Chapter 139 A Leopard Never Changes its Spots âBren!â Charlene sputtered and fled right into Brendanâs arms in terror. She gawked at Deirdre, fear widening her eyes as she yelped, âSheâs gone crazy, Bren! Sheâs lost it and she is trying to kill me!â
Remnants from Deirdreâs chokehold were still etched around her neck, sore and stark. A little up ahead, Brendan could see tears flooding the corner of her eyes. The sight provoked something ugly within him.
Exasperation. He had only left Charlene alone for a while, but it had been enough time for this to happen. Had he been there one second sooner He lunged, his fingers digging into Deirdreâs shoulders like talons, his strength so totalizing that it could crush bones. âDeirdre f*cking McKinnon! Youâll never f*cking learn, will you?! Even after all this punishment, you still canât stop harming Lena!â
Deirdreâs tears rolled down her cheeks endlessly, wetting the floor. Her chest was aching so much that even breathing had become hard. She glowered at Brendan, her eyes beet red, and retorted, âWhat should I have learned, huh? Sheâs the Devil behind it all! Sheâs the Devil behind everything! She Must Die?â
The agony-the despair-in her eyes was so overwhelming that even Brendan was taken aback. He could not find even a sign that she was faking this. He quickly recovered from his shock with a frown, however, and demanded, âWhat do you mean behind everything?â
Charlene stepped in hastily. I donât understand her either! She gave me my necklace a few minutes ago Then, instead of leaving, she started having this weird puzzling rant, rambling on about everything that should have been hers, and then and then suddenly, she started to choke me⦠Her voice quivered. Thank God you were here, Bren. I. I was so sure I was going to die?â
âSpare me that bullsh*t!â Deirdre erupted. Every breath she took felt like a knife making a gash across her bleeding heart. âShow us your phone, Charlene, if you even have the goddamned courage to do that, you snake! Show that video again, I dare you!â
Brendanâs expression darkened. âWhat video?â
Charlene shook her head violently with tears in her eyes. âI donât know! I donât know what youâre talking about, Miss McKinnon!â
âYouâre lying! Thereâs a video of Blissâ stomach being cut open right there on your phone! You filmed it just to show it to me-to torment me! And now youâre playing dumb again?!â
Brendanâs eyes turned stormy. He extended his hand toward Charlene and ordered, âGive me your phone.â
âB-Bren?â Charlene murmured, startled. Her pupils seemed to constrict. âYou⦠donât trust me?â
Brendan softened his tone. âNo, I trust you⦠Which is why I need you to hand me your phone. I want Deirdre to be proven wrong, without a shadow of a doubt, about all of this! Give me your phone.â
Charlene handed her phone to him. He began to search her media files but he did not find even a single video stored-let alone a video depicting Blissâ torture.
Brendanâs heart turned into steel. âWhen will you finally f*cking stop slandering Lena?!â he yelled. âDo you treat your blindness as some get-out-of-jail card? Do you think your disability puts you above basic decency?!â
He loomed over her and cupped Deirdreâs jaw with force. âThere isnât a single video on Lenaâs phone!â
he snarled. âNot even one!â
Deirdreâs face turned white. âThatâs impossible!â she choked. She had heard it with her own ears! âW-
What about her recordings? Then itâs got to be an audio recording!â
âEnough!â Brendan bellowed. He chucked her away from him as though he was disgusted, and Deirdre lost her footing and crashed down on the floor. She knocked into one of the stools nearby and panted in pain.
Brendan shot her a frigid glare, as though he was looking at a disgusting, wretched schemer who just.
could not stop sinking lower. âHow many times have I warned you, Deirdre? How. Many. Times?! You just wonât stop! You thought Iâd be helpless against you now that Sterlingâs gone, did you?!
âSam!â
The man in question peered inside the room-and immediately knew what must have gone down.
âTake her back to the mansion and lock her in her room! Sheâs not to be given food unless I explicitly.
state so!â Brendan ordered. âWhen Charleneâs birthday party is over, Iâll come back and teach her a memorable lesson.â
Upon saying that, Brendan took Charlene with him and left.
Deirdre shivered. Any pain her body felt paled compared to the agony in her wringing heart.