Sam didn’t fake his concern, although he could ignore Deirdre just like other bodyguards.“Thanks.” Sam’s kindness touched Deirdre. She hesitated and decided to ask, “Sam, can you help me?”“If it’s not something that will place me in a difficult situation, I’m happy to oblige.”Deirdre hurriedly said, “No, it won’t! I’d just like you to help me find out where Sterling is now, his current situation, and whether he's living a good life during your spare time.”Deirdre was assured that Brendan wouldn’t give up easily. The fact that Brendan hadn’t humiliated her continuously at the party led to her assumption that Brendan might have shifted his focus on Sterling. Hence, she wanted to know Sterling’s condition.However, before Sam could answer, the sound of clothes hangers falling to the ground came from the door.Deirdre was stunned, and her chest tightened suddenly. She heard Brendan say while gnashing his teeth, "You really miss him."It was as if Deirdre had crossed Brendan’s bo

Brendan started the engine when they got into the car, and they remained quiet throughout the journey.When the car stopped, Brendan took Deirdre to the destination.The floor manager greeted Brendan with a broad smile in the lobby. “Mr. Brighthall, welcome. We’ve prepared a table for you on the second floor. Let me take you there. By the way, the dishes will be served in minutes.”‘Dishes? Are we here t-to have a meal?’ Deirdre was astonished. But her instincts told her that it wasn’t as simple as she was thinking.However, when she sat on her seat fearfully, nothing happened.Brendan asked indifferently, “What do you like to eat? I’ve simply ordered some dishes, but I don’t know if they suit your taste.”Deirdre clenched her fists as she felt inexplicably uneasy. “Anything is good.”“Really?” Brendan smirked. “You’ve said it yourself. Don't you blame Lena again when you have something you dislike later."Deirdre felt tense. She couldn’t help but ask, “Why are we here?”“This

The restaurant manager was astounded. It was his first time seeing a measly waiter hitting Brendan. If Brendan was angered, let alone Sterling, even he would be fired from his job!“Apologize to Mr. Brighthall immediately!”“It’s fine.” Brendan wiped away the blood on his mouth and chuckled. “How can I have the audacity to make the Fullers’ young heir with a renowned reputation apologize to me?”“What?” The restaurant manager’s expression changed drastically. “You are that illegitimate heir of the Fullers, huh? Why didn’t you tell me about that earlier? If I were to know that you’re him, I wouldn’t even have let you work in our restaurant even if you asked for no pay!”He said to Brendan in haste, “Mr. Brighthall, I was clueless about that! The boy claimed he would be fine with the wage of a little over 100 dollars with accommodation and meals provided. I was under the assumption that he was a pauper. How would I have the courage to defy your order if I were to know about his real

Deirdre’s entire body was shaking. She felt as if the sky was collapsing on her and that the coldness of the world was endless. “Don’t…” She inhaled a deep breath shakily, and her eyes reddened with tears in an attempt to calm herself as she pleaded with Brendan. “I’m begging you, Brendan. Don’t get the police involved. I’ll agree to any condition…”“Don’t beg him! Deirdre!” Sterling felt his heart wrench in pain. He rubbed Deirdre’s hair gently without any concern for Brendan’s cold stare and said in a determined tone, “I’ll just be placed in a detention facility for a few days. It’s nothing serious, and I don’t care anyway.”He looked toward Brendan once again, his eyes filled with coldness. “Our society is governed by law. Could it be that he’s going to get me killed in the detention facility?”Brendan’s gaze shifted away from Sterling’s hand that was touching Deirdre’s hand. He felt so agitated in his heart that he wanted to hit someone. While he was suppressing his anger, he

Cold beads of sweat streamed down Sterling’s face, and he groaned in agony from the pain of the glass shard stabbing into his palm. Andre said ‘Oops’ and chuckled while he pulled back his leg. “I’m sorry, I was a little careless earlier. I haven’t gotten you injured, right?”The restaurant manager was having a hard time regulating his breathing at the sight of a glass shard stabbing into Sterling’s palm. It was painful, yet he immediately stopped himself from speaking at the thought of Sterling almost getting him in trouble. There was only confusion in Deirdre’s eyes. She asked frantically, “What happened?”“Nothing.” Andre stared at Sterling and enunciated his words clearly as he said, “Mr. Fuller was injured a little from his carelessness during the cleanup earlier.”‘Injured?”’Deirdre’s mind went blank. ‘Sterling is a doctor. He can’t afford to get his hands injured.’She hastily asked, “How do you feel, Sterling? I’ll do it!”“Yes, don’t push yourself, Sterling.” Brendan

