Mr. Zimmer watched them for a long time. He wanted to say something but refrained from speaking forcefully.“If you think your choice is right, you may go on, but it will be difficult for you to remove Desmond from his position when he holds it steadily. I’m with you.”Upon saying that, he turned around and left. Deirdre said, “Mr. Zimmer has a good attitude but is exasperated by you.”“I know.” Brendan was calm and composed. Deirdre asked, “Do you regret helping me in the hospital? If you were to send someone to help, you would still be safe and sound and would be the Brighthall Group’s ruler now.”Brendan’s gaze landed on Deirdre’s face with a meaningful look on his face. “My only regret is not helping you when I passed by the room the first time.”He spoke in a sincere tone, and his gaze was deep.Deirdre was at a loss for words, so she could only answer, “You will regret it.” Then, she lowered her head to take a sip of her juice. The party was peaceful. In fact, Deirdre
“Don’t deserve it, you say?”Brendan clutched the glass and burst out in laughter upon hearing that, but his eyes had no joy. “It seems that you’re not the one to determine if I deserve it, Mr. Griffin.”“Brendan! You’re still unrepentant at this point!” One board member angrily pointed at Brendan and berated him, “How will the Brighthall Group be in a crisis if not because of you? Everyone is discussing how to handle the situation with great effort so we can support the Brighthall Group through the crisis, yet you’ve actually brought a criminal with you! You brought in the police as well! You’re creating trouble for the Brighthall Group and bringing dishonor to your family!”“He’s right, Mr. Brighthall. You used to be outstanding and capable in the past. Even though you were young and reckless, the board of directors chose to tolerate you because we wanted the Brighthall Group to grow and expand. Yet, you disregarded the company because of a woman, and you’ve created such a big mes
“Not to mention he puts his heart and soul into his work over the years, while you’ve only guided the people around you without bothering to provide him with a basic salary increment.”Desmond raised his chin high and laughed proudly while he was speaking. “However, the first thing I’ll do is to guide and support Reagan when I assume my new role, so he will be promoted to the position that he deserves!”Reagan felt slightly guilty initially, but his gaze was tainted with determination and coldness when he looked at Brendan upon hearing the remark. He said to Desmond flatteringly, “Thank you, Mr. Griffin.”Desmond cracked a smile in pride. “It is what you deserve from the start, and I won’t treat you poorly, of course.”Brendan’s expression was indifferent, and his dark eyes were deep. He asked Reagan, “Is this the condition he offered you?”Reagan’s expression changed, and he cleared his throat. “I don’t understand what you’re implying, Mr. Brighthall. I understand Mr. Griffin’s i
“That’s right!” Everyone assumed that the police officer was mistaken. “These two people here are the offenders! One of them is Deirdre McKinnon, who pushed someone down the stairs, while the other… is the criminal’s accomplice who harbors said criminal! It would be best to capture both of them! They have no affiliation with the people in the hall!”The police officer furrowed his eyebrows and asked, while looking at Desmond in handcuffs, “Are you Desmond Griffin?”Desmond hastily nodded. “Yes! I am!”“There’s no mistake then. We’re taking you precisely. Someone reported you for tax evasion. Not only that, but our other team found poison in your mistress’ home. You’re coming with us at once!”The police took Desmond forcefully, and Mr. Church hastily stopped them. He pointed at Deirdre and asked, “How about her then? She is a criminal! Why aren’t you taking her first?”“Criminal?” The police officer frowned. “Firstly, even if she is guilty, she will be charged with intentional ass
Since it was a misunderstanding, the wind of change was blowing through the online community. The website was packed with users who were not only deleting their hateful comments but also posting their apologies. The entry ‘Brendan is a good man’ received a high upvote. At the same time, another entry was upvoted as well. “What is the meaning of this entry 'Let's talk about the dirty deeds of the Brighthall Group’s Desmond Griffin and his accomplices’?”Mr. Church’s expression changed drastically. He hastily clicked on the hashtag and discovered that the dirty deeds that Desmond, he, and a few others had committed had been exposed. His knees buckled all at once, and he sat on the floor weakly. He glared at Brendan in despair. “You madman! You took a bet on the Brighthall Group’s future on purpose!”Brendan loosened his tie and said coldly, “I learned that there were quite a few sneaky rats in the Brighthall Group when I was caught in a series of events, but I didn’t expect t
Brendan smiled and approached him. “Uncle Zimmer.”Mr. Zimmer was stunned for a moment. He walked over and said, “Well done.”“I was hoping that you wouldn’t mind it, Uncle Zimmer. I had to hide from everyone before the situation came to an end.”“Why would I mind?” Mr. Zimmer appeared to be in a daze for a moment. Soon afterward, he smiled and patted Brendan’s shoulder. “You saw through Desmond and the others before me. I’m delighted you have a keen sense of people and can implement solid measures. It seems it is totally fine to hand over the company to you so I can set my mind at ease and retire…”As he was speaking, he took a glance at Deirdre. “I’m sorry, Miss McKinnon.”Deirdre was surprised that a senior like him would lower himself to apologize to her. She lowered her eyes and said, “You don’t need to apologize, Mr. Zimmer. I remembered you helping me previously too.”“No, that is not the same thing. At the time, I thought that you were… I treated you in a very poor manner
Charlene was no fool because she knew how the rest of her life would be if Brendan was ruined. Those people wanted to tarnish Brendan’s reputation until his future was almost bleak. How could she marry Brendan if that were the case? Could she make peace with being a deadbeat’s wife?No, Charlene knew that she would have to rise up higher! She wanted to show everyone that she married an influential man with high authority and wanted everyone to submit to her. -“So, you’re saying that you forced Charlene to work with you by putting on an act by using the voice recording as a threat?” Deirdre paused for a moment upon saying that. Then, she said softly, “So, I didn’t get injured in vain. Charlene is so foolish she let someone have a hold upon her in this situation.”“She isn’t foolish. On the contrary, she is too smart. She is so smart that she is always leaving leeway for herself at all times.”Deirdre turned her head to the side even though she could not see the man’s face clear
Declan was amused. “Why are you being so childish? I’m not going to fight you on this. You can have all the credit. How have you been feeling recently, Miss McKinnon? Are you doing alright after enduring hardships in the detention center during your pregnancy?”“No. I have already fully recovered after resting in the hospital for a few days.”Deirdre had mixed feelings toward Declan because he was an accomplice who had deceived her, but Declan had put his heart and soul into doing things for her other than this particular situation. “Great then.” Declan smiled and said, “My trip is worth it.”Deirdre could tell that Declan was leaving, judging from his tone. “Will you still be returning to Eastgene, Mr. King? Are you not going to stay for a few more days?”“I would like to stay for a few more days too because I’ve been thinking about your cooking constantly these days. However, I’m needed there. I’ll be back to gather with everyone when I’m done dealing with everything.”Declan
"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