Who was their mystery photographer? Kyran had no idea. He knew that if the pictures were to be leaked to the public, it would spell trouble. Deirdre stood still and waited for Kyran’s return patiently. It was a great moment to immerse herself in—she liked being a part of the bustling scene. It made her feel alive. She heard footsteps drawing near and thought it was Kyran. Unexpectedly, it was a middle-aged woman. “Fine day, young lady. The man who was with you… Is his name ‘Kyran Reed’?”She was gregarious enough, but her choice of words triggered Deirdre’s defense. She frowned warily and asked, “Can I help you?”“Oh, no! It’s nothing big! I don’t mean to scare you,” explained the middle-aged woman. “Kyran Reed simply wanted me to inform you that he’s caught up with something and can’t really come to you, so you should wait for him at the entrance.”“Caught up with… what?”The middle-aged woman chuckled dryly. “Beats me. I’m just a messenger. I wouldn’t know. That’s all, real

Kyran became Deirdre’s kitchen helper. Around 5:00 p.m., they heard a knock on the door, prompting Deirdre to clap the flour out of her hands in joy. “Sweet! That has to be Glenna! Let her in, Kyran!”A subtle change shadowed Kyran’s expression, though he ultimately obliged and answered the door.The young woman had a few bags on her fingers when the door opened. When she saw Kyran, her eyes dodged him for a second. Steeling herself, she called out, “Hi, Mr… Reed.”Kyran nodded and stepped aside to let Glenna in. Deirdre strode out of the kitchen and greeted cheerfully, “You came just in time, Glenna. A new change of kitchen helper is sorely needed! Kyran’s just no good at these things… He could not even peel and slice those potatoes right. If we want our dinner to happen soon, I’m gonna need your help.”“Well, well, well! You’re in luck! This is exactly what I’m born to do!” Glenna placed the fruits down and rolled her sleeves. “Let me at ‘em!”Her usual preppiness had return

Deirdre tossed an implicative glance outside the kitchen. “Believe me, I’ve seen the worst, and now nobody else’s skill could ever faze me again. Seriously, try to surprise me.”“Heh.” Declan excitedly washed his hands and grabbed a spare knife. He made a few nicks and began to unpeel it. “How’s this?”Deirdre’s poor sight would not be able to help her tell, but she also thought this was the best opportunity to get Glenna and Declan talking again. “What do you think, Glenna?”Quietly exasperated, Glenna turned in the direction of Declan’s hand and noticed how beautiful his fingers really were. It was as if a man with good genes simply could not have anything remotely out of place in any part of their physical appearance. Glenna never fancied herself as someone who gave a dime about hands, and yet even her heart throbbed.When she finally broke out of her trance, she realized she had been silent too long.Declan tried to dispel the awkwardness in the air with a chuckle. “I must hav

Kyran’s brows began to furrow as Deirdre asked gently, “Hmm? Who was it?”“I don’t know. Must be one of those telemarketers. I’m gonna answer it for a bit.”He rose and started toward the balcony. Unfazed, Deirdre resumed talking with Declan for the rest of the dinner. When Kyran’s food was starting to grow cold, she noticed he had not returned.Declan, perceptive as ever, could read Deirdre’s face. “It’s probably something from work. Since he hasn’t been in his office these days, he probably has a mountain of affairs to which he has to nod off.”“Yeah. You’re probably right,” Deirdre replied with a quick smile as a heavy sense of dread and foreboding unfurled in her chest. The incident with the middle-aged woman earlier today seemed to foretell something bad to come.A low rumble groaned from overhead. Glenna looked up from her meal and muttered to herself, “Is it gonna rain?”“I think it is,” answered Declan. “The weather hasn’t been playing nice lately.”Glenna looked alarmed

Deirdre started to hate storms and their thunderclaps ever since she was incarcerated. Her sight had only been robbed back then. Aside from how hard it was to acclimate to that darkness she could no longer escape, she had to avoid being tormented by other prisoners who were all too happy to capitalize on her blindness.A single clap of thunder used to frighten her so much that she would shake despite herself. But since her life had gone back to normal, she had rarely been this panicked. Shutting her eyes, Deirdre wiped away beads of cold sweat from her face and turned on her side to face where the man was.She reached her fingernails out to the comforter wrapped around him and opened her eyes suddenly. “Kyran?”Deirdre ran her hands through his side of the bed. It was empty and cold. He was gone. When did he leave? Where did he go?Deirdre lost her sleep. She swiped her shirt hanging from the side of her pillow, put it on, slipped into her shoes, and went outside.The living r

