As Emily spoke, Brendan's guilt became even more evident in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, his gaze lowered. "Because of me, I couldn't make you a real mother.""Don't say that, Brendan." Emily's sad expression suddenly shifted, and she comforted him instead. "I love you, and choosing to be with you is a decision I wholeheartedly embraced."Brendan nodded. "I'm glad you understand me. If anything comes up with Sean, you can always let me know. If he doesn't listen to you, I'll make sure to handle it appropriately."Alright, I hope it becomes easier for you."Brendan patted Emily's shoulder and headed toward the study.Emily looked up and couldn't help but speak, "Brendan."Brendan paused. "What's wrong?"Emily forced a smile. "It's nothing..."She was genuinely curious. Had Brendan not heard any news about Deirdre? Or had Ryker's hypnosis gradually made him forget about her existence?"I just wanted to ask if you noticed anything on your way back," Emily asked."What happene
"Carry Tilly while I take these things into the villa and put away anything that could easily harm Tilly," Sterling said as he playfully pinched the little girl's cheek after he got out of the car.Tilly's eyes gleamed as she held out a gift for Sterling. He couldn't help but laugh and accept it. "So much drool," he remarked.Deirdre wiped the drool off Tilly's chin. "Go ahead. I'll wait here for you.""Okay," Sterling answered.Carrying the suitcase, Sterling entered the villa while Deirdre looked around at the beautiful surroundings. It wasn't much different from the environment back in Germia. It seemed Tilly would adapt well to this place.Sterling was always attentive to details. After a while, Tilly, who had been well-behaved in his arms, tried to get down. Deirdre had to put her on a nearby park bench and remind her not to climb around.Tilly nodded vigorously, and as soon as Deirdre let go, she crawled forward with her head tilted.Coincidentally, it was a green area, an
"How did you get here? I came out of the house and couldn't find you and Tilly. I thought—" Sterling glanced around and spotted Sean hiding behind Deirdre. He was momentarily stunned and asked, "Who is he?"Deirdre exchanged a look with Sterling. "Is the house ready? Take Tilly inside first."Even though Sterling had no idea what was happening, he nodded and carried Tilly into the villa. The group entered the house.During their entry, Deirdre couldn't help but observe Sean. His face seemed oddly familiar, though she couldn't pinpoint why...She noticed that his gaze lacked the usual naivety for someone his age. Instead, he appeared delicate, like a fragile marionette. He showed no opinion and displayed no fear toward strangers. All he seemed to care about was the puppy in his arms.Deirdre felt pity for him, so she held his hand and said, "I'll give you a shower first while Uncle Sterling prepares a meal. You can eat after you've showered."Sean allowed himself to be led by her.
Sterling agreed silently, as the baby's gender had already been determined and couldn't change after birth."I must be overthinking then. However, it is quite a coincidence that you encountered the child," Sterling remarked, casting a sympathetic look toward Sean.She approached Sean and asked, "What's going on? Are you finished with your bath?"Sean nodded, his gaze fixed on the puppy without blinking. He was too shy to leave the bathroom, so he hid behind a door, exposing only his eyes.Deirdre quickly understood the situation and found it amusing. "Sterling, do you have a smaller shirt?"Sterling acted swiftly and found a shirt that no longer fit him. However, when Sean put it on, it was still oversized and trailed on the floor, making it inconvenient for him to walk.Deirdre resorted to trimming the shirt to a suitable length with scissors.Once freed, Sean immediately ran toward the puppy. However, he still refused to talk and remained guarded against the world.Realizing
Brendan's tone was calmer as he admitted, "I take responsibility for not managing your relationship with him properly."He instructed the bodyguard, "Continue searching for Sean. Expand the search area and review all surveillance footage."The bodyguard left, and Emily asked, "Brendan, are you attending the charity ball that Deirdre will be attending?""Why?" Brendan inquired.Emily suppressed the hesitation in her gaze. "I was thinking that you would receive an invitation to the event. It crossed my mind that I could attend as your female companion, allowing me to connect with several people."Brendan remained silent for a moment before speaking. "If you want to go, I'll take you there. I also want to find out if Deirdre knows anything about Sean's whereabouts. If she is indeed involved in his disappearance, I won't let her get away with it."-On the day of the dinner party, Deirdre stood before the mirror, examining herself.She wore a black silk gown that gracefully hugged
Someone in the group mocked her, saying, "How is that possible? I heard Deirdre has been in Germia and hasn't returned to the country. How could you have seen her before?""Forget it if you don't believe me." The woman pouted. "I can't remember her name, but I'm sure I've seen her in Neve before."The group ignored the comment, and the woman changed the topic of conversation.Meanwhile, Deirdre walked past them and stood alone in a dark corner, sipping her drink.She knew the woman might have seen her at parties when she attended as Brendan's wife years ago.Even if the woman recognized her, she would only remember Charlene's face, not connecting them as the same person.Deirdre was halfway through her drink when a commotion erupted in the room.She looked up and saw a couple entering through the door.She clenched her fist tightly, her eyes filled with coldness as she saw their faces clearly.Brendan still looked the same. His suit accentuated his slender figure, and his well
Emily glared fiercely at Deirdre from beneath the stage, gnashing her teeth tightly. Deirdre could see now, and she appeared even more beautiful and alluring than before. Emily couldn't deny that she had panicked when she saw Deirdre.She quickly turned her head to look at the man beside her. Brendan's dark eyes reflected Deirdre's image, and he never looked away from her. Restless, Emily couldn't resist tugging at Brendan's sleeve."What's happening?" Brendan asked, lowering his head to hear her.Emily forced a chuckle. "I'm not feeling well, Brendan. Could you please get me some antacid from a waiter?""Sure." Brendan complied without hesitation. He would always fulfill Emily's requests without complaint.By the time he returned, Deirdre's performance had ended, and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. He handed the medicine and water to Emily. She leaned close to Brendan, grabbing the medicine and stuffing it into her mouth to display their love to Deirdre. It brought her
Brendan furrowed his eyebrows slightly upon hearing Ryker's voice but continued to place his bid. "1.5 million dollars.""1.51 million dollars," Ryker quickly countered, determined to outbid Brendan.The crowd couldn't hide their astonishment. Challenging Brendan was no small feat, and they couldn't fathom why someone would dare to do so.As expected, Brendan's gaze darkened, but he maintained his composure, raising his paddle without showing his impatience."2.7 million dollars," Brendan announced.Ryker took his time before saying, "4.1 million dollars."The venue erupted in an uproar, breaking the silence.Whispers filled the air as the crowd wondered how Deirdre could be so captivating that two men were competing for her with exorbitant prices.Deirdre's expression remained unchanged on stage, but she felt somber inside.Ryker's bidding fell within Deirdre's expectations, but Brendan's bidding left her annoyed and agitated."Brendan…" Emily finally couldn't bear it any lo