Ophelia was dead. There was no way Brendan would lie to her about this matter. But if it was not Ophelia, why would Brendan keep a photo of a woman who looked like her?Deirdre’s heart began to pump faster and faster as an idea began slowly taking shape in her head. “Glenna, can you tell me more about the photo? Can you tell where she is and who she's with?” Deirdre asked.Glenna looked at the photo closely for a while, but she could barely see anything because the photo was blurry. “This photo is weird. It seems to me that she’s in a room or something. She’s sitting on a bed, and there’s no one else in the photo.”“What about her hair? And what is she wearing? Does she have long hair or short hair?” Glenna was startled by Deirdre’s string of questions. She tried to calm her down by saying, “Calm down, Deirdre. I’ll tell you slowly.”“I’m sorry…” Deirdre pressed down her surging emotions and closed her eyes. If Ophelia was still alive, then she could not leave the country any
Deirdre bit her lip tightly. When she came back to her senses, she made another call, typing the phone number in her memory.After a short while, the call was connected and a sleepy voice rang out. “Who is it?”Embarrassed, Deirdre parted her lips and said, “Madame Russell, it’s me… I’m sorry for calling you at this late hour. Were you sleeping?”“Deirdre?” Eilis woke up and sat up straight. “Of course not. I'm still watching TV on the couch. What’s the matter? Why did you call me all of a sudden? I thought you said you were going to Germia soon. Did you have a fight with Mr. Reed?”“No…” Deirdre felt a gush of warmth surging in her heart. Eilis had always cared about her. “Nothing happened between us. It’s just that we were held back by something, so we haven’t departed for Germia yet.”“I see…” Eilis sighed. “Well, on the bright side, it’s good to stay home as well. After all, international calls are expensive. It costs a lot for you to call me like this, and I don’t want you to
“That’s simple. My friend knows how to copy a photo. I’ll get in contact with him now.”“I’m sorry, Glenna,” Deirdre said apologetically. “You've helped me so much, yet I still need you to help me do something at this late hour.”Glenna smiled and said, “You don’t have to apologize to me. You’ve helped me a lot, right? Besides, we’re friends, and as friends, we should be helping each other.” Deirdre, who was touched by Glenna’s words, nodded.She did not sleep well throughout the entire night. However, she still woke up very early the next day.She had not forgotten her promise to Brendan. Brendan was rather impatient as well, as he called her and asked where she was as soon as the clock struck eight.Deirdre told him the address of the neighborhood. Glenna had already gone to work, so she walked to the entrance of the neighborhood alone. As soon as she went out, she captured the figure of a man through her blurred vision.“Where is my suit?” he asked, getting down to business
Deirdre’s hands were shaking. She tried to open her eyes as wide as possible to see clearly the man in front of her, but to no avail. She forced herself to calm down and asked, “Why… Why is Kyran’s phone in your car?”Brendan had never expected something like this to happen. He frowned and chided himself for his carelessness. He had been very cautious in the past and had always been meticulous about everything. Now, he had made a mistake because of the photo.However, he soon calmed himself down and said, “I met with him today.”Deirdre became nervous. “You met with him today?!”“Yes, what’s the matter?” Brendan sneered. “Don’t worry. I didn’t do anything to him. We just had a little talk.”Deirdre’s heartbeat was getting faster and faster, and her chest was heaving up and down rapidly. “What did you guys talk about?”“Well, we talked about a lot of things. For example, we talked about you.”“Me?”“Didn’t you beg me to let him go? Honestly, I didn’t want to do it, but since I w
Tobey knew that she could not see with her eyes, so he described the photo to her. “Mrs. McKinnon looks very healthy in this photo. She’s smiling brightly at the camera.”Deirdre remembered that Ophelia had been very nervous at the time. She had been worried that she would not look good in the photo, so she had taken her best outfit—a flower dress—out and put it on. Unfortunately, she was too skinny, so the dress had not suited her well.She had taken a rope and tied it around her waist, and Deirdre had felt like crying upon seeing what she had done. She had leaned on her mother’s shoulder and said, “Mom, when I make a lot of money, I’ll buy many beautiful dresses for you. We will stay in a big house, and you won't have to push a cart down a muddy road anymore when you go to the market.”However, little had she expected that she would be the one to cause her mother’s death.Deirdre’s eyes turned red around the rims, and she smiled. “I remember you saying that the flowery dress look
“Kyran…”Deirdre felt that there was something wrong with them. She bit her lip and asked, “Why did you come back so early today?”Kyran pushed the hair in front of her forehead to the back of her head gently and said, “What’s the matter? Did you not want me to come home early to keep you company?”“That’s not what I meant…” Deirdre’s voice became lower. “I was just a little bit surprised.”Kyran grabbed her hand and brought her over to his side. “It's been a long time since I spent time with you, so I decided to spend the day with you today.”Deirdre let out a dry laugh.For some reason, she felt that Kyran was putting on a show to flaunt their close relationship in front of Tobey. This made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She did not like to act all lovey-dovey in front of people she knew. “So he’s the boyfriend you’ve been talking about, Deirdre?” Tobey chimed in. “He doesn't seem at all like what you told me. You said that your boyfriend was very gentle and understanding
“Kyran…” Tears streamed down from Deirdre's eyes. She lowered her head, and her voice sounded choked when she said, “How could you think like that?”He should feel more secure than anyone.“No matter what happens, I won’t leave you. I love you, and unless you don’t love me anymore, I’ll always be by your side. I promise you,” Deirdre said with a smile, her eyes filled with tears. “You’re better than me, and it’s my honor to be with you. I don’t understand why you would feel so insecure. You shouldn’t feel this way…“Tobey has only treated me like his younger sister since we were kids. We're like brother and sister. The fact that I didn’t choose to be with him in the past means that I’ll never be with him in the future either.”Kyran cupped her face between his hands and asked, “Really?”Deirdre nodded sternly. Kyran lowered his head and kissed her. Deirdre felt embarrassed as she said, “Is my face salty? It’s filled with tears.”“It’s sweet,” Kyran whispered into her ear. “It’s b
The things that happened last night surfaced in her head. Kyran had not gone easy on her at all, especially not on her neck. She felt that he must've left a very obvious mark on her neck. It was very embarrassing, and she could not raise her head up. Tobey got to his feet and said, “Wait for me here.”Then, he went out of the coffee shop. After a few minutes, he came back and handed a bag to Deirdre.“Put it on.”Deirdre stuck her hand into the bag and pulled a scarf out. She wrapped it around her neck, finally feeling a bit better.Tobey tapped his finger on the table and said with a fake smile, “Deirdre, it seems like your boyfriend doesn’t respect you.”Deirdre raised her head. Tobey added, “He knew that you were coming out to see me today, yet he did this to you. He didn't care at all about how much trouble what he did would cause you, and I don't think you'd really like to be in the limelight because of it either.”Deirdre fell silent. Tobey was right. However, Kyran had
"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