Charlene immediately feigned her fall and sat on the ground. Meanwhile, her eyes welled up with tears. Brendan showed up from the left corner and found Charlene getting up from the ground, sobbing. She put on such a good act that her expression was extremely pitiful. Brendan furrowed his eyebrows in disgust. He took a glance at the surroundings and asked, “What happened?”Charlene made her way to Brendan and said in a grieving tone, “Forget it…Brendan. It’s fine. I think that Miss McKinnon might not be in a good mood, so she is using me to vent her anger. She was angered after finding out about our marriage, and I can understand that.”Deirdre wanted to laugh at Charlene’s fabricated, provocative remark. “Were you not trying to slap me in the face because you were angered and embarrassed? I can’t see clearly, but I can still see that your action is much more honest than your mouth.”Charlene assumed an innocent expression. “Miss McKinnon, you can blame me for taking Brendan
Brendan’s gaze pooled around Charlene, like a spotlight, as she continued to sob. “If it weren’t for those journalists putting my feet on the fire, I wouldn’t have forced Miss McKinnon to attend my wedding, okay?“Do you really think her attendance is going to be, in any way, shape, or form, beneficial to me? She’s pregnant with your child, Bren! Every time I see it, it hurts me so much!”She was acting so hard, yet Brendan’s eyes exuded impassivity and nonchalance. He waited until she was done venting and passed her a piece of tissue. “So, you had nothing to do with it?”“Of course!” Charlene wiped away her tears. “I see. I believe you.” Brendan’s tone softened.Charlene broke out a watery smile and began redressing her ruined makeup as Brendan focused on driving. “Bren, should… Should we tell Miss McKinnon? I told the reporter that she was joining, after all…”Brendan nodded impatiently. “Now that you told the media it’s going to happen, she has to be there, or it’d seem like
Deirdre immediately recognized the crux of his announcement. “What happened?”“She told the journalists you’ll be attending her wedding, so now, if you don’t go, that will make things really tough to explain.”“She said I was going to attend. Right on the journalists’ faces.” Deirdre’s expression darkened. She had mistaken the certainty in Charlene’s words earlier today as a bluff—she did not know it was planned.Still, something puzzled her. Why would Charlene go to all these lengths to force her into attending her wedding reception? Unless… Charlene had something else planned for her?Deirdre raised her head at that thought. She needed to warn him. “Brendan?”She needed to remind him that Charlene never did something without an ulterior motive. But before she could say anything at all, someone knocked on their door. The voice from the devil herself came from the other side. “Bren? Bren! Are you in there?”Deirdre’s heart stopped for a millisecond. How did she know he was in the
Brendan sneered and left Deirdre’s room. Charlene was about to follow him when a thought leaped into her mind. She turned around, studying the awkward expression on her face, and beamed smugly. “I made quite a lot of broth today, Miss McKinnon. Would you like to have a sip?”Deirdre shot a brief glance at her and pretended to be deaf. Charlene chuckled, unperturbed, but something deep inside her eyes revealed malice. “It’s okay. All I’m asking is that you attend my wedding at the end of the month. Please, Miss McKinnon… I insist.”-For the rest of the month, Brendan seemed to pour all of his attention into the wedding preparations. News about it traveled so far and wide that Declan King heard of it all the way from Eastgene. It was what prompted him to call. Deirdre was the one who answered. She told him everything unreservedly. When she was done, Declan snickered. “Ooh, mysterious. What is our boy Brendan cooking right now?”Deirdre had no idea, either.“If I know anything
Deirdre was stunned into silence for a moment. Then, a series of footsteps came, announcing an intruder. Charlene strode inside the room. Brendan and Deirdre were about a few meters apart, with the latter staring at the floor with an awkward grimace. “Bren!” She cried out while secretly seething. Damn it! No matter how hard she tried to prevent it, this b*tch would always find a way to charm Brendan! Suppressing her rage, she smiled and asked, “What happened? Miss McKinnon’s wearing a terrible grimace.”What she called “a terrible grimace” was really just Deirdre’s face turning red from being flustered. Charlene could not tell, but Brendan could—and he gave a long, hard look. “Nothing. Bumped into her after coming back here from work. We talked a little.”“Really? Was a talk enough for her to make that face?” Charlene remarked coquettishly as she snaked her arm around Brendan’s. “Jeez, you should really be kinder and gentler to Miss McKinnon, you know? That kid she’s pregnant w
”Lord Almighty, it’s worse than bad. It’s designed to ruin every strength and grace your lovely face possesses!” Mrs. Engel seethed. “I can’t believe she’s this… this… wrathful! Small-hearted! Ungracious!“If she’s that worried about you stealing her thunder at her own wedding, then she should have never invited you in the first place—simple as that! Why invite you to such an important occasion and then try to ruin your looks like that? If you go there like that, you’ll be the punchline of the evening!”Deirdre was comparatively calmer. “That’s exactly what she wants.”“It’s her live wedding, for crying out loud! God, she would sacrifice even her own wedding if it meant she could embarrass you somehow!” Mrs. Engel snarled indignantly.Who in this entire world would want her wedding to focus on someone else other than herself and have it smeared by a joke? Well, Charlene was the only woman mad enough to do that!“It’s okay,” Deirdre replied placidly. This was exactly as she had pre
“Brendan really knows how to choose his woman, dang! Remember Charlene McKinney? That one was gorgeous too, man. Too bad the woman this time…”Someone began to compare the bride herself with Deirdre. “I thought Charlie McKinsey was pretty, but now his ex-wife’s cousin is here, I gotta say… damn. That ain’t a gap. It’s an entire level of difference!”“Maybe Brendan cares more about the vibe, ya know? But if it were me, I'd definitely tie my knot with McKinnon, 100%.” The crowd began to laugh up their sleeves while Charlene had to maintain a smile despite broiling. What did these little sh*ts mean by ‘an entire level of difference’? Were they blind or nuts!?And that b*tch! The color and style of the dress should have made it impossible to shine in an event as grand as this! How the hell did she turn a piece of rock into a gemstone!? She used the dress to somehow elevate herself!F*cking b*tch!Charlene whipped her head in the direction of the stylist following her, irate. The sur
The man did not answer her. In fact, Charlene quickly felt another pair of hands coming for her. This time, she shrieked and slapped it away. Someone pulled the curtains away, and the light revealed six men in the room with her—all of them obviously drugged. Most of them were sitting on the floor, tripping out of their wits, but two of them were staring at Charlene with lust in their eyes.Blood was drained out of Charlene’s face. “Why are you here!? I told you to wait at the guests’ lounge!”Unfortunately, these people were too far gone to listen to any instruction. One of them slapped their hand on Charlene’s lips while the other began to remove her clothes against her will. She struggled but could not break free at all.And yet, toward the end, Charlene stopped resisting and… danced with them. Someone hammered at the door from outside, waking Charlene out of her trance. She quickly shoved the men away, horror overwhelming her visage. Something was not right! There was somet