“Naturally, I’ll respect your eventual decision too.” Kyran allowed the woman’s scent to calm him down. When he felt like he had finally gained a semblance of control, he studied the hazy, silvery moonlight from outside, illuminating each strand of her hair, and ran his fingers through them. “It’s not as grave as you’ve imagined, but it’s… It’s not good for you. Those people are after me and me alone, yet you get dragged into my problems. I’m sorry. I’m a sorry excuse of a man—”Deirdre clasped her hand over his lips. She shook her head, her expression sincere. “Please, don’t ever say something like that to me, Kyran. I know how good you are, better than anyone else in the world. If you’ve somehow brought harm to me, then God knows how much trouble I must have brought you! But here’s the thing… I never feel bad for any of it, so you shouldn’t be.”Kyran’s eyes seemed to be trembling. In the end, he nodded. He lowered his head and began searching for her lips.Deirdre was flustered

“The sky isn’t bright yet, so I’m not going to bet on any cabs. Besides, letting a young lady take a cab alone at this time is dangerous, so I’ll just have Fionn drive you. He’s with me, after all.”Deirdre appreciated it immensely. “Thank you.”“Don’t be, Miss McKinnon. I’m doing this not just because you’re my friend’s girl but because I admire you for your character and charm. I think we’re more than just someone who knows each other because of Kyran, right? We are friends, period. So we help each other out and skip saying thanks all the time. It’s what friends do,” he replied, laughing.Deirdre felt warmth in her heart. What he said relieved her from feeling like a burden and allowed her the peace of mind to accept his help. “If you say so, Declan. I’ll take full advantage, then!”“Ha! Now that’s the spirit!” Declan joked. “Fionn’s on his way. It should take him about half an hour. Just wait for him.”Deirdre immediately changed into her casual wear and gathered fresh clothing

Deirdre listened to Kyran panting under his breath and laced her fingers with his to comfort him. Casting her eyes to the floor, she asked, “Mr. King, do you know why he drank that much?”Declan stiffened for a second and flashed her a smile. “I could answer you on other days, but this time, believe me… I have not the slightest clue. Maybe it was work. Maybe he had a bad day. I actually thought you would know better since you’re his significant other.”Deirdre was hard-pressed for a reply because he was right. She was Kyran’s closest partner—she should have been his confidante. Yet, Kyran seemed to be hiding things from her. Even if she knew it was for her good or for her sake, it pained her to remember just how much Kyran stomached on his own. And now, after shouldering the burden alone for so long, this happened. Deirdre exhaled a long sigh and turned to Declan. “It’s getting late, Mr. King. You should take some rest. I’ll take care of him.”He was already nearing fatigue—she

“But she’s the mastermind behind my abduction! She’s a murderer and a criminal suspect! Why did you people let her go!?” Deirdre clenched her fists tightly and felt a dizzy spell overcoming her. She had hoped that everything was finally coming to an end!The police officers exchanged glances. “We’ve found no evidence of a crime after investigating Charli McKinsey.”“No, that’s impossible!” Deirdre shouted hotly. “I heard her voice! She was talking to me! We talked! She abducted me!”“Miss McKinnon, your sight is compromised. We can’t just say who did it based on what you, and you alone, heard.”“But Maeve O’Keefe was a witness too! She can corroborate with my testimony and prove that Charli is not innocent!”“And this is what we’re here to inform you, Miss McKinnon. Maeve O’Keefe came to the police yesterday and admitted to fabricating her account. She had admitted to harboring some hatred toward Charli McKinsey and so created wrongful accusations against the latter. She was dul

“I’m all ears, sister! Just say the word!”Deirdre leveled a grateful gaze at her. “I need you to investigate something.”-“This is it. The address points to this unit,” Glenna said as she checked the note in her hand, comparing it to the placard reading ‘604’ on its door. “Should we knock?”Deirdre nodded. “Let’s go.”Glenna knocked. A while later, they heard footsteps and a woman’s answer. “Coming!”The door was pulled open the next second. Maeve was still remarking to herself, “I didn’t expect you to be home so soon! Is it the semester br—”She faltered. Even without consulting her sight, Deirdre could tell that Maeve must look startled and taken aback. Maintaining her composure, Deirdre asked, “Can we come in?”Maeve stepped aside.Deirdre strode inside. Her foggy sight managed to make out a crowded, small interior, hinting at her the older woman’s lackluster economic status. She had not received a lot of money lately, then.Or… she had, but it was so recent she had no