isn’t it hypocritical of you to speak like this now?”Deirdre widened her eyes and agreed with Cillian’s remark in her heart. ‘Didn’t Brendan give up on me? Didn’t he leave for Neve already?’ She could not understand why he was back again. Brendan was unbothered, and his expression did not even change, but he repeated himself, “What do you want?”Cillian was feeling slightly furious. He put out his cigarette while he sneered. “What do I want? You beat me up violently the other day that my face was swollen for three whole days, Mr. Brighthall. I woke up in pain and lost a few teeth. I figure that I can’t just endure the torment for nothing, right?” Cillian narrowed his eyes and said, “If you were to bow down to me in everyone’s witness, I might consider han
Cillian looked at her and said, “It seems that between you and Charlene, he has chosen you.”Deirdre was shocked and her eyelashes were batting. ‘Am I dreaming? I must be… Brendan is arrogant and overbearing. How can he possibly bow down to someone? How can he bow down to Cillian!?’“Will that be enough?” Brendan looked straight ahead. Even when his back was bent, he was still as charming as ever. “Let her off. Every wrong has its cause. I should be the one to pay back what I owe you.”“Uh…” Cillian feigned his hesitation, but the smirk on his lips remained as wide as ever. “It is surprising that Mr. Brighthall is willing to bow to me. However, I’m afraid that it can be difficult to erase everything that happened when all you do is just bend over.”Brendan’s expression turned sour. “You said that all I have to do is bow down.”“Yes.” Cillian laughed in delight. “However, I didn’t say I’d free Deirdre after you bowed to me. I said I won’t torment Deirdre if you bow down to me wil
Cillian was burning with anger at the thought of how he had been put through the torture and the powerlessness he felt when Brendan pinned him on the ground. Soon afterward, he ordered his subordinates ferociously, “Beat him up! Beat him to his death!”“Mr. King…” The few bodyguards stood looking at one another. “Are we really going to hit him? Mr. King Sr. is—”Cillian’s expression turned cold, and his sinister-looking eyes were filled with killing intent. “Are you working for him or me?”As soon as he made the remark, the subordinates did not have the courage to speak anymore. One of them raised his hand and punched Brendan. Brendan collapsed to the ground in pain, only to be struck by heavier punches than the previous ones. He felt as if his internal organs were exploding from the punches and churning in his chest.Deirdre shook her head with all her might. She could hear the sound of the beating and also Brendan’s muffled grunt from enduring the pain. She shouted, “Stop it!
"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