After Deirdre’s wounds were dressed, Madame Brighthall kept her company for a while. Deirdre lay on the bed after Madame Brighthall left, yet she was having difficulty falling asleep. She dreamt of her mother sitting cross-legged under the apricot tree and waving to her when she finally fell asleep. Her smile was just as kind and gentle as before. “You’re late. Put down your school bag quickly. I don’t want my precious daughter to be tired.”She ran forward with tears down her face, yet the scene changed to the rooftop instantly. She watched as her mother jumped from the rooftop and screamed hysterically, but there was nothing she could do.“Miss McKinnon! Miss McKinnon!”Deirdre was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the door. She sat upright in shock, breathing heavily, and her face was drenched in tears.“What’s going on?”She felt her way to open the door. The maid said in a panicked tone, “Miss McKinnon, the police are here.”Deirdre sat in the living room and
Brendan signaled the caregiver to leave. He asked coldly after the door was shut, “Did you call the police?”Charlene blinked innocently upon hearing that, and her expression turned so grievous instantly that she was almost tearing up.“Hmm… Brendan, I know you must think I’m at fault. However, I can’t help it because Miss McKinnon is truly terrifying! She shoved me down the stairs with her own hands! Had the grass not cushioned my fall, it’s possible that I wouldn't be alive anymore. I’m lucky I only broke a leg, but I don’t have the courage to think what Miss McKinnon would do to me in the future. So, I can only let her face the consequences she deserves.”“Consequences that she deserves?” Brendan narrowed his eyes.Meanwhile, Sam’s call came. “Sir, the situation is looking very bad now. It’s apparent that Charlene is well prepared in her plan. There is a drone recording of Miss McKinnon pushing Charlene down the stairs, and it is posted online. The online community is already
“Mr. Brighthall! Why are you suddenly showing up at the police station? Could it be that the video clip posted online is true? Did your ex-wife’s cousin really push Charli down the stairs?”“Are you here at the police station to handle this case? What sort of punishment will Deirdre be subjected to?”“Someone posted online claiming that you’re going to protect your ex-wife’s sister. Is that true? Is your conscience clear to Miss McKinsey, your fiance whom you’re about to marry soon and who loves you so deeply? Or you’re having feelings for Deirdre because she looks similar to your ex-wife?”“The murderer must be convicted! Let alone the fact that the victim is the future wife of the Brighthall Group’s owner. Mr. Brighthall, we will be scrutinizing this case as citizens, and we want you to give us a satisfactory reply! Don’t disappoint Miss McKinsey’s love for you! Don’t disappoint our trust in you!”The crowd was enraged, and they encircled Brendan. Brendan was capable of using a
“I’ve already told you from the start that if I were Miss McKinnon, I would not only hate you but also possibly kill you.”Brendan felt bitterness in his throat. “That is why I’ve always been doing my best to make up for my mistake, but I didn’t expect something like this to happen in the middle.”Declan said, “I feel that the only troubling part about this incident is that the shoving incident is real. If Charlene insists on the investigation, it will be very hard for Deirdre to walk free.”“However, Charlene isn’t injured severely. In addition, Miss McKinnon is pregnant, so she won’t be sent to prison. We will only need to delay the conviction, and we will stand a chance at turning the tables.”Brendan’s dark eyes dimmed. “I know. I’ve already tampered with the video clip by blurring it. In addition, the guests of the party are on my side. We can totally claim that Charlene was intoxicated and confused…”At the same time Declan nodded, he said hesitantly, “However, we will need
Deirdre was stunned for a short while. By the time she recovered from her surprise, she had assumed a sarcastic expression. “Aren’t I punishing you now?”Brendan was actually irrefutable.“Moreover, how is prison any different from being confined in your house to be with you? I feel that there’s more freedom to be in prison anyway. I don’t have to see you daily and be disgusted by you at the very least.”Deirdre’s remark was cruel. Brendan felt his head spinning, and he could not tell if he was feeling unpleasant or if he was ill. He clenched his fists tightly and suppressed his unusual demeanor.“Do you know what will happen after this?”Brendan’s eyes were bloodshot. “No one can guarantee your safety or survival when you’re in prison. The video clip of you shoving Charlene down the stairs is spreading all over the web, and everyone knows about it. You’ll be the murderer rejected by everyone when you’re released from prison. Do you still want to go through the previous experience
Deirdre was astounded upon hearing that. “What do you mean?” Soon, Deirdre calmed down and stared at Brendan’s outline with a disappointed gaze. “What sort of trick are you up to again, Brendan?”Brendan was frustrated. He had done way too many things that made it very difficult for Deirdre to trust him. “I’m not. I know that you may find it hard to understand the situation, but I’m telling you the truth that Ophelia is still alive.”Deirdre’s fingers twitched. “Brendan, what is the point of you making up this lie? My mother’s death is an established truth…. that both you and the police are well aware of. You would have told me from the start if she were still alive. How can you possibly be hiding it from me until now!?”She was utterly disappointed. “How foolish do you think I am that I will believe in your lowly lie?”Brendan heaved a sigh softly and clenched his fists so tightly from the discomfort of his body until his veins bulged up. However, he still wanted to look nor
“I have her photo, and I can confirm that it is not photoshopped. However, the plastic surgery techniques are advanced these days, and it is not utterly impossible to find one or two women that look like Ophelia in all of Berth.“I was afraid of giving you false hope only to disappoint you again, so I could only figure out a way to trace Ophelia’s whereabouts, yet I didn’t expect that…”Brendan did not finish his sentence, but Deirdre was well aware of what it was. He did not expect that she would be triggered by Charlene and push Charlene down the stairs. In truth, Deirdre was well aware that Charlene was mostly provoking her, but she could not care about that anymore at the time. If Charlene was the enemy who killed her mother, it would be her only chance to avenge her mother. Deirdre was having a hard time processing the information, but Brendan’s sincere words did not sound like a lie. “Brendan… Will I still be able to trust you one last time?”Brendan’s dimmed, dark eye
“However, I’m quite curious how you managed to convince Miss McKinnon to the point she is willing to follow your instruction to withdraw her guilty plea.”Brendan looked at the dripping intravenous drip and said calmly, “I told her the truth. I told her everything without holding back anything.”Declan was surprised. “Is that so? In truth, you should have done that from the start. However, you’re always carrying burdens by yourself. I find it quite surprising that you would choose to tell Miss McKinnon and let her share your burden… It seems that she is really important to you.”Brendan cracked a smile. The answer was obvious without the need to speak. Declan could not help feeling envious. “When will I have a relationship like this? It’s a waste that this relationship is too heavy and risky.”Brendan thought about all sorts of things that happened between him and Deirdre.He used to think that relationships were troublesome in the past. He cared about Charlene, but he knew deep