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
Charlene covered her face and wept bitterly. She was so good at bursting into tears to the detriment of her dignity that it began to move some of the crowd into doubting their initial moralist instinct.Brendan was about to say something when one of the guests burst out of the horde and slapped Charlene.“You lying, two-timing b*tch!” the man thundered. “What did you tell me when you slept with me? B*tch, you told me you’re only in this for Brendan’s money. You told me you would run away with me once you got the money, but what did you do? You threw a six-against-one orgy behind my back! Does it kill you not to have a d*ck inside you for a moment!?”His invective, plus that slap that came from nowhere, shocked Charlene. When she finally recovered and looked at the man, she ignored her disheveled hair and shrieked, “Who the f*ck are you!? I don’t even know you! Security! This guy just slung an untrue slander at me, and I want him out!”As she covered her face, the man’s features bec
Charlene regarded him as though he was her messiah. Throwing her arms around his thigh, she launched a litany to explain why she was innocent despite the weight of evidence showing otherwise.“Bren, you believe me, don’t you? Someone set me up! I don’t know who, but I know they’re trying to destroy me. You know I devote my heart and soul to you, Bren! How could I possibly want to be with any other guys!?”Brendan said nothing, even as Charlene tightened her arms around his legs. He took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it up. When white smoke started to swirl in the air around them, he finally looked down at her. “How big of an idiot do you think I am, Charlene?”Charlene considered the frigid look on his face and shivered. “I’m willing to excuse your… orgy with the possibility that you’ve been drugged.” He continued. “But what about those pictures? How are you supposed to explain that away? Doctored? Deep fake?”His inquisitor’s tone bleached Charlene’s visage. Her lips w
Charlene’s mind raced to everything that had happened to her back there as fear, panic, and lividity ravaged her. But now was not the time to lose control. She recalled how Brendan tried his best to maintain his composure and defended her despite being humiliated by the ordeal. It meant that he still cared about her and had enough care and love for her that he could not bear to watch her suffer.She had to secure this man! If Brendan decided to abandon her, those people she had been forced to work with… they had even less reservation about abandoning her, too. Someone whose reputation had gone down the sh*tter to the elite circle could not possibly rise up on their own ever again!After squaring the pros and cons of her options, Charlene turned on her heels and left quickly. The waitress watched her darting away, and the smug grin on her face disappeared. Solemnly, she said, “She’s gone, Miss McKinnon.”Deirdre rubbed her arms, which were cold from being exposed to the AC. “Ph
Brendan sneered. “Well, well. Aren’t you naive?”Sam knocked on the door at just that moment, his visage grim. Brendan extinguished his cigarette and asked, “What’s wrong?”Sam shot a resentful glance at Charlene. “Someone’s taken pictures of what happened, so now… Charlene’s scandal has been leaked out to the public and became viral. Everyone has been anticipating this wedding for so long that this piece of news immediately became the most viral discussion. We couldn’t censor it at all.”Brendan scowled in silence. Charlene was aghast. “But how? How did it get leaked!?”“Why wouldn’t it, huh!?” Sam snapped at her. “Mr. Brighthall had a target painted on his back these days, so of course, they would be glad for a story that would ruin him in one fell swoop! Hell, it didn’t just leak! They clearly put in money to deliberately amplify the story to all corners of the Internet! Not only does Mr. Brighthall have to suffer being seen as a cuckolded husband, but the company’s tanking in
"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