It was exactly the same as the secret passage she had walked down back then.Wait a moment! She turned her head toward the bed. Wasn't there a wooden board there as well back then?Deirdre suddenly regained her strength and rushed over in a hurry, and when she stepped on the bed, she stretched her hands toward the wall. There was actually a wooden plank on the top. After Deirdre pushed it away, she came to a stairway. She gritted her teeth and went all the way up. The more she went up, the more emotional she was, and the more she trembled.Her mind went blank when she came up from below and reached the secret passage. The basement there led directly to the secret passage on the second floor? So the basement was actually the place she went to in the first place! How could there be such a coincidence!? Deirdre was deeply shocked and filled with joy.Now that the villa was empty, didn't that mean she could leave? She could go to the hospital! She could find a way to get herself examin
The intense pain made Deirdre fall down uncontrollably. A second before she collapsed, Sterling reacted quickly and hastily helped Deirdre to her feet. When he saw the blood in Deirdre's mouth, his pupils contracted and visibly trembled.He held Deirdre's wrist and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you so weak?""Emily injected a drug into me because she wants me to die in the basement." Deirdre bit her lower lip hard to endure the pain, her eyes full of resentment."What?" Sterling was astounded. He didn't expect Emily to be so cruel that Deidre would be deathly ill even if she could come out."Sterry, I can't die… Help me, help me!" Sterling observed Deirdre's face and checked her pulse with his hand. The more time passed, the darker his face became.This drug… was too poisonous."It seems that Emily is determined to kill you and not give you any hope of surviving."Deirdre's pupils trembled, and she shook her head desperately. "I want… I want to live!"She wasn't willing to die!
"Really?" Brendan's doubts completely vanished after hearing Emily's words, and he relaxed."Brendan, put the child down." Emily persuaded him, and Brendan gently placed the child on the bed.The little one clenched his fists and peacefully fell asleep. Though his face was still wrinkled and not particularly attractive, Brendan could still see a resemblance to Deirdre.Brendan closed his eyes and pushed away his thoughts. He needed to stop thinking about her. Everything was in the past.Upon returning, he should let her go. Regardless of her behavior, she had given birth to his child, and it was only fair for him to release her.However, the trip didn't last even half a month. Continuous rain on the island made travel impossible, and the company had another project to handle. Moreover, the island had no internet connection.Brendan grew increasingly anxious about the company's situation. Even writing letters back to the company couldn't ease his worries, so he decided to return e
"Alright…"The assistant held her breath as they drove, the entire journey filled with an unusual silence.Upon reaching the villa, Brendan hurriedly got out of the car and rushed inside the mansion. However, Frances, who should have been there to greet him, was nowhere to be found at the entrance.He stood still. "Where is Frances?""Frances... She's missing. She left the mansion a week ago, and we haven't been able to find her or get in touch with her," the assistant replied after some hesitation."Missing…" Brendan's eyes flickered. He took steps toward the basement. "Does that mean Deirdre has been alone all this time? Why wasn't I informed?""Mr. Brighthall!" The assistant hurriedly followed. "You don't have to go down. Ms. McKinnon, she—"Brendan had already descended into the basement, but what he saw inside left his eyes filled with astonishment.There was no sign of anyone there, let alone Deirdre.The bedding was in disarray at the head of the bed, and an unbearable
Emily's eyes shimmered with a mix of joy and complexity.The joy stemmed from Brendan's state, confirming that Deirdre was truly dead. Finally, this calamity had been eradicated from the world.However, the complexity arose from the fact that despite Brendan being hypnotized by Ryker and no longer loving Deirdre, he still reacted strongly to the news of her death.Could it be that there were certain emotions in the world that even hypnosis couldn't dissolve? Even though his memories had been sealed, could the emotions freely flowing within his heart still impact Brendan?In that case, it was fortunate that Deirdre had died. Otherwise, it would only become easier to threaten Emily's position.The pale-faced assistant emerged from the storeroom, and Emily handed the child to her. "Where is Deirdre's body?"The assistant promptly took the child and replied, "It's at the morgue at Neve Hospital.""I'll accompany Brendan there. You stay home and take care of the child."Emily hurrie
Emily casually removed her coat, revealing her stunning figure. "Well, it's a bit of both," she replied with a hint of arrogance.She glanced at her fingernails and continued. "Since our honeymoon trip, Brendan has become more reliant on me and trusts me completely. He even entrusted that child to my care without any concern. I believe it won't be long before I have easy access to the top-level documents of the Brighthall Group.""Not bad." Ryker applauded her. "I didn't misjudge you. But..."He abruptly changed the subject. "Aside from all that, is there anything else that brings you happiness?"Emily thought about Deirdre's death, and a wicked smile formed on her lips. Naturally, she wouldn't mention her involvement in it. She simply raised an eyebrow and replied, "Deirdre McKinnon's death is one of them. Since you are also at the hospital, did you come to see her?"Ryker stared at her unwaveringly. "I was downstairs for a while before Brendan arrived.""Deirdre didn't die due
Ryker threw Emily to the ground and glared down at her with a menacing expression. "Emily Collins, do you think I'm stupid? Frances Ramos is motivated by money. What benefit would killing Deirdre bring her if she had no one backing her?"Emily's teeth trembled as she crawled closer and said, "Deirdre's death doesn't benefit me either! I have everything I want now. Whether she's alive or dead, it doesn't matter to me. You can't blame me for everything just because there were conflicts between us!"And..." Emily's eyes flickered with emotion as she searched for excuses, trying to avoid the truth. "And Brendan was never good to her. That basement was filthy, messy, and damp. Even a normal person couldn't bear staying there for a month, let alone someone like Deirdre, who had just given birth. It's natural for her to get infected and die in that environment— Ah!"Emily screamed in pain.Suddenly, Ryker leaned in, grabbing a handful of Emily's hair and pulling it upward.Intense pain s
The assistant's voice was hoarse as she gently reminded Brendan, "Mr. Brighthall, it's time. The car is waiting outside the door. We need to take her to the crematorium now."Brendan's eyes flickered with emotions as he approached the coffin and gently uncovered the white cloth draped over the ice casket. Inside, the woman lay peacefully, her face pale. If it weren't for the absence of vital signs, one might mistake her for being alive."The burial is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. We should leave now," the assistant urged. "Since you feel indebted to Ms. McKinnon, let's prioritize honoring her and ensure that she receives the farewell she deserves by adhering to the optimal timing, allowing her spirit to find peace.""I understand," Brendan replied.He reached out his hand, attempting to touch her through an invisible barrier. In the next instant, his body convulsed with coughs, and he struggled to catch his breath. Blood trickled from his nostrils, thick and sticky. He tried to conceal