’All this just because of Sterling? She has a complete emotional breakdown just because he is punished lightly? She declared something that she has denied all this time.’ Brendan’s chest was burning with anger, and he had no idea why. He wanted Deirdre to admit to it and was aiming for this particular goal, yet he was furious at the very moment she finally relented. He clutched her weak, thin wrist with his grip so strong that he could crush her bones. “Deirdre, you have finally admitted to it!”“Yes.”She had no choice but to admit it. Her innocence was nothing compared to Sterling. Moreover, Brendan had never believed that she was innocent.“I knew it. You’re despicable and unscrupulous, just as expected.” He was infuriated, and his grip over Deirdre was so strong that her little face turned pale. “Why did I trust you and feel sorry for you in the past? Deirdre, you should be the one to take the sleeping pills! You should be the one to die!”Deirdre was about to suffocate t

Brendan gnashed his teeth. ‘This is all she’s concerned about at this point.’ “You should have acted differently if you knew it would come to this!”Deirdre laughed and felt her head spinning. ‘You’re right. I should have acted differently if I knew it would come to this…’In the end, Brendan drove and abandoned her at the villa. He said coldly, “Charlene is still in the hospital. I’ll bring her to the villa when she has recovered. Remember to speak, and don’t pretend to be mute by then!”Brendan drove away before Deirdre could answer. He found Madam Brighthall in the room when he arrived at the hospital. Her expression was slightly unpleasant when she saw Brendan. “You’re here just at the right time, Brendan. Follow me outside. I have something to talk to you about.”Madam Brighthall got up, shut the door, and made her way to the side with Brendan. She said eagerly, “Have you lost your mind, Brendan? That woman has already resulted in Charlene’s admittance to the hospital twic

’Deirdre will not be able to outshine me when I move into the villa.’A tinge of cruelness flashed past her beautiful eyes. Soon afterward, she nodded with a gentle expression. “I don’t have any request except for Ms. McKinnon not to hurt me anymore.”…In the next three days, Brendan did not visit the villa anymore. Deirdre sat in the spacious living room by herself just as she did two years ago. The only change was her state of mind. She went from being a white jasmine waiting for the rising sun to a wilted rose emitting rot and stench inside out. “Ms. McKinnon.” Sam had been guarding the door all this time and had been watching as Deirdre sat on the sofa in a daze from sunrise to sunset. He felt rather sorry for her and could not refrain from striking up a conversation with her. “The flowers in the yard have bloomed and smell great. Would you like to head outside for a stroll? Perhaps you can get a whiff of the floral scent while you’re at it?”Deirdre remained in the same p

Sam could not help feeling disappointed. “Don’t you like it, Ms. McKinnon?”“No…” Deirdre rubbed the puppy’s head, and it moved closer to her affectionately to lick her fingers. “I can’t see, so it will be very difficult for me to take care of it. Moreover… I’m living in someone’s house now, so how can I keep a pet without Brendan’s permission?”“So it turns out that you’re concerned about this, Ms. McKinnon.” Sam could not help chuckling. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the puppy’s day-to-day needs. As for Mr. Brighthall, I’ll inform him once he has cooled down. It’s just a pet. He won’t mind it.”“Don’t…”“Don’t reject me anymore, Ms. McKinnon. In truth, I can’t send back the puppy anymore because the neighbor’s dog died after giving birth to it. The neighbor tore himself away from the puppy in fear that he would miss the old dog. However, I’m not at home most of the time. If you don’t want it, I really don’t know what to do with it anymore, Ms. McKinnon.”Deirdre was touched. S

Brendan’s eyes were narrowed, and he wore a very dangerous expression. ‘She is already starting to keep her own secret after leaving her in the villa for just a few days.’“Deirdre, I’m going to count to three. Don’t evoke my anger.”She bit her lower lip tightly.“Three, two…”“It’s Bliss.”“Bliss?”Deirdre had only come to realize that she had called out the puppy’s name. She opened up the box, completely terrified, and revealed the furry, whiny puppy head inside. The puppy moved toward Deirdre to sniff at her.“This is it.”Brendan backed away in disgust. He was allergic to dogs. “Why did you bring this here? Get rid of it immediately.”Deirdre bit her lower lip and did not attempt to refute. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the box to protect it. Brendan sneered. “What are you doing, Deirdre? Do you regard this as your home? You’re just a dog to me, yet you’re still trying to keep a pet?”The remark was so harsh that Deirdre’s eyes reddened with tears as she attempt